‘Dare to enter, try to leave…’

The Boneyard – aka The Bone Yard – is a 1990 [released on VHS in 1991] American supernatural horror film written and directed by special effects designer James Cummins. The Backwood Films production stars Ed Nelson, Deborah Rose and Norman Fell.

A depressed psychic (Deborah Rose) is drawn into involvement in a grisly child-murder case that leads her and detective Callum (Ed Nelson) to an imposing mortuary. Chen (Robert Yun Ju Ahn), the prime suspect in the case, claims the three mummified corpses found by police are not children but ancient demons known as “kyoshi”.

It transpires that the little monsters have been around for centuries as a result of an age-old curse and can only be placated with offerings of human flesh — with which the mortician has been supplying them his entire life. When Chen is jailed on murder charges, the ghouls awaken in search of dinner, trapping the staff inside the mortuary walls and devouring them.

The survivors try to combat the demons, which have possessed the bodies of morgue attendant Mrs. Poopinplatz (Phyllis Diller) and her poodle, mutating them into hideous monsters…

Buy: Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Despite the crushingly slow start and the casting of a female lead who looks like a 270-pound ’80s wrestler, The Boneyard‘s back half more than makes up for it. When things get progressively worse and more monsters emerge, including the largest killer poodle you’ve ever seen (seriously), you can sit back at the end satisfied you’ve seen something that was, if you’ll pardon the expression, a bit mental.” Chris Scullion, That Was a Bit Mental

“The Boneyard is played too straight until Diller’s transformation, and even then, the infectious fun and over-the-top gore of similar efforts like Dead Alive rarely rear their gruesome little heads. That’s not to say that The Boneyard is some unredeemingly bad movie that ought to be avoided at all costs. It has its moments, and the two creatures near the end are alone worth the price of entry.” Adam Tyner, DVD Talk

“If Cummins used a lot less dialog, and Deborah Rose’s acting were a lot lighter, and the three child-ghouls were given more screen time to terrorize, The Boneyard could have, would have, been a scarier movie even with Phyllis Diller mugging it up as Poopinplatz. Take a look, fast forward a lot, and you’ll be fine: the morgue smorgasbord scene is worth a look at least.” Zombo’s Closet

“The film gains some life when James Cummins is in his element – namely when it comes to the makeup effects sequences. Even then, it is a long time into the film before he unleashes the zombie children – and even longer before he does anything with them. There is certainly a moderate level of gore in the last twenty minutes. These vary between the quite effective and the occasionally awkward.” Richard Scheib, Moria

” …this one plays with enough conviction and genuine (if nonsensical) originality that one suspects its writer-director, James Cummins, may actually have a glimmer of talent. In any case, it’s all but impossible to resist a flick in which the two best monsters are a giant mutant French Poodle and a giant mutant Phyllis Diller.” Steve Simels, Entertainment Weekly, June 14, 1991

Choice dialogue:

Gordon Mullin (referring to Miss Poopinplatz): “The only way to get rid of her is if they burned her at the stake.”

Marty: “Is everything broken around here? Even humour?”

Cast and characters:

• Ed Nelson as Jersey Callum (The Devil’s Partner; A Bucket of Blood; Attack of the Crab Monsters; et al)
• Deborah Rose as Alley Oates
• Norman Fell as Shepard (The Munsters Today; C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud; Transylvania 6-5000)
• James Eustermann as Gordon Mullin
• Denise Young as Dana
• Willie Stratford Jr. as Marty
• Phyllis Diller as Miss Poopinplatz (Dr. Hackenstein; Mad Monster Party?)
• Robert Yun Ju Ahn as Chen
• Rick Brophy as Mac
• Sallie Middleton Kaltreider as Little Girl/Ghoul

Filming locations:

Asheville and Statesville, North Carolina, in 1989

Trivia:

The producers initially sought Alice Cooper and actor Clu Gulager for key roles.

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘We prey for you’

13 Eerie is a 2013 Canadian horror film directed by Lowell Dean (WolfCop; Another WolfCop), making his feature film debut, from a screenplay by Christian Piers Betley (Hex). Don Carmody (Hidden 3D; Silent Hill; Skinwalkers; et al) co-produced. It stars Katharine Isabelle, Michael Shanks and Brendan Fehr.

Six forensic undergrads, Megan (Katharine Isabelle), Daniel (Brendan Fehr), Josh (Brendan Fletcher), Patrick (Jesse Moss), Kate (Kristie Patterson) and Rob (Michael Eisner), are assigned to complete a scientific field exam on a deserted island known as Eerie Strait, where life-term prisoners were once held and corpses lay dead.

Professor Tomkins (Michael Shanks) dispatches them into pairs to examine corpses in different areas as part of staged murders. Shortly, Larry (Nick Moran), an ex-con who transported the group, warns partners, Megan and Kate, about finding the unexpected corpse of a skinhead female. Rob spots the zombie in the woods and tries to warn his partner, Daniel, who dismisses it…

Reviews:

” …13 Eerie manages to be entertaining and even fun. The ending seems a little extended, but the climax is action packed. The actors each deliver something unique. And, the setting of a body farm is an interesting place for a horror film to take place. Zombie indie film fans will especially like this outing, despite the predictability.” Michael Allen, 28 Days Later Analysis

