Horror fans have a unique way of celebrating Valentine's Day. For a classic example, look no further than the series of Zombie Love Songs that recently were shared here in the Vault. We just have to inject a bit of gallow's humor to make it palatable, and that's more than okay with me.
Another case in point would be the recent event held at the Sugartown Vintage Boutique in idyllic Saugerties, New York, which I was honored to be a part of a couple weeks ago. I got to parade around in some outlandish Mr. Ferley-esque and Henry Hill-ish duds, which was certainly a blast. But at the center of the festivities was the ghastly and gorgeous Captain Cruella, who graced the store with her presence for the purpose of a zombified makeup demonstration. The event was called, appropriately enough, "Eat Your Heart Out".
"I was looking for away I could pool my talents and the talents of Captain Cruella to bring attention to the store, to bring people into the store," said Ashley Drewes, owner and proprietor of Sugartown. "She's a fantastic makeup artist, so I thought it would be really great to have a glamorous event where she demonstrated her makeup, and also an opportunity for people to try on vintage clothing, and have a professional photographer come in and take photos. I thought that was a perfect way to introduce people to the store."
The photographer of whom Ashley speaks is none other than the enormously talented J.D. Fielding, who was on hand to chronicle the festivities for posterity, and of course capture me looking like a 1970s street-level gangster. J.D.'s keen eye certainly brought out the life in what was going on, which might be ironic considering it was a member of the undead who was the center of attention.
Using makeup samples kindly donated by the edgy cosmetics company RockABetty Beauty, Cruella got her claws on an assortment of mortals, treating each to her own unique sense of style in the form of a makeup makeover. In honor of the event, the Captain was less... zombie-like...choosing instead to appear more human than most have ever seen her. It's enough to make some speculate that the good Captain might be toning down her ghoulish ways in favor of a more glam look. But Ashley assures us this is not the case.
"I think she's always had a little bit of pin-up in her, or busting out of her," she says. "So I don't necessarily think that I'm moving her away from that. She did come out today wearing one of her zombie contact lenses [Ed. note: It's a contact lens??], so she's still a little creepy. She's still dressed in black, and she still brings the dark and gothic, but she's also sexy and beautiful, which is part of her persona. And I don't think that's going to change."
As all this went on, patrons of the store got to sample some the amazing vintage items on hand. I will say I certainly got carried away in the proceedings, busting out some seriously groovy threads. It was a lot of fun, and a testament both to what a cool establishment Sugartown is, and also what a fascinating town Saugerties is.
"I want people to know that this is a really fun place, where no matter who you are, you can find something really unique and gorgeous to wear any day of the week, or at special occasions," said Ashley. "It can also be a really thoughtful gift for someone else." "Eat Your Heart Out" was a smashing success thanks to the efforts of Ashley and Cruella, and Sugartown is fast becoming one of the highlights of downtown Saugerties. In fact, I'm proud to announce that I will actually be returning there in just a few weeks to do a public reading. It's called Visions from the Vault: The Dark Poetry of H.P. Lovecraft, and it all happens on Saturday, April 9. Check back right here in the Vault for more information as the date approaches...
Ah, Valentine's Day is nearly upon us again! And unlike those woeful souls who choose to bemoan this holiday each and every year, here in the Vault, we celebrate it. Of course, we celebrate in a very unique way, because that's just how we roll.
In this case, we'll be cherishing the V-Day time of year by posting some fine selections from Michael P. Spradlin's latest poetry collection, Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime: A Book of Zombie Love Songs. This little tome was bestowed to me by a certain Captain of the undead not too long ago, and it's been a constant source of amusement since--so now I'm sharing it with you.
You may recall Spradlin's work from the zombie carols we ran here in the Vault during the 2009 Christmas season, and I assure you, these are just as entertaining. So cuddle close to the one you love and enjoy some brain-munching ballads...
I Want to Eat Your Hand
Oh yeah, I've turned into something, You just won't understand. When I say you're delicious I want to eat your hand, I want to eat your hand, I want to eat your hand.
Oh please, say I'm a zombie, I'm eating your brain pan, And please, don't slay me You'll let me eat your hand. Now let me eat your hand, I want to eat your hand.
And when I eat brains I feel happy inside. It's such a feeling that my gore You can't hide, you can't hide, you can't hide.
Yeah, you've got that large brain, I think you won't understand. When I'll say I'm so hungry I want to eat your hand, I want to eat your hand, I want to eat your hand...
Happy Holidays, Vault dwellers! Been sitting on this one for a little bit, but this is as good a time as any to unleash it upon you (translation: It's the holiday week, and I'm feeling lazy.) Last month at the Hudson Horror Show, I had a unique opportunity to interview religious scholar, novelist, zombie aficionado and fellow League of Tana Tea Drinkers member, Dr. Kim Paffenroth. It was a thrill to speak to a writer whose work I've admired so much, and so I present to you the interview in its entirety. Special thanks to my Terror Team cohort Captain Cruella, for the bang-up camerawork! And please try to ignore that annoying dude out-of-frame loudly ordering lunch on his phone...
Dashing through the snow will take on a whole new meaning come Saturday, December 11, as the citizens of Saugerties, New York may just find themselves being chased by zombies. But have no fear, because it's all the in the spirit of good, holiday fun, and supporting the local businesses of one of the crown jewels of the Hudson Valley.
In the tradition of last October's smashingly successful Village Invasion zombie crawl, the Ghouls' Yule is an interactive, horror-flavored event which promises to take over the town and leave a trail of merrymaking in its wake. For all who have grown tired of the commercialization of Christmas, and are looking for a different way to celebrate this year, the Ghouls' Yule may be just what the undertaker ordered.
