Over the past few years I’ve become quite the fan of Ozploitation films, and I’ve quite enjoyed the recent resurgence of Australian genre filmmaking. One of my more recent finds was the flawwed, yet still enjoyable, Australian zombie film Undead. And while it was a decent enough independent horror comedy, I must say I found it a bit surprising that the director’s of that film, The Spierig Brothers, were able to secure over $20 million to film their next project. The Australian vampire film Daybreakers.
I’m a bit at a loss on just what kind of film this will be, as the trailers seem to be pushing a glossy action pic, but judging by Undead I wouldn’t be surprised if Daybreakers ends up being a relatively decent budget schlock film. Complete with ridiculous effects, gaping plot holes and over zealous acting. Willem Dafoe is in it after all. And if its a good one, man do I hope it makes it to the multiplex.
“One day you are in your boat and you get attacked by zombie fish.”
Back when I worked at American Express I had a colleague who was as fascinated with zombies as I was. Much like Derek he was deathly afraid of the very concept of zombies and as such we would have deep philosophical discussions on the nature of the undead.
When we first heard that George Romero was making a new zombie film for the first time in twenty years we were quite excited at the prospect. I took it upon myself to track down a copy of the script and printed a copy out for the two of us to read, and within its pages came about a concept that afforded us hours of time wasting discussion.
The film, at the time still untitled but soon to be known as Land of the Dead, had an interesting, if somewhat throwaway scene that was to lead off the third act of the film. With zombies encroaching upon the city, an unknowing loan man on patrol stops for a quick smoke break under a bridge. As he stands there something stirs in the darkness. Soon it seems as if the entire underside of the bridge is shifting and as the man looks up a horde of zombie rats drop down upon him and quickly devour him whole.
It has been awhile since I watched a zombie film so I thought it was time to throw another one in the DVD player and enjoy the ride. This time the zombies are attacking a small Australian town called Berkley after a meteor shower, as an extra added bonus it seems aliens are invading as well. With a plot like that how Undead could possibly be anything less then awesome is beyond me.
You know what this site needs more of? Zombie films! Now sure, I can understand if you might not agree with me right now. But give me a second to explain just what kind of zombies I am talking about here. These aren’t your standard living undead that bite you and turn you into even more living undead, but rather these are living undead that drank a wine soaked in a pesticide that causes their bodies to have popping pustules and an unquenchable thirst for murder! Oh yeah, these zombies talk too! That’s because next week I’ll be reviewing The Grapes of Death (Les Raisins de la mort).
Please be advised that the trailer is not only NSFW, but absurdly awful.
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