Sun, 24 July 2016
Derek and his wife Brenda take a spoiler-filled look at the 2016 film 10 Cloverfield Lane (dir. Dan Trachtenberg). (.mp3s of every episode of Monster Kid Radio and Married With Monsters are available for download at our barebones behind-the-scenes website at http://monsterkidradio.libsyn.com) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 28 April 2016
On Wednesday afternoon, I received a phone call from Nic Brown, one of the co-hosts of the long-running B-Movie Cast, a podcast created and produced by Vince Rotolo. Vince was a friend, an inspiration, and a mentor to many of us, and I was not ready to hear what Nic had to say. Vince passed away suddenly, and if you look on Facebook, you'll see the many folks Vince and his podcast touched over the years. Next week's planned launch of Monster Kid Radio's Lucha de Mayo will be postponed next week. Instead, I'm dedicating Episode #266 to Vince. If you have anything you'd like to contribute to the show, please feel free to call our voicemail line at 503-479-5MKR (503-479-5657), or email you thoughts or recordings to monsterkidradio@gmail.com . . . We'll be back on track with Episode #267. Thank you. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 10 February 2011
Episode 156 of Mail Order Zombie finds Brother D doing (one of the things!) what he does best (or, at least HE'D like to think so!). He reviews three more zombie movies - Dawn of the Mummy (dir. Frank Agrama), Hell is Full (dir. Steve Hudgins) and Alice Jacobs is Dead (dir. Alex Horwitz). Need-a-Nickname Scott expands the Zombie Beat to include news of the post-apocalyptic variety, Brother D announces two new contests and Miss Bren names the winner of the Resident Evil: Afterlife Blu-ray. And Feedback? There's plenty! |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 8 November 2010
Brother D and Miss Bren tackles the 2010 release Predators. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 3 November 2010
Begrüßen Sie zu Woche eine des Aufstieges des toten Reichs auf Bestellungs- per Postzombie. (I'm going to assume Yahoo! Babel Fish got that right!) This is Episode 145 of Mail Order Zombie, and to kick off Nazi Zombie Movie Month here on MOZ, Brother D reviews the 1981 film Oasis of the Zombies. Two videogames get some attention this week as well - when Brother D wasn't watching zombie movies, he was dispatching zombies Old West style in Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, and Zombie Farmer was rocking out with them in Rock of the Dead. This past Sunday marked the premiere of The Walking Dead, and when she wasn't recording the Feedback Discussion with Brother D, Miss Bren was watching zombies on TV and reviewing Episode 1 with him. All this, plus the news with Birthday Boy Need-a-Nickname Scott's Zombie Beat! |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 27 October 2010
Three more days to Halloween . . . Halloween . . . Halloween . . . and three more movie reviews on Mail Order Zombie. This week, Brother D casts his eye back at some movies he's already reviewed on the show. Colin, Zombie Girl: The Movie and Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated all now have proper home releases to DVD, and D takes another look at these movies to see if the DVD's presentation and special features change Mail Order Zombie's initial reviews. Also, the winner of the Night of the Living Trekkies book is announced, this month's Zombie Aptitude Test is reviewed while a new ZAT is presented to the MOZ Family, and Miss Bren makes it through another round of Feedback! |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 14 October 2010
You hear that? It's Episode 142 of Mail Order Zombie, and in this episode, the MOZ Family brings the best episode of Mail Order Zombie you'll hear all week. Kim & Julie from Warp'd Space (http://www.19nocturneboulevard.net/warp.htm) and 19 Nocturne Boulevard (http://www.19nocturneboulevard.net/) respectively review the zombie audio drama One Eighteen: Migration (http://oneeighteenmigration.blogspot.com/). Brother D reviews the 1968 Ted V. Mikels film The Astro-Zombies, and Need-a-Nickname Scott reviews the J. L. Bourne book Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile. Zombart spent last weekend at Spooky Empire's Ultimate Horror Weekend (http://spookyempire.com/), and has coverage from this event as well. (Various production music produced by Kevin MacLeod) (Various production music produced by Kevin MacLeod) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 29 September 2010
The final day of October brings you just another episode of Mail Order Zombie . . . just another episode PACKED with interviews, reviews and Feedback! Brother D reviews the 2010 LA Beats Entertainment release Zombies Unleashed, and while he was watching that DVD, MOZ Cub Reporter Need-a-Nickname Scott was partying it up at Franklin, Indiana's B-Movie Celebration last weekend, where he interviewed Bo Buckley, the writer of the new zombie movie Death of the Dead. When Scott got home from the celebration, he and his wife Tracey reviewed the book Night of the Living Trekkies by Kevin D. Anderson and Sam Stall (and if you listen to the review real close, you'll hear about a contest in which you can win your own copy of the book!). In the meantime, Brother D inteviewed director Justin Timpane, the man behind Ninjas Vs. Zombies and the upcoming Ninjas Vs. Vampires. Also, at one of the many festivals ZomBart has attended recently, he spoke with the forces behind the website 888WuzDead. Of course, Miss Bren rounds out the show when she settles in behind the mic for the Feedback Discussion at the end of the show. (And when the show's over, you can hear an episode of Plan D's Countdown to Halloween.) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 29 July 2010
The place? Famous Monsters Convention 2010. The panel? The Return of the Living Dead. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 18 December 2009
The Wagner/Cuban Companies' Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, announced today that it has acquired US rights to George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead, the latest in the legendary and beloved series of zombie films which bowed at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals earlier this year. Romero, one of the most influential and respected horror auteurs of all time, has created a new, terrifying vision that combines viscerally gory undead action with biting social commentary and a return to the black humor and playfulness of his seminal film, Dawn of the Dead. Magnet will release the film as part of its Ultra VOD program this spring, debuting it on VOD platforms nationwide a month before its theatrical release.
