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Rating:          
Review
When Dan O’Bannon and George Romero crafted Night of the Living Dead in the late 60’s, the producers and the duo themselves never obtained proper copyright. In totality, the franchise naming and overall premise wasn’t particularly owned by anyone, allowing both O’Bannon and Romero to create two deviating franchises based on the original movie. Due to creative differences, the two parted, and O’Bannon took a more humors approach to the zombie apocalypse, ushering in Return of the Living Dead and four sequels. And like many many-sequeled franchises, it is the earliest iteration that obtains the most respect. Return of the Living Dead is a largely comical trope through the zombie outbreak, drowning in comical overdone make-up effects and solidifying many zombie archetypes that stay in place even to today.
Reason to Watch
If you felt the zombie apocalypse story lacked a little comedy relief this way of jar Jar Binks or Animal House, return of the Living Dead is there to save the day.
Context
Return of the Living Dead is violent, gruesome, and horrifying stupid. With that said, it’s pure unrelenting entertainment, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Most Memorable Quote(s)
- Burt Wilson: I thought you said if we destroyed the brain, it’d die!
Frank: It worked in the movie!
Burt Wilson: Well, it ain’t working now, Frank!
Freddy: You mean the movie lied?
- Suicide: How come you guys only come around when you need a ride someplace?
Spider: ‘Cause you’re one spooky motherfucker, man.
What You Need to Get Through This Movie
A love for zombie films is pretty necessary. this thing is straight zombie grade-A sweetness
Trivia
- The film’s original intention was to be filmed in 3-D. Not quite Avatar level 3-D I’m sure, but also two decades before that movie became a hit
- Executives attempted to get George A. Romero involved with the project as producer, and had a hefty lump to pay. He never responded
- The director was shocked to see so many females interested in the film, saying he would have shown Thom Matthews naked if he knew that would occur
Educational Content
Even in death, you have a sense of humour
Nicknames make you zombie fodder
Justification for Rating
This unrelenting take on the zombie franchise works better as a comedy and as an entertaining film far more than any of George A. Romero’s latter-day zombie attempts where he essentially took the zombies in a direction of banding together and forming societies- except without the comedy and more of a “we’re serious, we’re building a farm” angle. it was awful.
Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wylpeAXYcBQ
Tags: Action, bad movie, camp horror, george romero, gross, Horror, undead, zombie

Rating:          
Review
George A. Romero’s epic sequel to his genre-defining Night of the Living Dead is arguably superior to its ground-breaking predecessor.
As a zombie plague engulfs the planet, four survivors – TV girl Fran, her helicopter pilot boyfriend Stephen and two soldiers Peter and Roger – take refuge in a sprawling shopping mall, sealing the doors and creating a zombie-free hideout. In time they find their lives dull and empty inside their consumers’ paradise until their peace is destroyed by a marauding biker gang. The ensuing battle against both the bikers and the undead provides more opportunity for some wonderful gore.
The film is wonderfully written and directed and is full of satire, sub-text, allegory and clever imagery. The characters are well developed and reasonably played and the dialogue is both believable and economic enough to ensure a well-paced film. This all means that you can watch, completely guilt-free, an array of wonderfully produced gory effects (god bless Tom Savini) – screwdrivers through the ear, a rotor-blade scalping, bullet induced head explosions, machete decapitations and a liberal sprinkling of gut-munching.
On a personal note, Romero is the “Daddy” of the zombie genre and all the subsequent fast moving zombie goons really need to be bitch-slapped with a copy of the DVD, preferably prior to removing from the player.
Reason to Watch
The film is simply one of the best horror films ever made. Can be watched simply to revel in the violence or gore (of which there certainly is plenty) or can be appreciated as multi-faceted piece of cinematic art.
Context
Made in 1978 a full ten years after the first in the series. The delay, in part, was due to Romeros desire not to become overly identified with the horror genre. The delay didn’t work out too well for old George as whilst the film was a huge critical and financial success it certainly had him positively hog-tied to the zombie genre.
Most Memorable Quotes
“They’re us, that’s all, when there’s no more room in hell.”
“Who the hell cares! Let’s go shopping!”
What You Need To Get Through This Movie
To some extent this depends on what you want to take from the movie and also which version you are watching. If you are planning to have a beer-soaked gore and violence fest then the remote may come in handy, especially if you are watching the rather-slower paced 140 minute extended version.