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

” …has a lot going for it in the beginning and while it does fall back into a pretty standard zombie film it’s still entertaining. It certainly delivers the goods and it isn’t boring. It’s just disappointing considering where it might have gone if the script had some balls to it and didn’t try to play it so safe. The acting and makeup effects make up for some but not all of what the script lacks. It’s still worth a watch though.” The Black Saint, HorrorNews.net

“An unusual setup isn’t enough to save 13 Eerie from falling into the pit of clichés created by its zombie and slasher forefathers. Once you get past the idea of watching something truly novel and settle in for another helping of the usual, you’ll find a competently staged and acted production.” Rohit Rao, DVD Talk

“The movie delivers in the production value department despite its low budget, including an overturned and exploding prison bus for added measure. Unfortunately, the story gives up on adding any real depth to the eye candy and the interchangeable characters are just grist for the mill.  Those content with any excuse to see the dead eat the living in satisfyingly horrible ways can add 13 Eerie to their list.” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt

“Overall, the direction and special effects truly sell the film, with an entertaining venture into the zombie sub-genre, and bring a touch of Toxie to the storyline with a reference to chemical spills and the cruelty to prisoners, with the experimentation of drugs, and other biological means disregarding them. The ending of the film, really sets a clear tone of both fun for the viewer, and the tension measuring at an equal rate…” Baron Craze, Rogue Cinema

” …what we have here is a cool little cross between Jeepers Creepers and the foreign film Mutants. Even with the film’s story issues it’s 80 minutes of good solid undead ass kicking. Great practical effects and a technically well made product make this a horror film definitely worth checking out!” Adam the Movie God

Buy DVD: Amazon.com

” …this one looks good, it is competently acted and directed, has very good special effects, but has nothing in the way of a story or interesting characters […] The rotting zombies at times feel like a Fulci throwback. A competent movie, but it doesn’t make much of an impact.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre

Choice dialogue:

Larry: “This place… is one stop from Hell!”

Cast and characters:

• Katharine Isabelle as Megan (The Girl in the Photographs; Torment; American Mary; et al)
• Michael Shanks as Tomkins (Red Riding Hood; Mega Snake; Swarmed)
• Brendan Fehr as Daniel (Silent Night; The Forsaken; Final Destination; Disturbing Behavior)
• Brendan Fletcher as Josh
• Nick Moran as Larry Jefferson
• Jesse Moss as Patrick
• Kristie Patterson as Kate
• Michael Eisner as Rob
• Lyndon Bray as Captain Veneziano
• Ryland Alexander as Tattoo Zombie
• Shannon Jardine as Skinhead Nazi Zombie
• Jason Truong as Thug Zombie

Box office:

The film took an impressive $21,234,567 against a reported budget of $3 million.

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘Where are your kids?’

Dead Shack is a 2017 Canadian comedy horror film directed by Peter Ricq from a screenplay co-written with Phil Ivanusic and Davila LeBlanc. It stars Lauren Holly, Valerie Tian, Donavon Stinson and Lizzie Boys.

On a weekend getaway at a rundown cabin in the woods, Jason, a cautious teen, his crude best friend Colin and his fearless older sister Summer are forced to work together, grow up and save their hard partying parents from their predatory neighbour (Lauren Holly) who is intent on feeding them all to her undead family…

Dead Shack is currently playing at festivals such as Popcorn Frights Film Festival in Miami, prior to release details being announced.

Main cast:

Lauren Holly, Valerie Tian, Donavon Stinson, Lizzie Boys, June B. Wilde, Taylor St. Pierre, Hannah Rochelle Burr, Cameron Andres, Gabriel LaBelle.

IMDb

Image credits: HorrorNews.net

‘They came with false teeth’

Granny of the Dead is a 2017 British comedy horror film written and directed by Tudley James. The TudorFilms production stars Marcus Carroll, Abigail Hamilton and Oliver Ferriman.

Horrorpedia originally reported on this film when it was in pre-production in 2013 and known as O.A.Z. Nan from Hell.

Ed (Marcus Carroll) awakes one morning to find that his grandmother has become one of the living dead. Trapped in his home he struggles to cope, and with a little help from his friends he tries to survive the day, but the more nan feeds the stronger she gets and soon it becomes a battle to keep the house zombie free…

Granny of the Dead is unleashed on DVD in the UK on 28 August 2017 by Matchbox Films. In the US, the film will be available on VOD on July 14, 2017.

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

Main cast:

Marcus Carroll (Monstrum), Abigail Hamilton (Charismata; The Hatching; The Seasoning House), Oliver Ferriman (Torchwood), William Huw, Tudley James, Sabrina Dickens, Josh Wood, Nia Ann, Steve Purbrick, Kathy Saxondale, Victor Ptak, Edward Way, Linda Bailey, Ricky Valentine, Tom Barker.

Trivia:

The film’s working titles were O.A.Z: Nan from Hell and O.A.Z: Old Age Zombies

IMDb | Twitter | Facebook

Related: Rabid Grannies

The End? – aka In un giorno la fine [“In One Day the End”] – is a 2017 Italian horror film written and directed by Daniele Misischia. Produced by the Manetti Bros, directors of Paura 3D (2012), it stars Euridice Axén, Claudio Camilli and Benedetta Cimatti.

Claudio Verona is a young and cynical businessman; one day he gets locked in his work elevator before an important meeting with a client. This annoying obstacle soon turns into a nightmare, as a deadly virus outside has begun to infect and transform people into flesh-eating zombies.

Claudio has to get out of the claustrophobic lift space, although it seems that the elevator may well be the safest place in the city…

The End? will have its world premiere in London at the Horror Channel FrightFest on 27 August 2017.