Like its predecessors, George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead takes place in a desperate, nightmarish world where the dead walk the earth, relentlessly attacking the living. It is the story of Plum Island – a beautiful refuge whose isolation allows two powerful families to maintain a semblance of order in the wake of the zombie holocaust. But as the inhabitants slowly die off, the two clans become sharply divided: the O’Flynns believe that the undead must be destroyed without exception, while the Muldoons insist that afflicted loved ones be kept “alive” until a cure is found. The result is an escalating showdown with echoes of a classic Western stand-off that erupts in brutality and violence. “George A. Romero is an undisputed cinematic legend, and we’re honored to be bringing another installment of this incredible series of films to horror fans,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Survival... is smart, extremely fun and a worthy addition to the ...of the Dead franchise.” Says Romero, “I’m a big admirer of the team at Magnolia. They’re creative and passionate, and I’m excited to put Survival... in their hands.”
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:36pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 8 December 2009
This is Brenda's Mystery Doodle. To learn more about it, you'll have to listen to Episode 98 of Mail Order Zombie later this week!
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:37pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 8 December 2009
And
now a warning from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment: on February 2, 2010, this
land officially becomes Zombieland as the number one grossing zombie
movie in history takes over the nation on Blu-ray™, DVD and PSP. Woody
Harrelson (2012, Natural Born Killers), Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland,
The Village), Emma Stone (The House Bunny, Superbad) and
Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Signs) star in this
action-packed horror comedy about an unlikely band of heroes who team up to
survive in a world overrun by ravenous zombies! Speaking of ravenous, Zombieland features enough outrageous laughs and terrifying thrills to satisfy the
most hungry horror and comedy fans. Plus, the Blu-ray and DVD come loaded with
killer bonus features fans will devour, including deleted scenes; commentary
with Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg, Director Ruben Fleischer and Writers
Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick; the making-of featurettes “In Search of Zombieland,”
and “Zombieland is Your Land;” visual effects progression scenes;
trailers and more!
Bonus features exclusive to the Blu-ray Disc include a Digital Copy of the film for PSP®, PC and iTunes, as well as the “Beyond the Graveyard” Picture-in-Picture Track - featuring behind-the-scenes footage, storyboards, animatics and more - and movieIQ, which allows viewers to immediately access continuously updated information on the cast & crew and explore relevant trivia such as production facts and soundtrack information all tied to scenes within the movie via BD-Live™. Don’t miss the horror comedy hit that’s had moviegoers screaming with laugher when ZOMBIELAND becomes available to own on Blu-ray for $39.95, DVD for $28.96 and UMD for $24.94. Synopsis Nerdy college student Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg)
has
survived the plague that has turned mankind into flesh-devouring
zombies
because he’s scared of just about everything. Gun-toting,
Twinkie-loving Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) has no fears. Together,
they are about to stare down their
most horrifying challenge yet: each other’s company. Emma Stone and
Abigail
Breslin co-star in this double-hitting, head-smashing comedy. Get ready
to “nut
up or shut up!” Zombieland was directed by Ruben Fleischer from a script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Tarzan 2, Cruel Intentions 3) and produced by Gavin Polone (Secret Window, Panic Room). It co-stars Amber Heard (The Stepfather, Pineapple Express). It was distributed by Columbia Pictures and has a run time of approximately eighty-eight minutes. It has been rated R for horror violence/gore and language. DVD and Blu-ray Bonus Material · Commentary with Actors Woody Harrelson & Jesse Eisenberg, Director Ruben Fleischer, Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick · “In Search of Zombieland” – A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Zombieland · “Zombieland is Your Land” – Creating the world of Zombieland · Visual Effects Progression Scenes · Theatrical Promo Trailers Also, Only on Blu-ray High Def
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:26am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 2 December 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:36pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 29 November 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:36pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 28 November 2009
This email just made its way to MOZ Central . . .