"This is all about spreading some holiday cheer, with a little zombie flair," according to the untiring Captain Cruella, organizer of both the Ghouls' Yule and the Village Invasion. "It's also about supporting local commerce, and I'm excited to have so many of the shops in town involved."
Indeed, many of the local establishments will be staying open late for the event, with dinner and drink specials offered at a number of the area bars and restaurants. And since it is Christmas, expect many of the stores to be open late for holiday shopping, as well. Dave's Coffee and Wine House will feature the eclectic music of the Connor Kennedy Band (CKB).
Best of all, in keeping with the season, The Inquiring Mind bookstore will be the location for a special toy drive, in which patrons are encouraged to drop off unwrapped toys, in exchange for a free cup of coffee. The Inquiring Mind will also be hosting a special demonstration of the brand new horror strategy game Zombie Cataclysm, as well as a reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, by yours truly.
"I'm expecting people to be milling about town dressed as ghouls and ghosts straight out of the Dickens story," said Cruella. "Think Christmas, except with a certain spooky, Tim Burton-esque flavor to it. It should be a lot of fun!"
You can also expect giveaways, raffles and contests, including one for the best costume. All those interested in attending are encouraged to keep an eye on Captain Cruella's Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as her brand-new website, Cruella's Crypt.
Every now and then, the worlds of horror and wrestling collide, and I always jump at the opportunity to make the most of it. This is one of those times.
During my tenure at WWE, I had the pleasure to work with many talented, unique and fun performers, and one of those would most certainly be Amy Dumas, known at the time as Lita. So, when I discovered that Amy had participated in a zombie-themed photo shoot with internationally published photographer Dangerously Dolly for Rebel Ink magazine just in time for Halloween, I had to drop her a line and let her know how impressed I was, and ask if I could show some of these photos off in The Vault of Horror. Not only did Amy agree to that, but she was also gracious enough to chat with me briefly about the shoot, about horror and her time in the squared circle...
Vault of Horror: Tell fans what you have been up to recently... Amy: For over three years, every Sunday, from nine to ten at night, I’ve had a radio show on 96.1 The Project, in Atlanta. It’s a lot of fun. It’s just me, the engineer and the cleaning crew--so I've been focusing on that. I'm also opening a restaurant called "Java Lords Lucha Lounge," which has a Mexican theme to it. And of course, we have the movie I'm working on with Trish Stratus.
VOH: Are you happy with how the shots came out for the Rebel Ink shoot? Amy: Yes! They look cool and brain-tastic!
VOH: Are you much of a zombie or horror film fan in general? What are some of your favorites? Amy: I am. I like quirky B-movies, and I also like classic horror movies in general, too.
VOH: What did you prefer, being a zombie or a zombie killer? Amy: Wow, difficult to say! Depends on the situation. If it was real-life, then you'd have to be "The Zombie Killer"--dun-dun-dun! And personally, I find the Zombie Killer much more sexy, yum!
VOH: What led to your departure from the ring four years ago? Amy: Mostly hate. I couldn't stand being called a whore when I was walking the dog, or just being myself in my own time. After I left, I felt that my life had completely restarted. It was hard and scary but hey, it's all worked out.
VOH: And finally... if there were a real zombie apocalypse, do you think it would be a good idea to hide in the basement of the Alamo? [For those playing at home: Amy is a huge Pee-Wee Herman fanatic...] Amy: Totally...NOT! I'd go out there and kick some ass! Head-first into the action...
For more on what Amy is up to these days, fan her on Facebook at the only real Amy "Lita" Dumas page. Amy will also be appearing at Wizard World in Atlanta during the month of December. And for the rest of the zombie pics, check out the current issue of Rebel Ink!
Well, the day finally arrived. Last Saturday night, the long-awaited Village Invasion, the brainchild of Captain Cruella, was at unleashed upon the populace of Saugerties, New York. And yours truly was honored and privileged to be a part of it. I know I've been pushing the hell out of it here in the Vault as of late, so you may be wondering just what it was all about.
Imagine a zombie walk, only to the tenth power. With an entire town fully involved, businesses staying open all night and participating, movies shown on building walls. That's what it was all about. This was an event, in the truest sense of the word. Lots and lots of horror films are covered here in the Vault--but this was a horror happening. And a zombie freak's dream come true.
As for little old me, I was tickled pink to be asked to be one of the judges for the zombie costume contest, which, needless to say, was a blast. These people really put their all into being the best ghouls they could be, and the decision was not easy. But when a guy shows up with a zombie baby puppet in his arms, well, the Dead Alive fan in me just can't resist calling that man the winner as Best Overall Zombie. I'm also proud to say that Lady Gaga Zombie took home Best Celebrity Zombie. And even though Little Red Riding Zombie wasn't exactly a true zombie pinup, neither I, nor anyone else, was about to complain when she took home the prize in that category....
It's rather difficult to describe the thrill of pulling up to see, splashed across the side of a building, the original Night of the Living Dead, along with other horror films of my own selection--projected for all to enjoy as the festivities carried on. Certainly gratifying, and something of a culmination of much of the work I've been putting into growing the VoH over the years.