Trivia
Despite being a sequel this is the first Romero film in which the zombies were actually called zombies.
Simon Pegg, star and co-writer of Shaun of the Dead, is a huge fan of the film and the work of Romero generally and is hence staunchly against the seeming modern move towards faster moving zombies.
Educational Content
- Zombies move slowly!
- To kill a zombie their brain must be destroyed.
- Even well-lit malls can be really scary.
- Surviving a zombie apocalypse is pretty tricky and we should all have our plans in place.
- Zombies may be slow and clumsy but you have to admire their tenacity.
Justification for Rating
It would have got 10 out of 10 but some of the acting could have been a little better.
Clip
Tags: classic, creepy, George A Romero, Horror, Tom Savini, undead, zombie

Rating:          
Review
Plan 9 from Outer Space is about as bad as it gets in film making, but definitely follows the ‘so bad it’s good” mentality. The plot is just inane and senseless, but you do get a grasp of Ed Wood’s charm and eccentricity, and for classic film buffs, this is probably considered essential viewing. it also features some of the last-used footage of classic actor Bela Lugosi of Dracula fame. The movie is awful, truly and desperately awful. But its appeal somehow stands the test of time, and the dated special effects, even in the late 50’s, still holds a unique…umm..charm.
Reason to Watch
Ed Wood made zombies cool before they were even called zombies. In Ed Wood’s classically terrible film, Plan 9 From Outer Space, a group of aliens attempt to stop the humans from launching a doomsday device that would destroy the universe.
Context
it’s a classic, because you are told it’s a classic. So if you want to pretend you know about films, you sort of, by default, have to see it. that;’s just the way it goes. It’s also hilarious and if you want to prove snuffy film buffs that old films are actually terrible too, this is the way to do it.
Most Memorable Quote(s)
- Paula Trent: Now, don’t you worry. The saucers are up there. The graveyard is out there. But I’ll be locked up safely in there.
- Colonel Tom Edwards: Why is it so important that you want to contact the governments of our earth?
Eros: Because of death. Because all you of Earth are idiots.
- Tanna: What do you think will be the next obstacle the Earth people will put in our way?
Eros: Well, as long as they can think – we’ll have our problems.
What You Need to Get Through This Movie
The movie had poor special effects even for 1959. Put yourself in the time, don’t finish 2009’s horrible special effects foray Transformers and dive into Plan 9 From Outer Space. Maybe a good search through Bigfoot pictures and alien spaceships or a SparksNotes reading of H.G. wells War of the Worlds will get you in the mood. It’s the only way.
Trivia
- Tim Burton’s biopic, Ed Wood, follows the famed director’s critical years, climaxing in the release and public damnation of Plan 9 From Outer Space.
- Bela Lugosi stars in the film posthumously, using regurgitated stock footage from previous films, as well as a few clips filmed right before his death
Educational Content
With 15,000 US dollars and friends with alien suits, even YOU could make a film as embarrassingly amazing.
Justification for Rating
Despites its major flaws, Plan 9 From outer Space is truly a classic in every sense of the word. yes, it will not stand prominently up to more visually respected mediums, its a great example of a man (Ed Wood) with motivation and no skills doing what he wants to simply because he wants to and he can.
Clip
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2ukRYsYPmo
Tags: black and white, camp horror, classic, Horror, undead, zombie
Rocky Horror Picture Show
One of the greatest bad movies of bad movies, the cult film of cult films, Rocky has lived on in the hearts and minds of the alienated, marginalized, and gay youth of each generation since its 1975 debut. The Picture Show has become a right of passage for those who will one day become fans of the cult movie, the bizarre musical, and eventually, possibly, even sex. Of all cult movies, no other has a following quite like the sexually confused, camp-horror followers of the late night, double feature picture show. There is nothing quite like seeing a 200-lb Janet, complete with white underwear, dancing and singing in front of two-hundred overly-Zima’d virgins – if you have never been to a modern screening of Rocky, go. Go now. Take a camera – and a change of underwear – it will be the scariest Halloween experience you’ve ever had. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: camp, camp horror, classic, creepy, cult, gross, Horror, Jack Nicholson, John Carpenter, modern cult classics, Rocky Horror, sexy, undead, vampire, zombie
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