Main cast:

Alessandro Roja, Euridice Axen, Claudio Camilli, Benedetta Cimatti, Bianca Friscelli.

IMDb | Thanks: Upcoming Horror Movies

Road of the Dead is a 2018 American comedy horror film directed by Matt Birman (2nd unit director on Survival of the Dead; Diary of the Dead and Land of the Dead) from a screenplay co-written with co-producer George A. Romero.

On an exclusive island zombie prisoners race cars in a modern-day Coliseum for the entertainment of wealthy humans…

In an interview with Michael Gingold for Rue Morgue on July 7, 2017, George A. Romero explained the film’s premise:

“It’s set in a sanctuary city where this fat cat runs a haven for rich folks, and one of the things that he does is stage drag races to entertain them. There’s a scientist there doing genetic experiments, trying to make the zombies stop eating us, and he has discovered that with a little tampering, they can recall certain memory skills that enable them to drive in these races. So it’s a demolition derby with zombies at the wheels, and of course the shit hits the fan in other ways. It’s really a romp; it’s great fun, with stunts galore.”

He added, “This one is really almost a comedy, though it’s got scares and spooky moments and all that. It’s more about suspense than blood. While there is gore, it’s not overt; there are no big, operatic sequences where people get torn apart. There’s slapstick in it, but it’s mostly stunts; it’s quite different. One character dies, for example, in a tragic way, but was once in NASCAR and is able to come back and drive. It’s that kind of looney tunes.”

The film is currently still in development and seeking further funding.

IMDb | Thanks to Upcoming Horror Movies

Anna and the Apocalypse is a 2017 British comedy horror film directed by John McPhail from a screenplay by Ryan McHenry and Alan McDonald. The Blazing Griffin production stars Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming and Sarah Swire.

When the zombie apocalypse hits the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – teenager Anna (Ella Hunt) and her high school friends have to fight, sing and dance to survive, with the undead horde all around them.

Teaming up with her best friend John (Malcolm Cumming), Anna has to fight her way through zombified snowmen, Santas, elves and Christmas shoppers to get across town to the high school, where they’ll be safe. But they soon discover that being a teenager is just as difficult as staying alive, even at the end of the world…

The film is currently in post-production.

Main cast:

Ella Hunt (Intruders), Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, Mark Benton, Paul Kaye, Ella Jarvis, and Calum Cormack

IMDb

‘When the dead break free, all hell breaks loose.’

Mortuary is a 2005 supernatural American horror film directed by Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist; Salem’s Lot; The Texas Chain Saw Massacre) from a screenplay by husband and wife Jace Anderson and Adam Gierasch (Mother of Tears; Toolbox Murders; Crocodile; et al). It stars Dan Byrd, Alexandra Adi and Denise Crosby.

After the loss of their father, the Doyle family – Leslie, Jonathan, and Jamie – move to an old mortuary in hope of starting a new life but find it in poor condition.

Jonathan goes to the local diner where he meets Cal and his two girlfriends, Tina and Sara. Cal tells Jonathan about the legend of Bobby Fowler, an abused and deformed boy who lived in the mortuary.

That night, Cal, Sara and Tina go to the graveyard outside the mortuary and vandalise it; they then go into one of the crypts, where they are attacked by Bobby Fowler…

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“In the end, Mortuary is one part Night of the Living Dead, and one part Cabin Fever. It accomplishes what few productions do by capturing nearly all of the key elements to a great horror movie. They made something worth watching again and again. It isn’t the scariest movie you’ll ever see, but it is extremely entertaining and a lot of fun.” Scared Stiff Reviews

” …Mortuary seems to be unsure of what it wants to be. We’ve got black humor, zombies, killer CGI fungus, and a deformed killer all thrown into the mix at once, and this results in an ambitious yet muddled experience. On the positive side, Mortuary is filled with quite a few moments of gross out gags, cool looking zombies, disturbing imagery, and the acting is way above par.” Steve Barton, Dread Central

“Mortuary is not a good film. When it comes down to it, it is a bad DTV horror movie with a horrendous screenplay. But I do love it, meaning I thoroughly enjoy it, of course mainly due to Hooper’s idiosyncratic visual eye, resonant acquisitions of cinematography (by DP Jaron Presant; the film really is a good-looking picture, even a step up from the crude gothic of Toolbox Murders with its Halloween party colors), and directorial delicacy, which lends the film its amiable energy and gentle textures.” Tobe Hooper Appreciation Society

“Mortuary slips into an unmitigated mess from the outset […] This might have been okay if the film had held up in the shocks department. However, Tobe Hooper gives all indication that he has lost the ability to create worthwhile or even credible shocks. Everything that happens has an eminent predictability, while the red herrings make you groan at their lameness.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“But the CGI… oh the horror! The black gunky mold which grows (unconvincingly) everywhere is a colossal annoyance. But when it is spewed from the mouths of person-to-person it borders on comical. It’s kind of like a really bad version of the black oil from the X-Files. The make-up effects are equally unconvincing, and even the zombies, which I am usually sympathetic towards, are sub-par.” Bloody Disgusting

” …a welfare friendly, bland and un-scary location, tinker-toy CGI, a misfired attempt at humor that wouldn’t giggle up a sedated chimp (the weed/cop at the door bit was astoundingly idiotic), bad editing cuts galore and beyond flaccid directing by Mr. Hooper…” The Arrow, JoBlo.com

“The effects on the zombies are pretty decent, but the CGI is weak as all get out. Not only does the pipe cleaner look like a coked out Etch-A-Sketch, but there’s one hand through the heart effect that looks incredibly fake. The movie runs a little slow, but things pick up at about the three quarter mark when the kids get chased by not only the zombies, but also Bobby the psycho AND their schizoid mom as well.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

“Mortuary isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen and Hooper’s directing probably elevates the film, but it’s still not great. Fortunately, this movie is just so absurd that it’s fun to watch. The characters are so bizarre and the plot just jumps all over the place. It starts and ends like a slasher film, but with a zombie movie jammed right into the middle.” Zak Greene, Wicked Horror

Choice dialogue:

Sheriff Howell: “This town takes violence seriously!’