So what else did you miss? Well, you missed the opportunity to own a Vault of Horror T-shirt, that's for sure. (But fear not, for I accept PayPal orders at mysteriouswufang @ yahoo.com, or just shoot me an email and we can do business. Fifteen smackers, all sizes...) Ahem, anyway--you also missed your chance to partake of a Vault of Horror shooter. If you have absolutely no regard for your own well-being, and you'd like to recreate it, simply mix some vodka, Sambuca and Jagermeister in a shot glass and enjoy! (Just don't say I didn't warn you...)
In short, it was a killer time, and one which I never would have been able to enjoy and participate in like I did were it not for The Vault of Horror. Special thanks go to my newfound paisan Perri Naccarato of The Computer Guys, who made the movie projection possible, as well as to the fine people of the Dutch Ale House for concocting the VoH shooters, and the lovely Hudson Valley Horrors for helping to peddle my wares.
But most of all, thanks and applause to Captain Cruella for being such an incessant social networking maniac, and whipping the whole thing up out of thin air! As well as for allowing The Vault of Horror to be a part of it. With a little luck, and a lot of ingenuity, here's hoping that the Village Invasion Zombie Crawl will become a Saugerties tradition!
And the alliance continues... Come down to Stamford, Connecticut's Avon Theatre this Thursday evening at 8pm, when Cruella and I will be hosting a 25th anniversary screening of The Return of the Living Dead, with a very special top-secret second feature as well!
OR... If you happen to reside in the Chicago area, I'm proud to announce that on that very same evening, my own beloved sister blogger BJ-C of Day of the Woman will be introducing Let the Right One In at the Rialto Cinemas in Macomb, Illinois! Now that's synergy, people...
The spot: A clandestine, undisclosed location on the New York/Connecticut border. The guest: Captain Cruella, Zombie Queen of the Carnivorous Cadavers. The cuisine: Confidential.
We're here to discuss a fascinating phenomenon in our popular culture: The rise of the zombie. Face it, our undead friends are everywhere, and the movies are just the beginning. They have infiltrated our world, metaphorically speaking. And on Saturday in Saugerties, New York, they will do so literally (well, heh, almost) thanks to Cruella's Village Invasion zombie crawl, which we also touch on (including The Vault of Horror's involvement in the event).
Listen in on all the ghoulish shenanigans on the embedded player below, or head over to the Vaultcast page and download it!
As loyal Vault dwellers, you might be aware that one of--if not the film that transformed me into a died-in-the-wool horror fanatic was the late Dan O'Bannon's masterpiece, The Return of the Living Dead. From when I first experienced it at age 12, I was enthralled by it, and the fascination has only increased with time. It's a fantastic horror comedy for so many reasons, but I've been through that many times before. The bottom line is, it's a film that means a whole lot to me (and no, not just because of Linnea Quigley as Trash...)
You may also be somewhat familiar with the vintagely fantastic Avon Theatre of Stamford, Connecticut, which I have occasionally big-upped on this very blog, whether it be to help spread the word about some really cool screenings they were having, or to report on a great time I had at one of those screenings. The Avon has a Cult Classics series, for example, that has long been a source of unmitigated joy in my life. And now, I'm proud to say that I'm going to be a part of the Avon's Cult Classics series, and in particular, they're upcoming showing of ROTLD. In short, it gets no better than this.
Basically, the Avon will be screening ROTLD on Thursday night, October 21, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the film's release. It will also be showing alongside an unrevealed second feature. Now, I've been sworn to secrecy as to what it is--but rest assured, it will not disappoint. And I'm proud to say that both myself and the lovely Captain Cruella of the Carnivorous Cadavers will be hosting this screening. Now if that won't get you down to the theater, than dammit people, I don't know what will...
I'll have the privilege of introducing both films, and well, the good Captain will be providing zombie ambience as only she can. In fact, I can thank her and her mysterious undead powers for helping to finally get the Avon and the Vault together in the first place. This place is a local treasure, and it is literally a dream come true to be able to join in on the fun.
In addition to introducing one of the films crucial to my development as a horror fan, Cruella and I will also be giving away passes to one hell of a horror film festival on the horizon, the Hudson Horror Show. The festival's organizer, Chris Alo, will even be on hand to promote the event, lighting up Poughkeepsie, New York on November 6 (more on the Hudson Horror Show to come next week here in the Vault...)
So if you're in the area, I urge you to make your way to the Avon Theatre on October 21 for this screening of one of the most beloved horror films of them all. It is sure to be a blast. Not only that, but keep an eye out for future Cult Classics screenings at the Avon, as the theater's director of business development and film programming, Adam Birnbaum, has extended an invitation to yours truly to not only host more of the Avon's horror screenings, but to actually take part in their selection. So fasten your seat belts, Connecticut horror fans--things are about to get interesting...
Writer: Ian Edginton Art: Davide Fabbri Colors: Carrie Strachan Letters: Saida Temofonte Cover: Simon Coleby & Jonny Rench Publisher: DC Comics Publication Date: Jan. 1, 2010
Even the threat of imprisonment cannot deter the inquisitive minds of one Sherlock Holmes and his faithful companion, Dr. Watson, when faced with the walking dead. In the second issue of writer Ian Edginton’s Victorian Undead, a six-issue miniseries from WildStorm that pits Britain’s infamous detective against hordes of mindless reanimated corpses, Watson and Holmes make their way back to the scene of the first undead attack, deep underground the streets of London. What they discover there is beyond anything the pair could’ve imagined, and as things below the surface escalate, our heroes must hope for a miracle in the face of a painful and bloody death.