"Zombie Hunters" Rick, Mike, and Patrick will be interviewed LIVE on the air, MIDNIGHT tonight (EST), Sat. Nov 28th on Cult Radio A Go-Go! CRAGG will also be showing ALL of the ZH episodes back-to-back during that time! Check out all the details at http://www.cultradioagogo.com/thisweek.html, and follow the links for interview and the marathon!
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:01pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 27 November 2009
Over at The Zed Word: Zombie Blog, our friend Aaron lets us all know that Deadspeil, the short zombie movie combining zombies and curling, will be showing at the new Giggleshorts Theatre at 296 Brunswick Ave., 2nd Floor, Toronto, Canada. The short movie definitely earns the MOZ Stamp of Approval; Brother D was fortunate enough to see the movie at Zompire: The Undead Film Festival earlier this year.
Thanks to Aaron for the head's up! http://zedwordblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/deadspiel-giggleshorts-toronto-nov-26.html
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:21am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 1 November 2009
A number of MOZ Family members have sent me the link to NPR's site spotlighting an almost 10-minute long interview with Uncle George Romero himself. He definitely talks zombies, but in a segment called Not My Job, he also talks Disney movies (which should make Need-a-Nickname Scott doubly happy!).
Head over to http://tinyurl.com/y9f87k8 to check it out . . .
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:10pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 15 October 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 2:00am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 14 October 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:51pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 11 October 2009
This is a few weeks old, but I just stumbled across this on YouTube.
The history-lesson aspect of this is a little light and oversimplistic, and the footage from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" does run a bit long (perhaps at the expense of any zombie movies that were released between the original Night of the Living Dead and the "Thriller" music video), but it was nice to see Hammer's Plague of the Zombies get a little attention.
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:20pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 25 September 2009
The Hills Run Red hits DVD September 29, 2009, and I think fans of modern and classic slasher films would be wise to check it out. David J. Schow (who's been a horror screenwriter since the late 80s having been involved with A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, so he's no stranger to slasher films) is one of the writers, and he brings his familiar horror movie sensibility to the movie in a way that's one part nostalgic, one part familiar and yet still one part fresh. (Schow is joined by writer John Dombrow who both co-wrote the screenplay from a story by producer John Carchietta.)
Tad Hilgenbrink plays Tyler, a young filmmaker who's become obsessed with an 80s horror film that never quite made it to the theaters. The Hills Run Red is the name of the horror film within this horror film (and there's a quick bit of bright dialogue acknowledging that, yes, this is also the name of a Western from the 1960s). Tyler ropes his best friend and girlfriend, Lalo and Serina played by Alex Wyndham and Janet Montgomery respectively, into joining him on his quest, and eventually, they find Alexa, who acted in The Hills Run Red when she was a little girl; now she's grown up and is working at a strip club. Sophie Monk plays Alexa, and she's one to watch in the film. In fact, these four leads all sold their roles believably, and I enjoyed watching the four of them delve deeper into the mystery of this mysterious horror film. Their search brings them back to the film's original shooting locations, and along the way, we go through a few twists and turns before the final plot point spools onto the screen. There are some surprises I'd like to keep from spoiling; I found most of them to be quite effective. Babyface is the slasher/subject of The Hills Have Red, both the film within the film and the film itself. He seems to be cut from the Jason Voorhees cloth - he's a hulking figure, stomping through the woods and wearing part of a babydoll's face as a mask. The character's back story is revealed in the opening credits through a creepy and grimy sequence that left me surprised. Surprise is perhaps the theme of my review of The Hills Run Red. This is a straight-to-DVD offering, and it's a modern day slasher, so if I'm being completely honest, my hopes weren't very high. However, I found myself really enjoying this movie, and I know it's something I'll be going back to for repeat viewings. Director Dave Parker has crafted a movie that's well-conceived, well-paced, and as far as I'm concerned, should be well-received.
