Let Sleeping Corpses Lie AKA The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974)

 Surprise! I actually liked this better than George A. Romero's 1968 defining classic "Night of the Living Dead." Granted, "...Living Dead" came first, and they're both important horror films in their own right, but "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" was more exciting and entertaining, and less about bad actors like Karl Hardman (no hate towards Duane Jones though) arguing in a fortified house with the groaning of the undead in the background.

   So, "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie," (also known as "The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue," "Don't Open the Window," and by countless other titles) stars Ray Lovelock as George, a ill-tempered artsy-craftsy type who goes on a trip to meet some friends at his new house. He never gets there, though, as his motorcycle gets run over at a filling station by Edna (Cristina Galbó.)

   George somewhat imposes himself on Edna and demands she drive him the rest of the way there, but Edna wants to visit her drug-addicted sister (Jeannine Mestre) and photographer brother-in-law (José Lifante.) Their quibbles are interrupted by a viral outbreak that turns it's victims into- you guessed it- flesh-eating zombies.

   The cause of the virus is pesticides, and although the premise hints at environmental themes, you are never hit over the head with these messages. Similarly, the paranoid Inspector (Arthur Kennedy) accuses George of being a hippie Satanist and seems to be intent on disbelieving everything George says. So maybe the movie is making a comment on battle of Conservative Vs. Liberal values? Or just plain old prejudice, when it rears it's ugly head.

   There are some parallels between this and "Night of the Living Dead," including a similar intestine-eating scene and pessimistic ending. The development of George from a griping nitwit to fighter against the undead may surprise you, but it's well-done for this kind of movie.

   The best moment is the scene when they're trapped in the mortuary and the COFFINS START OPENING! I loved the zombies' eyes- finally something different with the genre. I think the movie might have been better with a little bit more dark humor, a 'la "Shaun of the Dead" (best. zombie. movie. ever.) The acting was good-ish, a little flat overall, but the movie as a whole was very a entertaining one that I would recommend to any horror lover.
                                      Rating-
                                             7.0/10

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Although George A. Romero's influential cult classic must have been terrifying for it's time, the years have rendered it rather mild and outdated. Still, "Night of the Living Dead,"  which was filmed on a shoestring budget of $114,000, serves as an interesting study of peoples' reactions to a crises and the necessity of action during a devastating event. Furthermore, it interestingly casts a black man in the leading male role, which was quite daring for it's time.

  Fragile Barbra (Judith Dea) makes a visit to her father's grave with her perpetually complaining brother Johnny (Russell Streiner) when a strange man attacks them. Managing to escape alive (Johnny was not so lucky,) Barbra becomes holed up in a farmhouse, and soon renders herself obsolete due to suffering a complete mental breakdown.It is there that she meets Ben (Duane Jones,) a fellow survivor of what turns out to be a zombie attack.

 The movie works best with just Barbra and Ben, who represent two opposite approaches to a crisis. Ben is a kind person but still a survivalist, and has no time for Barbra's weakly grieving. Barbra is consumed by guilt for leaving her brother, and turns to Jell-O almost immediately, while Ben thinks on his feet and begins to barricade the windows and doors from the approaching 'ghouls.'

 However, when a group of fellow survivors come, this film becomes a bit boring. The most asinine of the survivors, played by Karl Hardman, overacts almost constantly, and listening to the group argue becomes tiresome. Meanwhile, a lot of the violence seems fake (when one character punches another, it sounds like a balloon popping.) The character dynamics are much more interesting when it's just the two heroes.

   You may find yourself laughing at certain scenes, which lack the intensity of "The Walking Dead" but also the tongue-in-cheek self-awareness of films like "Dead Alive" and "Shaun of the Dead." Yes, in many ways it's the film that started it all (though "White Zombie" starring Bela Legosi, unwatched by me, came first,) but it pales in comparison to many modern zombie stories. However, I liked how the zombies were not totally stupid and could use tools.

   The acting overall wasn't great (best from Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea, the leads) and the the special effects are dated (although it's interesting to see how people improvised using practical effects before the era of CGI.) The movie was fun but not particularly disturbing or scary, except for the scene involcing the mother and her daughter (no spoilers.) I wonder how they got away with that.

   I may have been shocked by the death of my favorite character at the end, but my psychiatrist had already spoiled it for me (damn you man!) For those who have not been informed of the ending, it will be unexpected and sad. This is an important film for all horror fans and zombie lovers to see, but it isn't technically great in comparison to later horror flicks. I didn't love it, but I'm glad I saw it.
                                              Rating-
                                                    6.5/10

"Mother Nature Is a Serial Killer"

World War Z (Warning: Mild Spoilers)


Directed By: Marc Forster

Very Loosely Based On: World War Z by Max Brooks

Why I Saw It: A "mom date" with my 14-year-old son and because zombies are just bad ass

James's and My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Dead Alive (Brain-Dead) (1992)

Be forewarned, this is grade-B all the way, so if you are a no-fun fuddy-duddy like my mom or need an Oscar pedigree for every film, you watch, you will probably find this equal parts tedious and repellent. However, for those with a subversive wit and tolerance for bad taste and a ridiculous amount of blood and gore, look no further. This is your movie.