Once again ,Ian Edginton and artist Davide Fabbri deliver an excellent mash-up of traditional Sherlock Holmes story and the gory antics of the living dead. Edginton’s version of the British detective is characteristically intelligent, but thankfully lacks the patronizing nature that some portrayals of Holmes employ. Although he usually is a step or two behind his quick-witted companion, Watson is given an opportunity to demonstrate his own deductive reasoning in Victorian Undead #2, and I must admit that I was surprised by the degree of competence that he displays.
Unlike the first issue of Victorian Undead, which only featured one or two shambling corpses that were dispatched very quickly, the second issue of this series is far bloodier, much more action-packed, and filled with zombies! The interactions that Watson and Holmes have with the living dead in Victorian Undead #2 give the two an opportunity to demonstrate their physical prowess and sharp-shooting skills in addition to the intellectual and reasoning capabilities generally on display in Sherlock Holmes stories.
Each issue of Victorian Undead runs about 28 pages, so only so much story development can happen with each new installment. Fortunately, Edginton does an excellent job of moving the story along at a quick pace while still providing the reader with enough details to keep him or her from getting lost. Davide Fabbri’s art is the perfect compliment to Edginton’s story—both detailed and somewhat stylized, an excellent balance for the series.
If you enjoy the zombie genre and have an extra $2.99 lying around, I’d recommend that you pick up this issue of Victorian Undead. It’s debatable whether or not you need to read the first issue to understand the second, but I’d recommend at least flipping through the original if you intend to read issue #2. -- Paige MacGregor
I've got a bit of a break from the norm for you this time out, boils and ghouls. That's because things are anything but normal anytime you're dealing with the inscrutable Cruella Moxham, a.k.a. Captain Cruella of the Carnivorous Cadavers. Rather than just making art, you see, Ms. Moxham lives it, and she was very gracious to recently give me a glimpse into her macabre world.
Juggling a collection of impressive projects at any given time, the main happening that Cruella is currently involved in is a zombie crawl known as the Village Invasion, coming to Saugerties, New York on Saturday, October 16. She discussed the event at length with me, in addition to the many other things with which she has been and is currently involved... Let’s talk a bit about the zombie walks. The one you’re involved in promoting right now is the Village Invasion in Saugerties. Tell me a little about this. How did you get involved in all of it? It’s hard to describe, actually. I’ll tell you one thing, I would never have been able to really get it going the way I have without utilizing social media. It helped me organize everything, and make the project a reality.
It’s your project, though, right--from the ground up? Yes, it’s completely my own. This zombie crawl means a lot to me. Actually, organizing events like this in general is what I live for. It’s something I’ve always done; it’s in my blood. My family has been putting on a fundraiser now for 12 years, raising money for juvenile diabetes through a, “Car Show for a Cause”. We raise a great deal of cash in one day in just a few hours. It draws thousands of people.
So what is it about zombies that made you want to organize this whole event? Nothing. I’m just good at it and I am very fond of all things related to horror, evil and Halloween. I found at an early age that I was different than other people. The ordinary things that others did were extremely boring to me, so I created my own entertainment. Besides, people are easily led—well; I suppose they like to call it, “willing participation.”
What is it that motivates you? It’s just a great experience, to be able to pull off something successful like that, especially in my hometown. I consider it a success if 50 people show up, or even five, for that matter. It’s not really about me, it’s about the event and the people who come and enjoy in what I’ve created. What can I say; I’m a very complicated person, Brian. My desire is to create something where people can lose their inhibitions and have fun.
Tell me about some of the other events you’ve been involved with. I rented an art studio and a gallery for three years in Kingston. I had art exhibits that would change monthly. One month the theme was, “Obsession and Fetishes”. The artwork ranged from the typical fetishes one can imagine just from the title of the show all the way to someone being obsessed with food. I pulled some strings and had some close friend who dabble in S&M come in their domme gear , that really shook up the town. Another memorable theme at the gallery was one where I covered the space in assorted shapes and sizes of mirrors. I called it the, “Reflection of the Flesh”, where YOU were the art. I set up paint stations with assorted non-toxic paints and let people at themselves with a photographer capturing the moments it was fantastic! That’s same day I orchestrated a local salsa band to play on the street, the date was Cinco de Mayo. Dancing painted people everywhere, the energy was amazing! I also have been very involved in the Kingston’s Artist Soapbox Derby and have won every year that I have entered into it.
I understand you also have done a lot of work in movie makeup? Yes, I worked for a company called Aesthetic Creations. I was an assistant makeup artist, in the special effects department. I met a lot of interesting and talented people; most of them had worked or were working for Universal Studios. I really learned so much. I worked on the tail end of Beloved, creating silicon molds and prosthetics. I also got to do that for Bringing Out the Dead, directed by Martin Scorsese. Who is kind of a pompous jerk, by the way. But I got to do a lot of prosthetics for that movie, for Nic Cage, Marc Anthony and other character actors. I also worked on Jim Jarmosh’s Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai, in which I created prosthetics for faces, a fake forehead, for a character who was going to be shot in the head. It was definitely interesting to come into work for a company everyday where the props from the jail scene in Silence of the Lambs were hanging overhead.
On the other end of the spectrum, you also currently do a lot of work with floral arrangements. How did you get into that? While I was subletting the gallery and studio space from a florist I would be there late every day either painting or working on the next event for the studio, and helped her out with the shop from time to time. The shop eventually closed, but I never stopped doing that kind of work. It turned out I was really good at it and I enjoyed being surrounded by flowers, who wouldn’t? People started seeking me out, and pretty soon I was doing arrangements for all kinds of events, from weddings to funerals.