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:53pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 14 September 2009
Steve and Gord from the Bonebat Show have been great friends of Mail Order Zombie, and we're definitely looking forward for to their milestone 2nd Anniversary Show on September 20th!
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:53pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 5 September 2009
The following are the entries from August's Zombie Aptitude Test Extra Credit contest. Please take the survey beneath the pics to help choose a winner! This survey will be open until September 21st, 2009. Good luck to all the entrants!
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:33pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 31 August 2009
On Monday, August 31, Episode #105 of Dread Media hit the podosphere at http://www.dreadmedia.net. In addition to some guy named Brian Keene appearing on that show, Brother D joins Desmond Reddick for Part Two of the Summer Knights wrap-up/roundtable!
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:32pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 30 August 2009
During the Feedback Discussion of Episode 83, we heard from Zombie Farmer and Timmy. In their message, Timmy mentioned swinging by MOZ Central, and we have a picture of what he looked like when he got here!
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:53pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 26 August 2009
MOZ Family Member Richard from Witchita sent this graphic to MOZ Central not too long ago.
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:28pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 26 August 2009
No matter your political view, it's always nice to see zombies mentioned in the mainstream, and when Max Brooks is brought to the table, it's even better.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:08am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 21 August 2009
Big Man Japan, also known as Dai-Nipponjin, is an overly long near-mockumentary following Daisatô, a lonely superhero who's fallen out of favor with the general public. Directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto, who also stars in the film as Daisatô, the superhero with a low publicity rating, Big Man Japan presents its story in a fashion similar to the television show "The Office." A shoulder-mounted camera follows Daisatô through his routine-filled life, and occasionally, monsters show up to threaten the country. When this happens, Daisatô nonchalantly reports to one of a handful of facilities scattered throughout Japan, has electricity pumped into his body through some clips attached to his chest, and grows to Godzilla-like stature to battle the offending and similarly-sized monster.
And afterward? He spends some time cooling down/moping until he shrinks back down to normal size and continues with his mundane existence until the next monster comes along. Matsumoto co-wrote the movie with Mitsuyoshi Takasu, and while some of the storytelling style has an improved “that-just-happened” feel, the story is quite tight and at times, poignant. Daisatô comes from a line of heroes who have, throughout history, called themselves “Big Man Japan” and done battle against various kaiju threats over the years. At one point, the hero was worshipped, but these days, the people of Japan don’t look upon their national hero with any sense of hero worship. The budget’s been cut, and even the government doesn’t give their hero the support or respect once reserved for Big Man Japan. The scene in which the customary ceremony that takes place before Daisatô’s transformation into Big Man Japan is particularly telling – it takes place in a cluttered government office of some sort, and even the documentary crew seem a bit disrespectful as they have no problem interrupting the ritual and asking them to start over so they can get a better camera shot. As for Big Man Japan himself, he’s a CG creation. Every monster in the movie is. Sometimes they look okay; sometimes they look like something out of a video game cut scene. I understand not wanting to rely on having an actor wear a rubber suit or creating a miniature city for actors to destroy, and most of the monsters Big Man Japan fights are just un-humanoid enough that it would have been difficult to create a prosthetic make-up effect/suit that would not have blown the credibility and the reality presented in the rest of the movie. Overall, the movie runs a bit long. While the scenes featuring Daisatô do serve their purpose, they sometimes threaten to bore the audience. Additionally, the monster-fighting scenes do run a bit short, but the focus of this movie is not on kaiju-fighting; it is on Daisatô’s dreary existence as a government superhero whose country would rather forget about him.
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:03pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 20 August 2009
There's art house and then there's art school, and Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America is neither. Tony Stone is the writer/director behind the movie, and I have to be completely honest – I don’t quite understand what his point was. I mean, it’s not like the movie’s incomprehensible. I get it. It’s not hard to follow. Vikings show up on the shores of Greenland, a couple of them get left behind, and . . . heavy metal plays in the background. Severed Ways isn’t necessarily an experimental movie – there’s a semblance of narrative here. And it’s easy to follow, especially since we have Chapter title cards guiding us through the film. Why we have Chapter marks in the movie itself I don’t quite understand, but in case you’re having trouble following along, or if you a writer/director who’s having a hard time connecting story sequences, I suppose they’re helpful. I'd like to mention what I liked about the movie. It looks great. The minimalist production design succeeds in making the woods and coast of modern-day Just turn down the volume. The movie’s gimmick . . . er, soundtrack is made up of songs from Popol Vuh, Judas Priest and Burzum. I understand the connection between Vikings and Norwegian death metal, as tenuous as the connection might be, but to drop Morbid Angel’s 'Desolate Ways' into a movie that the filmmakers are obviously trying to present in a somewhat realistic sense didn’t seem to make sense. Stone takes great care in presenting how real, or as the DVD cover tells us, how “gritty” the Vikings’ reality was, but the inclusion of this music made the movie feel like a long experimental music video. Whether Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America is a long music video or a gritty historical epic, including a scene in which one of the characters defecates and then wipes himself with the available foliage does nothing to make the movie interesting or worth your time.