Cast and characters:

• Denise Crosby as Leslie (Relative Fear; Dolly Dearest; Pet Sematary)
• Dan Byrd as Jonathan (Ghost Whisperer; The Hills Have Eyes; Salem’s Lot [2004])
• Stephanie Patton as Jamie
• Alexandra Adi as Liz
• Bug Hall as Cal
• Courtney Peldon as Tina
• Tarah Paige as Sara
• Rocky Marquette as Grady
• Michael Shamus Wiles as Sheriff Howell (The Lords of Salem; Hellraiser: Inferno; Puppet Master 4; Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III; Terror at Tenkiller)

Filming locations:

Pomona, California, USA

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘Crazy has come to town for a visit’

Undead is a 2003 Australian science fiction horror comedy film written and directed by Michael and Peter Spierig (Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built; Jigsaw; Daybreakers); it stars Felicity Mason, Mungo McKay and Rob Jenkins.

After losing her family farm to the bank, local beauty pageant winner Rene (Felicity Mason) decides to leave the small town of Berkeley. A number of strange meteorites are seen falling nearby, turning the local inhabitants into zombies. Rene and other survivors hide in the home of gun nut and alien abductee Marion (Mungo McKay).

The group ventures outside to scavenge, but encounter the zombies. Marion shoots one in the head and discovers that is the way to keep the creatures down. They try to flee, only to find a huge barrier surrounding the entire town, which Marion blames on the aliens that had taken him…

Reviews:

“When Undead sticks to the standard zombie-flick conventions, it’s a fairly successful (if not particularly unique) homage to Romero’s trademark sub-genre … but Undead also manages to wander deep into spacey sci-fi territory […] The end result is a movie that boasts several isolated scenes which stand out and command your attention, but it’s never able to congeal into a satisfying whole.” Scott Weinberg, DVD Talk

” …I don’t think the Spierig brothers have adequately defined what they want to accomplish. They go for laughs with dialogue at times when verbal jokes are at right-angles to simultaneous visual jokes. They give us gore that is intended as meaningless and funny, and then when the aliens arrive they seem to bring a new agenda.” Roger Ebert

“Relatively minor quibbles aside, Undead was a full meal that train-wrecked zombie carnage, kinetic style and creative ideas my way. Tag to that, its 50s invasion, zombie and Spaghetti Western feel and you get an indie power house that I’m proud to call “honey bunny”. This one has “Cult Classic” and “Fun Freaking Times” written all over it.” Arrow in the Head

“It’s not that Undead is bad, because I don’t think it’s actually that bad. Its problem is that the directing/writing siblings are unable to understand the need for sympathetic characters. Not a single one of Undead’s cast is likeable. Not a single one.” Nix, Beyond Hollywood

“ …not only does it refuse to explain itself: it also tries to mislead the audience, to fool it into thinking it’s going to play out the way a conventional zombie movie might. Any low-budget film that attempts this sort of misdirection is taking an incredible risk, but the result is a film that’s one of the most engaging and rewarding that the zombie subgenre has ever produced.” Braineater.com

” …it feels like two films, one a gore-drenched zombie movie with tongue considerably planted in cheek, and the other a puzzle film about alien abductions that takes itself seriously. The tone between these two aspects of the film is markedly different and never fully gels together or even explains much of what is happening until the very end.” Richard Scheib, Moria

Cast and characters:

• Felicity Mason as Rene
• Mungo McKay as Marion
• Rob Jenkins as Wayne
• Lisa Cunningham as Sallyanne
• Dirk Hunter as Harrison
• Emma Randall as Molly
• Noel Sheridan as Chip
• Gaynor Wensley as Aggie
• Eleanor Stillman as Ruth
• Robyn Moore as Officer in Locker Room
• Robert Jozinović as Man in Office
• Steven O’Donnell as Featured zombie

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘The end is coming and it will be painful’

Dawning of the Dead is a 2016 British horror film directed by Tony Jopia (Cute Little Buggers; Crying Wolf; Deadtime; et al), Nika Braun (Neighbours [short]), Yannis Zafeiriou and Alexander Zwart from a screenplay by Stuart Bedford and Andy Davie. Honey Holmes, Leo Gregory and Sean Cronin star.

While a virus that causes the dead to reanimate brings the world to its knees, the scientist responsible entrusts his cataclysmic findings to Katya Nevin, a troubled ex-war correspondent turned anchor woman at W.W News. While Katya and the rest of her crew witness the collapse of society via video feeds from around the globe, a deadly special agent climbs the building floor by floor, his only goal to ensure her silence.

Armed only with information and an indomitable will to live, Katya must overcome her crippling anxiety and learn to lead in order to make it out of the studio and into a terrifying new world where only the dead survive…

Uncork’d Entertainment is releasing Dawning of the Dead on digital VOD platforms on December 5 and DVD March 6, 2018.