So do you have any trouble at all balancing these two worlds, zombies and floral arrangements? Not at all, I’m always busy. I am more creative in chaos. As I said, I’m a complex person. I’m from two worlds. As a child, I was very confused as to who I was supposed to be. Whenever I was told I couldn’t do something that was like a challenge to me. And it became a challenge to do as much as possible, and to be good at whatever crossed my path.
So what’s the next obstacle to be conquered? What does the future hold for Cruella Moxham? I’m thinking the world and then maybe the Vault of Horror…yeah, sounds about right.
* * * * * * * * * *
To find out more about the Village Invasion, check out the official event page over at Crawl of the Dead. Also, be sure to connect with Ms. Moxham via Facebook!
Romero fans know there have been approximately 7,836 different video versions of the classic living dead trilogy films available over the years, including various directors' cuts, special edition releases and what have you. Most recently of all were the Blu-ray releases of both Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead, which contained certain extras and other assorted goodies not seen before on any previous release. Pretty awesome, but of no use to troglodytes like myself who have yet to jump on board the fancy-pants Blu-ray express, choosing to stick with that quaint little relic known as the digital video disc.
Well, that's all changed now, thanks to UK video distributor Arrow Films. See, Arrow is the official UK distributor of a whole bunch of American genre titles, including, you guessed it, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead. And on Monday, August 30, Arrow Films will be re-releasing both films on DVD, except this time adding on a host of special features previously included only on the Blu-ray releases. Yes, this is a UK distributor, meaning that both releases will be in PAL format, but most U.S. DVD players these days are all-region, and will support PAL. Just be sure before you buy these--don't come crying to me if they won't play, ya whiny Americans.
These are two of my favorite horror films of all time, and I approve of any excuse to check them out one more time. For more info on the Dawn and Day releases, as well as more very cool titles, check out the official Arrow Films website, as well as Arrow's official forum site, Cult Laboratories.
Make yourself comfortable tonight, ladies and gentlemen. Because this time around, we have a very special, double-length edition of Conversations in the Dark. As part of the ongoing Lucky 13 series in which both the Vault and Brutal as Hell are currently embroiled, I was originally going to be joined by BAH's Britt Hayes for back-to-back weeks, discussing both the recent zombie edition and upcoming sci-fi edition of The Lucky 13. But plans changed, and so instead we combined both into one mondo, 90-minute Vaultcast.
Fortunately for you, we happen to be two individuals with very radio-friendly voices, so it won't be too unpleasant to listen in as we ramble on ecstatically about both the living dead and the horrors of science fiction, along the way leaping madly into random non-sequiturs involving everything from the merits of Nic Cage's career and the hotness of Cillian Murphy, to the glories of the Anthony Weiner tirade and why the Friedberg/Seltzer spoof movies may be signaling the apocalypse.
You can listen on the embedded player below, or over at the official Vaultcast page. Download it right here--proud to declare, by the way, that the Vaultcast has grown so popular that I had to upgrade to a pro account on PodOmatic in order to accommodate all the bandwidth. Keep listening! My wallet doesn't thank you, but I do!
It says a lot about the popularity of this week's sub-genre, that this time out we've got more contributors than ever before. Zombies are arguably the dominant monster of modern horror, and certainly have been on a proverbial tear for much of the past decade especially. Today's horror fan is almost inevitably a hardcore zombie fan--we just can't seem to get enough of those mindless, flesh-eating, undead meatheads.
It always says a lot about the breadth and quality of the sub-genre, that with so many contributors this week, nevertheless not one of them selected the same movie. We've got a pretty impressive selection here, if I do say so myself, hope you enjoy...
B-Sol on Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Surprisingly to me as I look back, I haven't really said all that much about George Romero's Dawn of the Dead here in the Vault over the years, despite the fact that it is not only my personal favorite zombie movie, but my personal favorite horror movie, period. Maybe I've been intimidated by what a towering presence this movie is for me, how it affected me like no other horror film has before or since.
Romero certainly knocked it out of the park with Night of the Living Dead, but here he truly brings his bleak vision of America to full fruition, and gives us the absolute prototype of the modern zombie film. The waking nightmare he creates as the setting for this film is so convincing to me, so authentic, despite whatever you may say about dated makeup effects. When I watch this movie, I am transported wholly to a world in which the dead have risen and society is crumbling. The aura of doom hangs heavy, and even the humorous bits are tinged with rueful regret.
Zombies have terrified me more than any other movie monster, and this film is to blame. I am a purist when it comes to Romero zombies, and this whole idea of relentless, creeping corpses coming to eat your flesh, ignoring all boundaries of friendship and family, beyond all reason or escape, really struck a chord with me, and filled me with genuine dread. That's powerful film-making, and that's what modern zombie cinema is all about.