Category:general
-- posted at: 3:34pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 17 August 2009
Dexter: The Third Season hits DVD tomorrow (8/18/09), and Mail Order Zombie wants to help you keep on your toes! Sure, you may watch a lot of zombie movies, but will that help you against a run of the mill serial killer? Not that Dexter is "run of the mill," of course!
To enter this contest, email your name and mailing address to MailOrderZombie@gmail.com. Winners will be determined next week on August 24th! We have three copies of Dexter: The Third Season to give away - good luck!
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:46pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 2 August 2009
We live in a wonderful technological age. The Internet can help put movie enthusiasts in contact with movie makers and movie suppliers; nearly every cinematic craving can be met be filled with a bit of time, research, patience and communication. Except for Siege of the Dead. Brother D heard about this movie from a friend at a film festival a few years ago, and has since then been trying to find it for himself. He's been told it's a great no-budget independent movie, but the moviemakers are no longer selling it online. The production company's website is no more, and the only clip Brother D has seen of the movie is the trailer on YouTube. Initial attempts at contacting anyone involved in the movie have not been productive, but we're not giving up! Mail Order Zombie family - do any of YOU have this movie? Brother D would really like to see it - not necessarily to review on the show (although that would probably happen!), but to finally see it for himself! Can you help hook a Brother up?
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:17am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 2 August 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:14am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 1 August 2009
The Video Dead is a zombie movie that's never had a proper DVD release, and in this day and age of distributors finally starting to release the films that have been gathering dust in their vaults, someone's trying to make sure The Video Dead doesn't continue to gather that dust! Head over to http://www.myspace.com/thevideodeadondvd to learn more about this fan's efforts to make this DVD available.
Category:general
-- posted at: 6:13pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 20 July 2009
If you're in the Pacific Northwest, and you're a zombie movie fan, you owe it to yourself to see Maelstrom: The Zombie Opera at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center in Portland, OR. We'll be covering this in Episode 78 (with interviews!), but the show only runs one more weekend - July 23rd, 24th and 25th - so if you're interested, and you're in the area, you need to see Maelstrom. You can learn more about Maelstrom: The Zombie Opera at http://www.zombieopera.net.
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:16pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 29 June 2009
How's this for a contest? Send your name and mailing address to MailOrderZombie@gmail.com, and we'll put your name in a drawing for one of three copies of Anaconda: Trail of Blood! Entries due by July 10th!
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:32pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 27 June 2009
This gives me some ideas, especially since Miss Bren and I never had a proper wedding cake . . .
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:55pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 27 June 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:22pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 20 June 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:49pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 16 June 2009
The screams of horror movie fans have finally been heard as Sony Pictures Home Entertainment unleashes the eagerly awaited 80’s horror comedy Night of the Creeps on DVD for the first time ever this October 20, 2009, featuring the Director’s Cut of this camp classic. Fans can now relive this chillingly entertaining cult classic about a small college town ravaged by killer slugs from outer space as Writer/Director Fred Dekker intended, with the original ending and loaded with killer bonus features including over sixty minutes of all-new Behind-the-Scenes featurettes. In this campy chiller, a college couple in 1959, see an object plummet to Earth like a meteor. The boy accidentally swallows a space-slug that shoots out. In 1986, two freshmen roam the campus and stumble across the corpse of the boy who swallowed the space-slug. Once thawed out, the corpse comes to life. Tune in to Episode 73 of Mail Order Zombie to hear more details about this DVD release in the Zombie Beat!
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:27pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 15 June 2009
Focus Features has released the official one-sheet for the upcoming movie 9. Click below for the full-size image.
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:38am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 14 June 2009
Crazy Lawnmower Guy sent a picture along in his email last week, telling us what would happen the next time we confuse an email from him with an email from somebody else!