Trivia:

The film’s original title was Apocalypse.

IMDb

ZBurbs is a 2016 American comedy horror film written and directed by Greg Zekowski (The Walking Dead: Red Machete). It stars Marieh Delfino, Gina Hecht, and Bill Oberst Jr.

When a suburban housewife discovers that her husband has become a zombie with an appetite for human flesh, she decides to make it work by feeding him! But only bad people, until the government discovers – he could be a great weapon. Now they must make a tough decision…

Indican Pictures releases ZBurbs on VOD on November 21st, 2017. 

Main cast:

• Marieh Delfino – The Invitation; Penance; Jeepers Creepers 2
• Gina Hecht – Bones; Dexter
• Bill Oberst Jr. – Dis; Scream At the Devil; Ayla; Death House; The Chair; et al
• Ian Alda
• Clint Carmichael
• Carl Bressler
• Michael Sorich
• Gabe Greenspan
• Dan Coplan
• Courtney Scheuerman
• Carly Lucas

IMDb

Dark Souls – original title: Mørke Sjeler – is a 2010 Norwegian horror film written and directed by César Ducasse and Mathieu Péteul. It stars Johanna Gustavsson, Kristian Holter, and Ida Elise Broch.

In Germany, it was released as Zombie Driller Killer.

A young girl, Johanna (Johanna Gustavsson), is jogging alone in the woods when she is suddenly attacked and seemingly murdered by a mask-wearing maniac with a power drill.

Later that same day, her father Morten (Morten Rudå) receives a phone call from the police pronouncing her dead just as he sees her walk in the front door of their house. Morten tells the police that his daughter is completely fine and sitting in front of him.

But strange things soon begin to happen to Johanna; she is disorientated and becomes pale and unresponsive. She is in a zombie-like state, not uttering a word and with difficulties walking and eating, but most noticeably she constantly vomits a strange black substance…

Reviews:

“Taking its cue from The X-Files‘ alien conspiracy arcs (brilliantly, to the extent of including a sound clip of Gillian Anderson which encapsulates the premise of the film in advance), this is a grim yet generally good-natured little Norwegian schlocker which does have a bigger picture than just the individual zombie-biting mayhem.” Richard Street, Film Yellow

” …the film has enough inspiration to fill several normal scare flicks, being a serial killer procedural, warped family drama, zombie-themed dark comedy and oft-kilter conspiracy thriller all rolled into one. This may sound confusing, but the unhurried pacing and tightly focused narrative compel attention throughout.” Adam Groves, Fright

“The use of oil is also an interesting motif, but its allegorical use pales in comparison to the body horror of watching it exude from every pore of its victims, and it gives them a distinctive and effective look. There are also a lot of references to other horror movies thrown into the mix…” The Movie Evangelist

Cast and characters:

• Morten Rudå: Morten Ravn
• Johanna Gustavsson: Johanna Ravn
• Kyrre Haugen Sydness: Richard Askestad
• Ida Elise Broch: Maria
• Jan Hårstad: Dr. Hansen
• Karl Sundby: Offshore Diver
• Henrik Scheele: Chief of Police
• Marianne Rødje: Wendy
• Gustav-Adolf Hegh: Old man
• Kristian Holter: Driller

Wikipedia | IMDb

Night of the Living Dead: Rebirth is a 2017 American horror film written and directed by Roger Conners (writer of Chill: The Killing Games). Conners also stars alongside Aswan Harris and Alvin Hudson.

“Not so much a remake as it is a modern-day retelling of the ground-breaking horror masterpiece, Rebirth will attempt to tackle the human and political topics the original piece is so recognized for and readdress them from a modern angle.

Topics acknowledged in the original film such as racial prejudices and government control will be once again brought to the forefront while interjecting the ideas of homophobia and religious influence on modern society.”

What begins as an annual visit to their family grave-site quickly becomes a night of sheer terror as two brothers are unexpectedly forced to fight back against a sudden onslaught of violent assailants.

Soon, eight complete strangers find themselves barricaded inside a rural farmhouse in an attempt to survive against the ever-growing army of murderous creatures outside…

IMDb

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The Ravenous – aka Les affamés – is a 2017 Canadian/French zombie horror film written and directed by Robin Aubert. It stars Marc-André Grondin, Monia Chokri and Charlotte St-Martin.

In a small, remote village in upstate Quebec, things have changed. Locals are not the same anymore – their bodies are breaking down and they have turned against their loved ones. A handful of survivors goes hiding into the woods, looking for others like them…

Reviews:

” …notable for what it doesn’t do: there’s no symbolism to speak of; the walking dead are not a stand-in for any global ill or displaced population. They just are, and you don’t want to get bitten by them. Likewise, the zombies eventually offer hints that they might be semi-sentient. But the film never explores this question, preferring to leave it as strange and inexplicable…” Michael Sicinski, Cinema Scope

“Stylish, surreal, tense Québécois zombie flick. De-glamourises genre, but offers little allegory.” Hemanth Kissoon, Filmaluation

” …the constant aimlessness becomes a little oppressive, and it’s clear, too, that the movie’s final stretch doesn’t really work (eg why’d they leave the safety of that place?) Still, Ravenous is an impressive attempt to bring something new to a well-worn genre…” David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