One of my favourite zombie films --no, scrub that, one of my favourite films ever--Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man) is a quirky little masterpiece, a film which takes the idea of the living dead in a sublime new direction. Francis Dellamorte (Rupert Everett) is the Buffalore Cemetery caretaker or, as one of his imminent inmates calls it, the ‘engineer’, but this is a cemetery with a difference. Sometimes the dead rise from their graves, and together with assistant Gnaghi (François Hadji-Lazaro) Dellamorte must re-dispatch them. It’s a troubled, lonely existence, and both men are looking for an indeterminate something--maybe even love--beyond the cemetery walls. When a beautiful widow (Anna Falchi) arrives to mourn her husband, Dellamorte cannot resist her charms, and is soon drawn into a chain of events which leads him to reconsider love, life, the universe and everything…
I first saw the film at a Halloween showing and, apart from vaguely being aware that it was a zombie flick, I knew nothing about it. If I was expecting hordes of potentially politically-relevant flesheaters, instead I got a striking small-town setting, a taphophile’s dream of graves, burials and mourning, and of course vivid atmosphere in spades (pun intended). A charismatic performance by Everett really underpins this film, and he deadpans through an often bizarre array of scenes and dialogue with an inimitably brooding gravitas. The original choice for this role, Matt Dillon, simply could not have done it better. It adds a pleasing circularity to the project that Everett was the inspiration behind the Dylan Dog comics, which in turn inspired the screenplay: Dellamorte Dellamore is as inescapable for Everett as Buffalore is for Francis Dellamorte, it seems…
The cast all work nicely together, balancing pathos alongside slick dark comedy, with the beautiful Anna Falchi perhaps deserving a special mention for her performance as the unnamed ‘she’ of the film. Although she appears in three different incarnations, she is most memorable in her first, that of The Widow--changing from vulnerable mourner into an insatiable Returner, a zombie you wouldn’t mind being bitten by. But then, as the film progresses, the undead aren’t the problem in and of themselves. They become symbolic of the inescapability of Dellamorte’s life and his growing identity crisis. It would be pushing it to say that this film is a philosophical work, I know, but it definitely uses horror in order to feel around some unusually existentialist themes. Dellamorte holds forth on the problems of love, the meaning of life, and self-knowledge, so the film’s original title (translating as ‘of Death, of Love’) really holds some meaning here. Unique, hypnotic and cool, Dellamorte Dellamore has a special place in my heart.
There's not much to be said about Night of the Living Dead that hasn't already been spoken. But when it came time to choose a favorite zombie film, I couldn't find myself considering anything other than it or its sequel, Dawn of the Dead. That's a choice I've waffled on many times, but today I'm sold on Night of the Living Dead as my final answer.
Night of the Living Dead is more than a movie, it's an institution. It's literally the most accessible horror film of the past 50 years--thanks to its slip into the public domain--and it's become something of a “starter” film for anyone who wants to experience what horror movies are all about. As horror was peaking in pop culture during the 1970s, it was Night of the Living Dead that became the syndicated TV hit that every late night horror host was showing to impressionable youth. When home video, and later DVD, became popular, any distributor that could find it released their own copy of the film. At least 40 different versions of the film exist between these two types of home media today, and the first Blu-Ray versions of the film are rolling out as we speak.
But to me, this is more than just one of those films that should be lauded because of how beloved it has become. One could also argue that Night of the Living Dead was a turning point for the horror genre, as it was one of the first films to turn everyday people--in this case dead people--into monsters, and then bring these monsters into modern America. And, without ever using the “zed word”, George Romero's approach to creating horror set the stage for an entire sub-genre and a new movement in independent horror film-making.
I could ramble about the significance, in culture and to the film community, of Night of the Living Dead all night long. And when I account for the film's effect on the viewer--in this case, a guy that's still creeped out by the uncertainty the characters face and the impending sense of doom that haunts the film--and the fact that the black-and-white film just feels like what I'd look for from any late night horror viewing, there's no topping Romero's first triumph in my book.
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is one of those films that I can revisit over and over and over again, and then one more time for good measure. While most people wouldn't think of this as an outright zombie film due to its blending of several genre elements, the finale does involve a zombie ripping through the torso of a recently shot victim in order to massacre the senior class on prom night.
The film has an ability to cleverly recycle staples from genre classics into one cohesive, seamless whole. It borrows elements from George A. Romero's zombie films and from Carrie, contains a dream sequence that recalls A Nightmare on Elm Street with a dash of German Impressionism set in a high school cafeteria and features a kooky take on possession themes, all set against the backdrop of a teen comedy/horror film.
As if that wasn't enough, you have genre regular Michael Ironside in the cast, and some inventive--not to mention mean-spirited--death sequences. One victim informs her best friend that she is pregnant, only to be hanged to death by the film's title villain, who makes it appear as a suicide. There is also a sequence in which another victim is smashed to death by her high school gym lockers, and yet another involving death by computer. To top it all off, it also boasts some well-timed one liners and some memorable dialogue. Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is a film that I never get tired of despite repeat viewings. It also ranks in my top 10 horror films of the '80s.
Vault dweller Angela Howeth on The Return of the Living Dead
I had to go back to my own childhood on this one. Of course I completely love and adore the originals such as Night of the Living Dead, and the not-so-original such as Zombi 2, but honestly I had to go here. I remember going to a sleep over when I was in the 4th grade and watching this movie for the first time. While my girlfriends where all busy talking about boys, and New Kids on the Block, I was completely enamored with this movie. I thought to myself, “Oh this is completely utterly disgustingly perfect.” It had everything--punk rock, a dysfunctional and irresponsible government, and of course terrifying gruesome zombies.
I think the cross between the movie soundtrack and the actual sound of the zombies was creepy enough. Am I the only one who thought some of the zombies sounded like pigs being slaughtered as they were being reborn from their graves? For me sound has a ton to do with it, and these zombies where not meek at all. Not only did they do their normal zombie moan from hell, but they also spoke of the pain of WANTING AND NEEDING BRAINS!!!! This ties directly to that scene in the morgue with the half woman tied down on the gurney. This scene terrified me; it was human in the sense of something that needed substance in order to feel good to live. But yet she wasn’t living, she was dead, and still she yearned so greatly for our soft spongy brains--with no legs, no skin, no organs left besides half her spinal column, her eyes and her brain. It is stuff that nightmares are truly made of.