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:58pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 31 May 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:39pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 31 May 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:35pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 29 May 2009
From writer/podcaster Mark Justice's website: David Wilbanks and I have sold Dead Earth: The Vengeance Road to Permuted Press. The novel is a sequel to Dead Earth: The Green Dawn, and should be out in 2010. "They crossed over from another world, bringing death and domination to Earth. With demonic technology they can raise the dead into an unholy conquering army. The "necros" destroyed Jubal Slate’s home and everyone he loved. Now the only thing that matters to Slate is payback. No matter how far he has to go or how many undead warriors he must slaughter, Slate and his motley band of followers will stop at nothing to end the reign of the aliens. Even if it costs them their lives. When you’ve lost everything, the only thing left is vengeance." (From The Department of Justice - http://markjustice.blogspot.com/2009/05/dead-earth-vengeance-road.html)
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:56am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 21 May 2009
Focus Features just sent this over to MOZ Central: A new era in animated storytelling begins on 9.9.09. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton (The Corpse Bride, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Nightwatch) join forces to produce wunderkind director Shane Acker’s distinctively original and thrilling tale. 9 stars Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and Crispin Glover and features the music of Danny Elfman. When 9 (The Lord of the Ring’s Elijah Wood) first comes to life, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world. All humans are gone, and it is only by chance that he discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from fearsome machines that roam the earth intent on their extinction. Despite being the neophyte of the group, 9 convinces the others that hiding will do them no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and they must discover why the machines want to destroy them in the first place. As they'll soon come to learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them. Become a fan of the official 9 Facebook Page here:
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:49pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 18 May 2009
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:15pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 4 May 2009
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release [REC], the international smash hit that inspired the Screen Gems film Quarantine, on DVD July 14, 2009. Winner of multiple awards including two Goya Awards (Spain’s Movie Awards) including Best New Actress for Manuela Velasco (Law of Desire), [REC] includes “REC: Making-Of” Featurette and both English and original Spanish language versions of the film. A beautiful TV reporter and her cameraman are doing a routine interview at a local fire station when an emergency call comes in. Accompanying the firefighters to a nearby apartment, the news team begins recording the bloodcurdling screams coming from inside an elderly woman's unit. After authorities seal off the building to contain the threat, the news crew, firefighters and residents are trapped to face a lethal terror inside. With the camera running, nothing may survive but the film itself.
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:23pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 12 April 2009
Deadlands 2: Trapped will be playing in two different states the same Saturday, April 18th, at the following locations: Hagerstown, MD - Hagerstown 10 Cinemas (20135 Leitersburg Pike Denver, CO - HorrorFest 2009, part of the StarFest Entertainment Festival April 17-19
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:55pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 8 April 2009
Frankenhood follows two ordinary guys, Motown and Darius, who dream about leaving behind their mundane and routine lives working at a morgue for a more exciting way of life. To their surprise, things quickly get interesting after they stumble upon their crazy co-worker attempting to bring a dead man back to life! Though strange and outrageous, the guys turn the unusual situation into an opportunity to win $25,000 by recruiting their “new” friend to enter a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Frankenhood stars Charlie Murphy, DeRay Davis, Jasper Redd and Bob Sapp.
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:27am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 4 April 2009
MOZ Family Member Need-a-Nickname Scott sent me the following link over at IGN: There is something funny, and something oh-so-terribly wrong about this.
Category:general
-- posted at: 5:09pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 23 March 2009
Zombie Girl: The Movie is screening at the 2009 AFI Dallas International Film Festival on March 27th (10:15pm) and March 28th (7:00pm) and the Landmark Magnolia Theater. From DFW.com:
We’ve all seen dozens of "making-of" documentaries about troubled film productions and the visionary filmmakers determined to hold them together — but none quite like this one, which chronicles the efforts of 12-year-old Austinite Emily Hagins to make a zombie film. Directors Justin Johnson, Erik Mauck and Aaron Marshall manage to keep the tone playful but never mocking; and they introduce a charming group of supporting figures, including one very exasperated mother trying to support her daughter’s dream.
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:44pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 21 March 2009
The following announcements have come out from DownloadHorror.com:
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:28pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 15 March 2009
Brain Dead, directed by Kevin Tenney, will open in select theaters March 20th as part of the B Movie Nation, presented by Monogram Releasing.