“Aubert also has a wicked sense of humour and a knack for the surreal that he experiments with, most notably with a supporting character named Demers […] Trust me when I say his scenes are worth the price of admission alone. If you’re familiar with zombie movies, you’ll know where the plot of Les Affamés is ultimately headed but by the time we get to the delirious, blood-soaked climax, we’re too invested in this off-kilter journey to mind.” Mark Hanson, Toronto Film Scene

“I’m not sure Les Affames does enough to distinguish itself from other zombie stories, but it’s effective and moving, because it’s so lean, efficient, and at times eerie, and the fact that it wastes no time on backstory means there’s more time for on-screen character development.” Tasha Robinson, The Verge

” …this is a fair emotional rollercoaster, as the audience joins the characters in their chock and vulnerability. Les Affamés is a welcome addition to the zombie movie cannon, one that takes the zombie trope in a new and interesting direction, using it to examine issues of rural isolation and neglect, human connection, sentimental attachment, the necessities of survival and sacrifice.” Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Screen Anarchy

Interviews:

Director Robin Aubert talks to Heather Wixson for Daily Dead

Director Robin Aubert talks to Stephen Saito for Moveable Feast

Main cast:

Marc-André Grondin, Monia Chokri, Charlotte St-Martin, Micheline Lanctôt, Marie-Ginette Guay, Brigitte Poupart, Édouard Tremblay-Grenier, Luc Proulx, Didier Lucien, Robert Brouillette, Martin Héroux, Patrick Hivon.

Filming locations:

Ham-Nord, Saint-Adrien and Wotton, Québec, Canada

IMDb

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Strange Rituals is a 2017 American supernatural horror film written, produced and directed by Michael Fredianelli (The Devil in White; Xenobites). The Wild Dogs Productions movie stars Lara Jean Mummert, Laura Warner and Jeremy Koerner.

After a night of heavy drinking, Jeanne and Deb take an empty road through the backwoods to avoid traffic where they unexpectedly hit a mysterious woman that quickly vanishes into a field. Plagued with guilt and unable to go to the police, the girls decide to investigate with the help of some friends.

However, when their peers start to die or inexplicably vanish, it becomes clear that a bigger, sinister force is at work as Jeanne is thrown into a bizarre conflict with the undead and a sinister voodoo priest with malicious intentions…

Reviews:

” …Strange Rituals might not exactly be reinventing genre cinema … but horror fans will love it for what it is, a slim and swift zombie story without big pretentions, instead concentrating on delivering a tense story arc with shocks and gore in all the right places, and believable and flawed but likeable characters to carry the story.” Mike Haberfelner, Search My Trash

“While restrained in the gore department, the movie’s special makeup effects (headed by Stephanie Hancock) are a highlight. There are more than a few grotesque faces that standout out among an impressive horde of zombie extras. The movie’s synth soundtrack by Dakarius is well suited to the action…” Pycal

Main cast:

• Lara Jean Mummert – 60 Seconds to Die; Abaddon; Lilith; Serena Waits; 2 Jennifer
• Laura Warner
• Jeremy Koerner – Dead End Demon; The Devil in White
• Paul Spadaro
• Skipper Elekwachi
• Michael Nosé
• Bryan Wilks
• Mike Dinsmore
• Pauletta Hickerson
• Dick Raley
• Marsha Hovey
• Karie Geiger
• Carey Atwood

Filming locations:

Campbell, San Jose and Los Gatos, California, USA

IMDb

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‘ … and the dead shall inherit the Earth’

Curse of the Blue Lights is a 1988 American supernatural horror film written and directed by John Henry Johnson, based on a story by Bryan Sisson. It stars Brent Ritter, Bettina Julius, Kent E. Fritzell and Willard Hall.

A group of teenagers drive out of town to Make-Out Hill. While there they notice two mysterious blue lights floating around black surroundings.

Investigating a nearby cemetery, the teens discover demonic creatures attempting to bring an ancient demon god back to life so they enlist the help of a local witch to prevent this…

Reviews:

“The acting contributes heavily to the hilarity at hand here, as well as the line delivery and how Loath and his minions always speak with a lisp due to the fake teeth they have to wear. Then there’s the climactic sword battle between Loath and one of the teens, which is easily the worst sword battle anyone has ever seen.” James Oxyer, Obscure Cinema 101

“The prosthetic work on the monster characters was good enough to give them a creepy look but it also rendered their speech incomprehensible. At times, I would hear that a character was reciting their lines, but I would only understand a few of the words they said.” Jesse, HorrorNews.net

” …has in interesting production design (particularly Loath’s dungeon), lighting, and make-up effects (courtesy of Return of the Living Dead’s Michael Spatola and The Resurrected’s Mark Sisson) what it almost thoroughly lacks in acting and storytelling.” Eric Cotenas, DVD Drive-In

“Curse of the Blue Lights means well, and in spots shows some shimmer of a good concept, but stale and dated dialogue along with some of the worst acting I’ve ever seen damage the film far too much to even be remotely worth recommending.” Chris Nichols, The Trash Pile

“The limited budget effects and talentless acting cripple an atmosphere otherwise served well by close attention to lore […] The zombies are unobjectionable, if conventional – certainly more interesting than the actors in the fake ghoul masks.” Peter Dendle, The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

“Curse of the Blue Lights exists almost entirely to showcase its monster effects and gory set pieces at the expense of any reasonable character development. That’s fine in this case, however, since the film manages to work up a reasonable level of charm and enthusiasm for its subject matter…” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“Totally laughable with very weak make-up effects (which are, of course, called ‘spectacular’ on the box) and amateurish acting this is only good for laughs at the many horrid moments; otherwise it’s a miserable, miserable time. After an okay scarecrow opening attack it’s all into the toilet…” The Video Graveyard

Release:

Released in the US on videocassette by Magnum Entertainment in both rated (92m:30s) and unrated (95m:13s) editions.

