(2000)

Reviewed By-Paul Cooke
Director : Dave Parker
Scripted : Dave Parker
Starring : Eric Clawson , Jamie Donahue , Brett Beards lee ,
Wendy Speake , Benjamin P. Morris & Rick Irwin

A Fulci Fan Boy Flick with more than an arterial spray back to the Italian Horror and ‘B’ movie scene of the energetic Eighties. Equal doses of play it again Sam Raimi references and cannibalistic dialogue , from the legion of Zombie movies that appeared during the Video age revolution , hit this DVD presentation from German releasing company I-ON in a welcome shiny pressed package. In direct homage to the genre a young film crew purloin the use of an abandoned medical facility to shoot their very own living dead movie. It’s not long before cast and crew members start exploring their surroundings which takes them deeper into the complex. The discovery of a video tape leads to a rendezvous with a night of the living dead.

The crew , like a combination of the Hardy Boys with several Nancy Drew’s , uncover a nifty looking gothic sarcophagus which turns out to be a portal to the world of the undead. Once this mummy like shroud coffin is juiced up , it kicks in like the refrigerator from Hell. From the backlit blue mist like emissions steps a Rob Zombie look alike mad doctor who could also pass for Rasputin the Mad Monk. This guy was seen by the young film making wannabes on the earlier discovered video tape , but this is happening in front of their startled eyes and the doctor of death has brought his experiments with him.

Time to grab another beer as the Fun part of the show kicks in as the mad scientist with his gang of ghouls resurrect proceedings and the panic party begins with blood balloons and peel back skin hats splatter away. Slicing and dicing amidst bloody body parts follow in quick succession as the theatrical Rasputin mad man kills cast and crew , to then reanimate them as part of his plan to rule the world with his living dead hordes. There are several moments of good and effective body melting effects laced with splashes of the arterial vino along with the welcome hokum of the applied monster make up. This is old school budget film making entertainment that does not rely upon shaky CGI and even when the odd obvious computer effect is thrown in it’s a forgivable appliance to the cause. Gore delights include throat ripping and an eye gauging but the real entertainment value comes in the throwaway moments of delirious dialogue such as , ‘What would Bruce Campbell do !?’ and when the campy mad doctor rises up to order his killer corpses , ‘Make them die … Slowly !’. Check out too the subtle visual humour and product placement with one of the lead cast members wearing a Blackest Heart Media T-Shirt , now that fits in neatly with the intended tongue in cheek running theme.

Enjoy ability comes in the sense of an intended audience appreciative of the rules of horror lore and the aptitude not to take life or such movies too seriously. Non of the on screen players engage in the true thespian art as they are having too much time hamming it up with the Fun this show is meant to be. Fans of the Horror ‘B’ movie scene will party to the multi referencing tune , whereas a more general viewing public may just tap out before the death knell rings final.

Presentation : Full Screen
Release : I-ON NEW MEDIA
Coding : PAL Region 2
Sound : Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 / German Language 5.1
Extras : Audio Commentary / Making Of / Artwork / Trailers / Music Video

Film: 3.0 BITCH SLAPS
Picture: 3.5 BITCH SLAPS
Sound: 3.0 BITCH SLAPS
Extras: 3.0 BITCH SLAPS
Overall: 3.0 BITCH SLAPS<

For more info on this DVD visit I-On New Media