In the film, a small rock crashes into Earth’s atmosphere and lands in the head of a fisherman. The rock however is not the problem; the trouble stems from the brain-sucking slime that hitched a ride in the rock. It turns its host into a zombie and reproduces, converting others into brain-eating monsters. Soon enough a group of wanderers, including a couple of jailbirds (Joshua Benton and David Crane), two med students (Sarah Grant Brendecke and Michelle Tomlinson) and a reverend and his secretary (Andy Forrest and Cristina Tiberia), hole up in a cabin in the woods, hiding from the knowledge-seeking creatures lurking outside. Brother D was able to see this as part of 2008's Zompire Film Festival, and it was a lot of fun. Brain Dead will be showing at the following theaters: Nova Theatres Nova Georgia Studio 10 Cinemas Georgetown 14 Cinemas Nova 10 Movie Palace Cinemas Dixie Dozen Cinemas Theatres of Georgetown Branson Meadows Theatres The Amp Oxford Mississippi Portsmouth Cinemas Lake Geneva 4
Category:general
-- posted at: 3:16pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 14 March 2009
Converge at DownloadHorror.com “Let’s face it: there is no other film genre in the world more popular than horror, with the most discerning fan base, knowing what they want, and wanting to get it when they want it,” said Darrin Ramage, Director of Acquisitions, Maxim Media International. “With DownloadHorror.com, these diehards will be hard pressed to come up empty when searching for just the right film to meet their needs, any time, day or night. Our intention is to make DownloadHorror.com the only place to go for any and all horror film needs.” Maxim Media International is the exclusive content provider for DownloadHorror.com. DownloadHorror.com features a full array of horror films, all downloadable for only $9.99 each, with no membership required. All the movies on DownloadHorror.com are high resolution DVD Quality, 100% DRM-Free, MP4 downloads that will play on nearly any computer or device including the iPod and look great when played back on a TV. Specific horror categories include Erotic, Hauntings, Horror Comedy, Monsters, Occult, Revenge, Slashers, Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombie. Every week, new films will be available, from a variety of studios and independent filmmakers across the globe. (Currently, there are 15 titles in their Zombie category, including Zombie Rampage which is not available as a stand-alone DVD purchase!)
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:48pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 10 March 2009
Tickets are on sale now (http://www.phillycinefest.com/ticket-info.cfm) for the 2009 Philadelphia Film Festival and Cinefest 09 (http://www.phillycinefest.com/index.cfm), presented by TLA Entertainment. The event runs from March 26-April 9. Check out these genre offerings:
I Sell the Dead (USA, 2008) Directed by Glenn McQuaid. Starring Dominic Monahan, Larry Fessenden, Ron Perlman, Angus Scrimm. Vampires, ghouls and vicious rivalries are just part of the fantastical adventures this devilishly mischievous horror film that slayed audiences at Slamdance 09 and Toronto After Dark Film Festival. East Coast Premiere Able (USA/Germany, 2008) Directed by Marc Robert. As an aggressive virus ravages the city, a group of Berliners resort to their basic animal instinct for survival, resulting in disturbing and murderous consequences. North American Premiere Art of the Devil 3 (Thailand, 2008) Directed by the Ronin Team. Revenge is served hot, quick and drenched in more bloody ooze imaginable in this scream-inducing, spectacularly creative, and violent prequel that makes the popular Saw franchise seem like child’s play. Philadelphia Premiere 4BIA (Thailand, 2008) Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun, Paween Purikitpanya, Youngyooth Thongkonthun, Parkpoom Wongpoom. In this aggressively scary terror ride, Thailand’s best directors take no prisoners, delivering four tales of horror guaranteed to shake, rattle and roll your nerves. Philadelphia Premiere Left Bank (Belgium, 2008) Directed by Pieter Van Hees. Surmounting doubt, dread and helplessness fuels an attractive woman’s state of mind as she begins to unlock a mystery, that will put her face to face with an ancient, unknowable evil. Philadelphia Premiere Not Quite Hollywood (Australia, 2008) Directed by Mark Hartley. Forget about Peter Weir art films or Nicole Kidman musicals. “Ozploitation” was the gleefully dirty sibling of the Australian film industry by celebrating full frontal nudity, unrelenting gore and over-the-top explosive mayhem in the 70s and 80s. East Coast Premiere Plague Town (USA, 2008) Directed by David Gregory. Brutally sadistic, mutant children begin a cat and mouse game with an American family on a stomach churning quest to add more victims to their world. Philadelphia Premiere Straight for the Kill: Shorts Program. Enter a dark lair of twisted films as you take small bites of terror, horror and animated fantasy, served quick and fast. From killer trees to serial killers to children in jeopardy, it’s a smorgasbord of gruesomeness, fun and dark humor featuring some of the best in genre short films including popular selections from multiple Fantastic Festivals around the world. Films featured: The Fairy Princess, A Little Mouth to Feed, Rite, Side Effect, White Radishes, I Don’t Sleep I Dream, The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon, The Painter of the Skies and Treevenge. 