Code Red’s 2013 DVD release is an anamorphic widescreen (1.66:1) transfer of the R-rated version. The gore differences, other than a dissolving head and another head crushed by the Muldoon Man, are minor. Approximately 3m 16s of the difference is taken up by a daylight-set dialogue scene in a car that follows the opening attack by a scarecrow.

Filming locations:

Pueblo, near Pikes Peak, Colorado, USA

PC Game:

In 2015, a Hungarian team of game developers apparently created a 1980s Sierra-style PC game based on the movie.

There is also a version of the film dubbed into Hungarian:

IMDb | Watch whole film online

Release info: DVD Drive-In | Image credits: HorrorNews.net | Mondo Digital

‘Life is full of sacrifices.’

Voodoo is a 1995 American horror film directed by Rene Eram (Final Vendetta) from a screenplay by Brian DiMuccio and Dino Vindeni (Little Witches). It stars Corey Feldman, Jack Nance, Joel J. Edwards and Joel J. Edwards.

Unable to live apart from his girlfriend Rebecca (Diane Nadeau), Andy (Corey Feldman) moves from the UK to the United States, to where she studies medicine at university. He meets Cassian Marsh, who persuades him to approach the Omega Zeta fraternity, of which he is the leader.

Following a typical initiation, he is offered a place in the fraternity and accepts. Meanwhile, an old man warns him that the Brotherhood is hiding a dark secret: Marsh is part of a Voodoo cult and that remaining at the fraternity could be dangerous…

Reviews:

“It has a basic concept but not much more than that – one can see everything unfolding from miles off. The pace drags and director Rene Eram fumbles most of the opportunities at hand.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“This run-of-the-mill campus thriller crosses Angel Heart with Revenge of the Nerds as if that were a niche that really needed filling.” Peter Dendle, The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

“There is some ludicrous stuff in this. The head zombie at one point takes over the mind of a rival fraternity leader and has him kill all his fellow frat brothers. If he has that ability, why didn’t he do it to Feldman and have him kill a bunch of people?” Direct to Video Connoisseur

“Aside from Feldman not giving a strong enough performance, there were only two other flaws of significance that are to found in Voodoo: slow pacing, and predictability. […] Still, there was a good amount of material in the movie surrounding this that I did like.” The Unknown Movies

“Voodoo is plagued with slow pacing and predictability although there are many creepy moments. Dialogue is often a dull bore […] The music for this movie was handled by Keith Bilderbeck who did a great job” Hell Horror

Cast and characters:

• Corey Feldman as Andy – The Zombie King; Bordello of Blood; The ‘Burbs; The Lost Boys; Gremlins; Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
• Jack Nance as Lewis – Eraserhead
• Joel J. Edwards as Marsh
• Diane Nadeau as Rebecca – Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
• Ron Melendez as Eric – American Horror Story
• Sarah Douglas as Prof. Conner
• Amy Raasch as Wendy
• Brian Michael McGuire as Ken
• Christopher Kriesa as Baird
• Clark Tufts as Loomis
• Maury Ginsberg as Deitz
• Darren Eichhorn as David
• Brendan Hogan as Stan

Release:

In the US, Voodoo was released on VHS by A-Pix Entertainment in November 1995, and on DVD by Simitar Entertainment in 1997.

Wikipedia | IMDb

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‘He’s horny… he’s funny… and he’s hungry!’

My Uncle John is a Zombie! is a 2017 American comedy horror film co-directed by Robert Lucas and John A. Russo (The Majorettes; Midnight; co-writer of Night of the Living Dead). The latter co-stars with Gary Lee Vincent and Cy-Fi.

A zombie kept in hiding by his niece and nephew suddenly becomes famous when the world discovers he can talk and reason as though he were alive. As his popularity grows, he is discovered by zombie hunters who want to kidnap him and hunt him for sport…

Main cast:

• Gary Lee Vincent – Death House; Killer Campout; Deimosimine; Ayla; Lake of Shadows; et al
• John A. Russo
• Cy-Fi
• Debbie Rochon – The Mangled; Fantasma; Dry Bones; et al
• Sarah French – Lake of Shadows; Ouija House; Land Shark; et al
• George Kosana – Incest Death Squad; Night of the Living Dead (1968)
• Russell Streiner – Night of the Living Dead (1990 and 1968)
• Chuck Corby
• Danielle Inks
• Solon Tsangaras
• Lloyd Kaufman

IMDb

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‘We are going to flush you!’

Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead – original title: ゾンビアス Zonbi asu – is a 2011 Japanese comedy horror film directed by Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl; Dead Sushi; The ABCs of Death). It stars Arisa Nakamura, Asana Mamoru, Mayu Sugano, Asami Sugiura.

Wracked with guilt over the suicide of her bullied sister, young karate student Megumi accompanies four older friends on a trip into the woods: smart girl Aya, her druggie boyfriend Také, full-figured model Maki, and nerdy Naoi.

Things start to go badly when Maki finds a parasitic worm inside a fish – and eats it down, in the hope that it will keep her skinny. Her stomach later feels horrible and she relieves herself in an outhouse toilet.