Another favorite scene in the movie is the one in which Linnea Quigley's Trash character gets mauled by the zombies. Imagine yourself being naked in nuclear rain; and getting caught in a mosh pit of zombies; yeah, no good. That and she kind of resembles Ronald McDonald's step-sister. This movie just holds a happy place in my childhood, as odd as it sounds, I will never get the picture out of my head of the zombie popping out of the grave: “Do you want to party!” Return of the Living Dead is one of those movies that I can watch and keep finding more stuff to laugh or be terrified about.
My love affair with zombies started out a lot like everyone else's, I suspect. It was a double feature sleep over with Evil Dead 2 and Dawn of the Dead that kicked the whole thing off. Dawn of the Dead gave license to my imagination to run wild in a world overrun with the dead where the only responsibility was survival, which in a world of abundant shopping mall resources, guns and ammo included, looked like an awful lot of fun, even when the bikers raid the place. This was a fantasy dreamed up when I was a kid. I'm an adult now and the rational adult mind tends to over think things, so the fantasy is a lot less fun these days because I have the context of maturity to compare the horror of the apocalypse to. Naturally, the care-free fantasy of Dawn of the Dead became something much more pessimistic and opened the door for Day of the Dead to make its way into my consciousness and take the number one spot for favorite zombie movie.
It's a well explored notion that Romero's classic zombie movies reflect the era of their production so it's no surprise that Day of the Dead is one giant metaphor for America in the '80s. That's not exactly why I like it, though. Day of the Dead was the culmination of Romero's efforts. The original script, which is available for reading online, is a much bigger movie that Romero has since incorporated into other movies, but what we got still comes off like the culmination of all of Romero's previous efforts. Day's scope, though actually very small, feels huge!
The whole thing takes place in this cavernous missile base with a large cast of cackling evil military guys and the scientists that they're supposed to protect. Heading it up is Joe Pilato as the maniacal Captain Rhodes, constantly sporting a sheen of nervous sweat, ranting and raving, pointing his gun at anyone who questions his authority. He has some of the best lines and gives the best deliveries of any Romero zombie survivor. On the other end is Richard Liberty as the insane Dr. Logan, conditioning his zombie, Bub (Logan and Bub are references to Wolverine of the X-Men) and dissecting captive zombies down to their component pieces. It's a colorful cast of wild, shouting characters working with one of Romero's slowest, yet most frantic zombie scripts. Sure, there's a lot of talking--the usual point of criticism leveled at this flick--but they're great streaks of Rhodes' wild freak-outs!
Characters aside, Day was the ultimate experiment in special effects for the time. They're completely disgusting. Tom Savini's express makeup for large groups was coupled with the high detail and realism of Greg Nicotero's techniques to create some of the nastiest zombies ever put on film. To this day, it remains unchallenged, even by further explorations of zombies by Romero himself.
Day may not be a taut thriller with constant action, but for my money, it's the most sophisticated of all of Romero's movies, with the best special effects, most colorful characters and most morbid, oppressive tone that expertly communicates the hopelessness of possibly being the last living humans on Earth. I revisit this one far more than any other in the canon.
I’ve always found answering the question ‘what’s your favourite zombie film?’ both difficult and easy. Difficult, in that I’ve not actually seen that many zombie films, in comparison to your average horror fan, anyway; and easy, in that I’ve got fewer films to pick from! Zombies are not my favourite sub-genre, and yet, they’re everywhere. They seem to be the horror film-maker’s choice for getting a point across, particularly when it comes to making a comment on the homogeneity of society. My choice of film, then, stands out, in that it has nothing at all to do with the homogeneity of society, and everything to do with the individual.
My favourite zombie film is Colin. The film is famous for being made on a shoe-string budget of roughly £45 ($70), and yet it’s reached world-wide audiences and critical acclaim. Directed by Marc Price, the film follows the titular zombie, from his brief moments before being bitten, to his slow, arduous transformation into one of the mass of living dead shuffling through London’s streets. Coming at the tail-end of a rash of fast zombies (if they’re zombies at all!), Colin is a wonderful breath of fresh air, a film which, for all of its impressively realised gore and action, is an emotional, human journey.
Part of that success belongs to Alistair Kirton, who plays Colin as both lost child and cornered animal to great effect. Some of the film’s most memorable scenes take place in complete silence, not in the abandoned streets of the city or in the middle of a zombie horde, but in the heart of the home--the bathroom, the kitchen, the bedroom. No £45 film is going to perfect, but with Colin, Marc Price has made a damn impressive try of it.
The film’s greatest success, for me, is that it’s a zombie film that made me care about its protagonist. I don’t often find myself all that bothered about what happens to characters in zombie films, but I do care for Colin. Marc Price successfully made a zombie film, with a zombie protagonist, which tells a simple, human story. Not very horrific, I know, but it certainly makes the film stand out from a very crowded sub-genre. Besides, that bit with the spine? Definitely gross.
Italy was by no means a stranger to the walking dead. With rejuvenated stiffs committing such foul acts as shoving splinters in pupils and attacking people as they performed top-hat dance routines, Italian filmmakers were squeezing the genre dry of every last putrefied drop. So what, you may ask, makes Burial Ground so different from the rest of the flesh-hungry pack? I believe my appreciation for this film might have stemmed from my complete surprise on its initial viewing, as I think it would with most. Up until the point I saw Andrea Bianchi’s mini-epic, I smugly thought that I had just about seen everything zombies had to offer. Little did I realize all the wonderful surprises that were in store for me, whether they were subtle contrasts or bits of in-your-face grandness.
