The Zombie Dead (Beyond Terror)[DVD] [1980]

Inept but weirdly compelling, `Nights of Terror' (or `Burial Ground' or `Zombie Dead' or `Zombie IV' or `That One With The Weird Kid That Looks Like A Small Dario Argento') is by no stretch of the imagination a great (or even good) film, but it for some hard-to-fathom reason it is oddly watchable, and even more oddly re-watchable.

The plot, of course, is an irrelevance. A professor investigating mystic Etruscan rituals (who looks oddly like the late comic-book artist Massimo Belardinelli of 2000AD fame) apparently triggers a revival of some local corpses in the grounds of his extravagant mansion, and said living dead then proceed to lay siege to the house. Meanwhile, the professor's randy friends are over for the weekend. Of course, rather than sensibly remaining indoors during the zombie assault, the professor's guests, dwindling a little in number, decide to actively let the corpses in (!), on the off-chance that the shambling horrors might just leave them alone. They don't. After that, there's not much else to do but abandon mansion and take refuge in a local monastery in the hope that monks and zombies don't mix... yes, the cast has clearly never seen the `Blind Dead' films.

Did I say the plot was an irrelevance? I may have meant that it's non-existent, but that has to be the secret to this film's strange charm - you don't have to worry about anything other than enjoying 85 minutes of decidedly decayed but rather endearing -looking Gino De Rossi zombies harassing the wealthy and their servants, for no adequately explored reason. You could argue, as film critic Jamie Russell does in his appraisal of zombie cinema, `Book of the Dead', that this film is designed to show an undead proletariat rebellion against the degenerate moneyed classes, a kind of precursor to Romero's `Land of the Dead', if you will. Well, maybe. That those naughty libertines are also harassed by zombie monks, in the film's best scene, might just indicate the moral and spiritual bankruptcy of their decadent lives, as might the strange relationship between Mariangela Giordano and her peculiar son, which reaches a ridiculous but highly memorable climax when his demands to relive one particular aspect of his infancy are met...

So, the acting is stilted, the direction is routine and the effects, whilst not without charm, are not what you'd call particularly convincing. Indeed, there's a virtual re-run of that famous eyeball scene in `Zombie 2', but significantly less traumatic or impressively delivered. So what on earth is my justification in giving this film (a very subjective) four stars? For one thing, director Andrea Bianchi does manage to maintain a decidedly off-kilter atmosphere of sleaze and morbidity. Even though the central characters have little to recommend them, there is something rather downbeat and doomed about their flight from the Grim Reaper-like ghouls. For another, the zombies themselves are sinister and characterful in their design, but still awfully likeable (here I am in agreement with the author Ramsey Campbell, who in a review of the film points out how much fun it is when one of them pops up from behind a hedge.) And most important of all, the film is a lot of fun if you're in an undemanding mood. Definitely one for fans rather than the innocent movie-going public, but if you've already cultivated a taste for low-budget Italian eccentricity, then give it a bash. On the head, with a rock.

The Zombie Dead is probably the most cheaply made film ive ever seen! The acting is probably the worsed ive ever seen, as with the special effects (which are close to bieng as bad as the effects off 'Drive in Massacre') and is overall the worsed film ive ever seen!
But as all fans of this type of film would know, this isnt that bad, its a good thing if anything! And although this is the most badly made film ever, its still good and its still fun to see a plastic head get pulled off some unusually high shoulders with a scythe!
On the subject of the gore in this there is a bit, it may not be that realistic (its actually some of the worsed ive seen in my life!) but there are actually some pretty creative scenes! (therse actually a scene where a woman gets her niple bitten off by her son....her zombie son!)
And although this film is extremely badly made the story is actually aleright! There are some good little twists and a good selection of smart, dumb, wierd and annoying (the type you really want to get eaten first) characters!
This is one of those films that are in desperate need of a good remake! This could actually be the film that is most desperatley in need of a remake EVER ( in second place for the 'in most need of a remake' award is probably 'The Deadly Spawn', another film in the Vipcos ScreamTime Collection!)
This film then is so, so, so, amazingly bad and should only be viewed by zombie/B-movie horror fans only!!!!!By pain of death!
It has got its place in Vipcos Screamtime Collection with honour!

Also known as Burial Ground, this gory Italian horror delivers plenty of gut munching set pieces, but little on plot which is virtually non existant. The plot for what it is, concerns three couples who have been summoned by a Professor to his isolated mansion to discuss his discoveries on bringing the dead back to life. One couple George and Evelyn are accompanied by their creepy son Michael. Unfortunately for the guests it soon becomes apparent that the Prof has been all too successful as the house is surrounded by hordes of hungry rotting(and very mobile) cavaders.
Despite the hideous fashions, hilarious dubbing and lack of cohesion of this film, it can be extremely unnerving at times. This is mainly down to two reasons. The first one is the progtastic psychedelica/electronica used as the soundtrack. It really is quite wonderful music, and really deserves a much better film to accompany it. The second reason is the extrodinary child-man/man child Michael. Imagine the sinister offspring of a liason between Andre Previn and Robert Helpmann and your only halway there.(actor Peter Bark was reputedly in his mid twenties when he played the role). Just to mention the zombies as well. They do look pretty good, with maggots and worms crawling out from every orifice, and shuffling towards their next meal with sinister purpose.
So, if after 80 or so minutes, and your still waiting for a plot, or are wondering if there was meant to be one in the first place, just try to enjoy this film for what it is, a highly enjoyable slice of euro horror, with no purpose above trying to both entertain and disgust its audience, a task it succeeds in admirably. 4 out of 5
As for the Vipco DVD, well the picture quality is pretty good, one of Vipco's better transfers, and the sound is crisp and clear. There are the usual Vipco extras of stills gallery, trailers and filmographies. 4 out of 5 also