The parasitic worm Maki ate had apparently laid eggs in her stomach and these emerge via her diarrhea. Soon after, they are attacked by a mob of faeces-covered zombies who emerge from the outhouse toilet Maki used…

Reviews:

” … Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead is somehow worth only a few laughs. A cheap parasitic offshoot of Nikkatsu’s Sushi Typhoon series, gore effects specialist Yoshihiro Nishmura is at his most slapdash, while helmer Noboru Iguchi doesn’t care to clean up the pic’s narrative and visual mess of repetitive fart and turd gags.” Maggie Lee, Variety

“And give Igushi credit for this much, at least: As basic as his fixations may be he presents them with an absolutely bizarre sense of ambition […] Simultaneously as silly and disgusting as it can possibly be Zombie Ass is one for those who have never stopped finding farts funny even as they’ve grown enough to develop a fondness for a bit of T&A.” Todd Brown, Screen Anarchy

“Just when you think this film has bottomed out (hee hee) it manages to delve deeper into a Freudian cache of poop humor … excessive farting to the point where a character takes flight, and ultimately a fight with the Queen Parasite that ends poorly for everyone involved.” Scott Shoyer, Twisted Central

“It’s pretty much at the time were she exposes her fine air-expelling behind for a “sexy” close up inside a hillbilly cesspool in the middle of the forest, that this movie really starts to show its “cinematic prowess.” …On that note, I really, really do hope you love fart jokes more than anything in your life, because the rest of the movie pretty much revolves entirely on gas-leaking shticks…” Screw Attack

Buy Tokyo Shock DVD: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

” …a film driven by the craziness of its imagery – like hordes of zombies all stumbling along being made to walk backwards and hunched over by the parasites protruding out of their asses. There is the perverse image – a familiar one to anybody who has watched any hentai anime – of Mayu Sugano bound by parasite tentacles that penetrate her mouth, ass and vagina while being held prisoner in mid-air.” Richard Scheib, Moria

Cast and characters:

• Arisa Nakamura as Megumi
• Asana Mamoru as Maki
• Mayu Sugano as Aya
• Asami Sugiura as Female Zombie
• Yûki as Ko
• Danny as Naoi [credited as Danî]
• Kentarô Kishi as Take
• Demo Tanaka as The Shit Zombie
• Sayuri Yajima [credited as Yuri Takayama]

Wikipedia | IMDb 

Related: Dead Sushi | Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl | Zombie Hunter Rika

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‘They want to strip your flesh!’

Zombies vs Strippers is a 2012 comedy horror film directed by Alex Nicolaou from a screenplay co-written with Nick Francomano and Kent Roudebush. It stars Circus-Szalewski, Eve Mauro and Victoria Levine.

The Tough Titty is a strip club that’s seen better days. Spider has been losing money on his business for years. Now it’s finally getting the traffic he’s always wanted… unfortunately, most of his patrons are undead.

Reviews:

“The zombie effects are very basic – almost non-existent to be truthful – but they serve the low-rent nature of the production and work way better than having loads of fake-looking CGI, there are naked boobs all over the place, some Dutch angles (always a winner in a horror film) and a few light chuckles to be had…” Chris Ward, Ancient Slumber

” …a low-budget boob fest with crappy acting, terrible special effects, and sparse set dressing to prove it. And I’m pretty sure it was filmed in one room. I think it also tries to be a satire in some respects but completely misses the mark. That said, however, there were several moments and characters that I adored.” Peggy Christie, Cinema Head Cheese

” …modest entertainment with no real surprises other than a sense of surprise that the viewer does indeed start to care about the cardboard characters by the end. Most of the gore is thankfully cosmetic, but there are a couple dreary CGI bits; however, they can’t really be said to cheapen the enterprise anymore than it is already.” Eric Cotenas, DVD Beaver

“As you may expect, the movie is campy, which lends itself to a couple of mildly amusing moments. Namely, a stripper gets her face peeled off from a zombie bite, and yes, there is a zombie sex scene. Fans of Full Moon’s campy, low budget B-movie formula will have some fun with it.” Alex DiVincenzo, HorrorNews.net

It also takes 45 minutes for the zombies to finally show up. Once they do, we get a pool cue through the head, a hand in a blender, finger biting, high heels to the skull, and a face ripped off. The best gag though was blatantly stolen from Return of the Living Dead 2. Most of Zombies vs. Strippers is a slog, but the film briefly comes to life (heh) in the final act.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk

Main cast:

• Circus-Szalewski – Bride of Frankie (short); Evil Bong: High 5; Evil Bong 420
• Eve Mauro – Age of the Living Dead (TV series); Cyborg X; Crepitus; 616: Paranormal Incident; Sorority Party Massacre; Osombie; Dexter (TV series); Penance; Wicked Lake
• Victoria Levine
• Adriana Sephora
• Nihilist Gelo
• Don Baldaramos –
• Age of the Living Dead (TV series); Evil Things (TV series); My Haunted House (TV series)
• Tanner Horn
• Brittany Gael Vaughn
• Adam Brooks
• Patrick Lazzara
• Brad Potts
• Jonathan Erickson Eisley

Release:

The film was released on DVD in the UK by Full Moon Features on 15 April 2013.

Notes:

The film should not be confused with Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! – directed by Jason M. Murphy in 2008 – which is also known as Strippers vs Zombies and was released under this title in Japan and Germany.

IMDb

Image credits: HorrorNews.net