The look of the zombies in Burial Ground was one of the very first elements to register with me. Never before, not even with Fulci’s conquistador throat-munchers, did I see zombies who were actually terrifying to look at. The majority of them here have deaths-head type visages, their skeletal teeth and empty sockets seeming to sneer at you as they greedily reach for your skin. They’re a true army of the dead, fully capable of wielding weapons (!) in order to get at the food they crave so madly. A particularly spectacular sequence occurs when one zombie, with Bullseye-like precision, throws a nail across a garden and pins a maid’s hand to the wall just as she’s going to close a window! His cohorts then use a deliciously symbolic scythe to painfully saw the screaming wench’s head off and then eagerly scuttle around as the cranium comes a-tumblin’ down! That scene alone was enough for me to realize that this one was not the typical zombie fare.
The entire movie is filled with a very real sense of dread. The psychotropic score constantly has you at unease as the dead stiffly stalk around the house of survivors. This is the type of feeling every zombie film should have, that of ultimate doom and utter defeat at the claws of the souls we thought we held dominion over. As silly as it may seem, as I watched the movie, eyes open wide inside the cozy den of my home, I almost felt as if this is what the Apocalypse would truly look like. The dead returned to consume the living, never stopping or ceasing their motions. Terrifying stuff. Add to that the oddly surreal bits that are sprinkled throughout the film and you have one unique viewing experience. Case in point: Peter Bark, a twenty something man who plays the part of a ten-year-old child. One of the most awkward-glances-all-around moments in film history occurs when Peter passionately begs his mother for a very personal type of night cap. You haven’t seen it all until you’ve seen that.
Burial Ground is likely to be passed over by most fans as another in a long, long line of zombie flicks to be released from Italy during the first living dead boom in cinema. But if you look closely enough and if you’re appetite is whetted enough for some different and grueling zombie action, you’ll find that this cloth does not just smell of death… it smells of awesomeness.
Shaun may be a little irresponsible, a slacker, and own some embarrassing vinyl albums... but who would think of a cricket bat to defend yourself in the zombie apocalypse? The rest of his crew took typical items like golf clubs, axes, shovels, baseball bats, you know... phallic objects. It may be an English thing, but the cricket bat is probably the coolest undead destroying instrument since the boomstick.
Think of it this way, Shaun is like every Average Joe you meet on the street. He's just like you! It's always a nice thought that you don't need to be this rough and tumble guy to survive. All you need is some passion and a good weapon. The reason Shaun of the Dead is such an appealing film to all audiences, is because the zombie outbreak closely resembles what the outbreak would most likely really be like. In a world of chaos and rotting corpses, Shaun and his friends decide to stick it out and survive while still maintaining their personalities. All too often in zombie films, people lose who they really are once the outbreak begins. It's about survival yes, but it's also about not losing who you are.
The true heart of the entire film is centered on Shaun. Shaun is a great zombie killer because he's not only thinking about himself. It's very easy to become selfish in a time of crisis and only care about keeping yourself alive. While this is a nice plan for an individual, its a disastrous plan for those who actually have a heart. Shaun had been completely neglecting those who care the most about him, but when put in the situation where he's almost expected and allowed to be selfish... he's not. He works to keep not just himself afloat, but his mother, ex-girlfriend, her flatmates, his best friend, and for a while even his hated step-father. He risked his life traveling from his house to his mother's house, and then even climbed up a building to save his ex-girlfriend and her flatmates. That's the true act of a hero if you're asking me.
So basically, he's not some uber badass who knows exactly what to do, he's just someone who's probably grown up watching the uber badasses who know exactly what to do. He's thrust into this situation, and while he's hesitant at first, he almost comes to terms with it and realizes what needs to be done to try and survive. So off he goes to secure his loved ones and hold down in the safest place he can think of. It may not all work out, but he at least does something instead of sit and panic. Shaun of the Dead is a perfect of example of how middle America would handle the zombie crisis.
* * * * * * * * * *
Now head over to Brutal as Hell to see what Marc Patterson and his crew have come up with. And if you're interested in taking part in the last two installments, just give Marc or myself a holler.
Horror fans have a unique way of celebrating Valentine's Day. For a classic example, look no further than the series of Zombie Love Songs that recently were shared here in the Vault. We just have to inject a bit of gallow's humor to make it palatable, and that's more than okay with me.
"I was looking for away I could pool my talents and the talents of Captain Cruella to bring attention to the store, to bring people into the store," said Ashley Drewes, owner and proprietor of Sugartown. "She's a fantastic makeup artist, so I thought it would be really great to have a glamorous event where she demonstrated her makeup, and also an opportunity for people to try on vintage clothing, and have a professional photographer come in and take photos. I thought that was a perfect way to introduce people to the store."
The photographer of whom Ashley speaks is none other than the enormously talented J.D. Fielding, who was on hand to chronicle the festivities for posterity, and of course capture me looking like a 1970s street-level gangster. J.D.'s keen eye certainly brought out the life in what was going on, which might be ironic considering it was a member of the undead who was the center of attention.
"I think she's always had a little bit of pin-up in her, or busting out of her," she says. "So I don't necessarily think that I'm moving her away from that. She did come out today wearing one of her zombie contact lenses [Ed. note: It's a contact lens??], so she's still a little creepy. She's still dressed in black, and she still brings the dark and gothic, but she's also sexy and beautiful, which is part of her persona. And I don't think that's going to change."
