OK Shamblers, Let's Get Shamblin'

Yeah, I know it's two weeks after Halloween, but I watched these movies over Halloween and I wanted to share my thoughts.

When I started out, one of my earliest posts (my second, if memory serves) was about the zombie craze, and not long after that, I did one for my fave horror movies. Well, this year, I'm going to be combining aspects of those, so to speak. This year, I'm marathoning movies again, only this time I only have one night off, and decided to make the most of it with a theme. It came down to a choice between zombies/flesh eaters and Troma. Zombies won out due to Troma having some films in their library that aren't exactly horror, and some of their horror bordering on horror-comedy. That's not to say that makes them less legit, just that I wanted something with outright horror, with maybe a little comedy for balance (a couple of movies in this marathon are Troma films, so they're still represented).

Rather than be in-depth analysis (like I'm good at that anyway), they'll just be short opinions on the films I watch, of which there are seven. None of them are 2012 releases though, but I'll be returning to that shortly, especially since I only have two months left. Looper should be the next post, along with Frankenweenie, but since I finally got my own copy of The Cabin In The Woods, it could go either way.

But with all that out of the way, let's get to the films

• Zombie Flesh Eaters: it takes its time, but by the end, you'll be rewarded. The make-up/costuming for the zombies is just fantastic (especially for the zombie with worms in his eye). The scene with the splintered wood going through the eye... damn!
  Acting-wise, no one stands out but no one is crap, either, so I have no complaints.
  Gore value, pretty damn good. Might actually work as a bridge between Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead (though not directly bridging the two, obviously), kinda like a comic mini-series only filmed instead of printed.
  Also, shark vs. zombie= one of the best things I've seen this year. 3.5/5
  
  
• Burial Ground- Nights Of Terror: pretty much everything I have to say about Zombie Flesh Eaters above applies here, minus the shark and the stuff about being connected to Dawn Of The Dead. The zombies once again look fantastic, and the gore is exquisite. Even the musical cues are pretty good, too. Kind of lacking in dialogue, but hey, we're here to see zombies get their eat on, and the gettin's good.
  But that Michael character... OK, that's just creepy. He's supposed to be 10, yet he doesn't look it, and the dubbed voice makes him sound older... the Hell happened there? Not to mention the incestuous overtones with him and his mother...
  Anyway, another good one. 3.5/5

• Zombie Holocaust: first off, that's a misleading title on both counts. There are barely any zombies in it (and don't tell me that the brain-transplanted cannibals count since they were technically dead, since they're not exactly undead. Plus, I don't think they're all recipients of brain transplants.) and considering the low body count, holocaust is pure hyperbole. Cannibal Holocaust would have been only slightly more accurate, and it would have forced the film with that title to change theirs (this film predates it by a year at least).
  But then, the American title, Dr. Butcher, isn't that much more accurate either.
  Anyway, it's an alright film. The mad scientist is actually very sedate, and kind of a fascinating character. The gore isn't as impressive as the films above, but still, there are some good moments here and there. 3/5

• Redneck Zombies: first Troma film in the marathon, and honestly, it's a little all over the place. It starts off with some wacky humor, and it's enjoyable, albeit it with characters that aren't properly fleshed out. By the end, the humor's all over the place (as is the acting), all culminating in a final act that's rather slow and nearly painful to watch. Not a waste of time but not something to scour the globe for either. 3/5

• Survival Of The Dead: If you view the last three “Of The Dead” films as a second trilogy, I'd say they're like the Star Wars prequels as a whole: not terrible but considering the fanbase and how eager they were for more, the end result isn't pleasing (though I loved Revenge Of The Sith so maybe this wasn't the best choice of metaphor. Maybe even less considering Diary Of The Dead and where it fits in the canon of the series).
  At any rate, I really couldn't get invested in this film, particularly the characters. The concept of getting the zombies to actually try and eat other living beings is a nice one, but otherwise, this isn't a great entry for the series.
  Romero has two more sequels planned that he wants to do back-to-back and one can only hope they'll be an improvement. 2.5/5
  
  
• Cannibal Holocaust: Now, here's some gruesome action for you! Seriously, not for the easily squeamish. I mean, it wasn't banned in many countries for nothing. Humans, animals, no one is safe. And for a movie with this name (just one up from Zombie Holocaust in terms of title accuracy), it certainly delivers a lot more than you bargained for. The kills are highly realistic-looking (except for the animals, which ARE realistic) and I dig the style the film was shot in, with a lot of it looking like a pre-cursor to the found footage style that is prevalent today.
  Can't say I sympathize with the plight of most of the protagonists but considering their own actions, I'm not entirely sure we're supposed to. If you want gruesome stuff, this should fit the bill. 4/5
  
  
• Cannibal! The Musical: actually not all that grisly, but still very entertaining. The songs are great (especially That's All I'm Asking For), it's hilarious and goes in very unexpected paths. It's a Troma film, but you wouldn't know it from looking at it. With the creators of South Park at the helm (this was before the show aired, if memory serves), you're in good hands. 4/5
  Well, that concludes this marathon. I really should do another one some time soon. Maybe I'll blog about it, I still have a whole bunch of horrors and such. In the meantime, must plow through the remaining 10 movies for 2012.