Lionel (Timothy Balme) is just your ordinary Bates-ish momma's boy who is astonished when cute Hispanic shopkeeper Paquita (Diana Peñalver) takes an interest in him. Now this is the 1950's, so whites and minorities were not the best of friends, but Lionel is about to face a lot more than close-mindedness when his domineering mother Vera (Elizabeth Moody) gets herself bitten by a mysterious Sumatran rat-monkey and becomes a flesh-eating zombie.

Book Review & Movie Trailer: World War Z by Max Brooks

Regular readers of this blog know that one of my son's primary educational goals is preparing for the zombie apocalypse. He's talking about college and career goals too, just in case society remains intact for another five years or so. Because, you know, it's always wise to have a "Plan B."

Several things comprise his zombie survival training. It mostly seems to involve playing a lot of video games. For the good of the survival of humanity, of course.

Dating's Going to Be Tough After the Zombie Apocalypse

When I was young, I found the whole dating thing a bit awkward. My main problem, I think, was I didn't know how to flirt. I could carry on a conversation, of course, debate politics, gossip, drink .... but the nuances of behaving in a cute or sexy way eluded me. I eventually hooked up with a guy who was no more adept at the nuances than I was, a dude who confessed to be being terrified of women, and we got married.

Zombieland

    The world of Zombieland is desolate and filthy, yet still amazingly funny. It caters to Black Comedy Rule Number #1- fill the movie with grime and gore, but keep it distanced from reality to keep the viewers from getting too uncomfortable. It's like Cillian-less 28 Days Later without the rape, if Danny Boyle had been going for funny instead of disturbing.

     The characters in this film have given up on names, it appears, as they are known chiefly as their hometowns. The hero, Columbus, is played by Jesse Eisenberg, a young actor best known as the non-masturbating older brother in Noah Bambach's The Squid and the Whale.

     Columbus opens the film with a deadpan narration, saying that his country can no longer be considered America, because "something needs living people to be a country, and everyone here is dead." This is seemingly literal, as the only other people we come into contact with in the first ten minutes are raging, brutal corpses.

     There is a set of rules, Columbus says, for one to stay alive in the area, to avoid becoming a "human happy meal.". The viewer is shown bloody clips of potential survivors who broke these. Fasten your seat belt. Don't be fat and out-of-shape. Pay attention to where you are, and where the undead are. Finally, don't get close to anyone.

 Having lived in isolation before the virus, he is to some extent used to being alone.  He also seems a prime candidate for obsessive-compulsive disorder, having carefully stayed away from his fears before there was really anything to be afraid of. His encounters with the apocalypse begin in a flashback, when he allows an attractive girl who has been attacked to take refuge, and she tries to eat him.

     In the present day, he decides to head to his home town looking for any surviving family. On the way, he is surprised to find another survivor. This is Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a macho guy who's made it his goal to kill every zombie he can get his hands on.

     His other goal drives him to raid Hostess trucks by the side of the road, desperate for a Twinkie, a scrap of normalcy in a life that's gone off the deep end. They join up, though Tallahassee's on a revenge kick and Columbus would just as soon keep as far away from the undead as possible.

      The rest of Zombieland's short duration revolves around the duo's cross-country trek to find an apparently safe haven when Columbus's family plan falls by the wayside. They are accompanied by two sisters who, while they seem innocent at first, have a knack for getting the best of any situation (Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone, who wears eye make-up incredibly unblemished by zombie attacks.)

     Woody Harrelson fits comfortably into his subtly sensitive character, while Jesse Eisenberg plays his role as the droll, paranoid Columbus completely straight. The character's seriousness almost brings gravity into the ridiculous plot.

     The best thing about Zombieland is that the director, with all his fervor in making the most disgusting zombies imaginable, doesn't forget to add an interesting feel to its living protagonists. In fact, Tallahasee -- and particularly Columbus -- are cleverly conceived, though it seems the female characters are skimmed over somewhat.

     Along with the wit, though, is the very common tough girl and sensitive guy tension, which wasn't original in 28 Days Later, let alone in this one. It seems that people are still feeding the feminist issue and find aggression in girls almost endearing.

     I suppose that I wasn't expecting  Zombieland to be so short, but all the same, I found the ending somewhat abrupt. It's the kind of conclusion that seems awkwardly unfinished, and leaves you saying "is that all there is?" to a black screen.

      All the same, I left the theater amused and happy, and  appreciated an enjoyable movie that just seemed a little too clipped. It may not be the first zombie-themed comedy of late, but it deserves its place next to Shaun of the Dead as an entertaining, witty comedy in horror's clothing (Rated R.)

rating- *