20th Century Boys Philadelphia Premiere ADDITIONAL GENRE FILMS IN THE PHILADELPHIA – CINEFEST 09 PROGRAM Moon (Britain, 2009) Directed by Duncan Jones. Starring Sam Rockwell, Voice of Kevin Spacey. In this independent science-fiction thriller, Sam Rockwell’s brilliant performance and Duncan Jones’ (David Bowie’s son) expert direction made this one of the must-see films at Sundance 09. East Coast Premiere Sita Sings the Blues (USA, 2008) Directed by Nina Paley. A rousing mash-up of shadow puppetry and full on Technicolor Bollywood splendor, director Nina Paley’s autobiographical, animated concoction explodes of the screen. Philadelphia Premiere Surveillance (USA, Germany, 2008) Directed by Jennifer Lynch. Starring Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Michael Ironside. When a series of shocking and grotesque murder disrupts the normally tranquil open plains of America’s heartland, the FBI is called in to piece together the three survivors’ very different stories. Philadelphia Premiere Mortadello and Filemon: Misson - Dave the Planet (Spain, 2008) Directed by Miguel Bardem. Inept super spies Mortadello and Filemon are reunited to save the world from drought in this visually outlandish and wildly cartoonish caper spoof. North American Premiere Before the Fall (Spain, 2007) Directed by F. Javier Gutiérrez. A meteor is approaching the earth and all life will be extinguished in three days, but one family has a more pressing fear – a deranged and vengeful killer just released from prison is headed their way in this original apocalyptic thriller. East Coast Premiere God's Forgotten Town (Spain, 2008) Directed by Juan Carlos Claver. When a film crew begins to unlock the dark secrets of an abandoned town, the battle between good and evil begins in this Spanish mystery thriller. U.S. Premiere
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:14pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 10 March 2009
I personally am a HUGE fan of time travel stories, and while I realize Timecrimes doesn't sound a lot like the kind of thing we review here at Mail Order Zombie, I'm still hoping to take a look at it to talk about in an upcoming episode of MOZ Presents: The Munchies. Oscar-nominated short film director Nacho Vigalondo (7:35 in the Morning) makes his feature film debut in the tense, unstoppable vision of science and natural law gone awry in Timecrimes. Starring lauded Spanish writer and director Karra Elejalde (Holy Mary), the film follows the jarring tale of an ordinary man named Hector who accidentally travels back in time and is forced to fight for survival and to protect the woman he loves. Drawing from the best traditions of classic science fiction and crime fiction, Timecrimes plays games with the genre and the audience, giving the protagonist a Russian-doll like shell of identities that are shed so often that Hector can be playing one of any number of whodunit archetypes at any given moment as he becomes increasingly more complicit in the complicated mess that he's trying to fix.
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:13pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 2 March 2009
We reviewed My Bloody Valentine 3D back in January; you can hear our review in MOZ Presents: The Munchies #4 (http://mailorderzombie.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=424325). While it was fun, I'm real curious as to how the movie is going to hold up to being presented on the home screen. There have been mixed to poor results when attempting 3D for a home release. How will this newer 3D technology hold up? We'll find out on May 26th
The 3D remake of the classic horror film My Bloody Valentine slashes its way into stores in a Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray Disc as well as a standard definition DVD this May from Lionsgate. A terrifying tale about a small town that faces horrifying consequences on the anniversary of a deadly tragedy, My Bloody Valentine 3D was praised by horror critics as "The best 3D horror film ever made" (CHUD.com). The Special Edition DVD includes both the 2D and 3D versions of the film with bonus materials including audio commentary, two featurettes - "Deep Inside My Bloody Valentine" a behind the scenes look at the making of the film and "Sex, Blood and Screams" - the make-up FX from the film, deleted scenes and a gag reel.. It will come with four pairs of 3D glasses enclosed in the DVD. My Bloody Valentine 3D on Blu-ray Disc contains both 2D and 3D versions, four pairs of 3D glasses plus all of the special features and a digital copy of the film. The standard DVD will feature both the 3D and 2D widescreen versions of the film and will come with four pairs of 3D glasses. Ten years ago in the town of Harmony, an inexperienced coal miner caused an accident that trapped and killed five men and sent the only survivor, Harry Warden, into a coma. When Harry woke, exactly one year later on Valentine's Day, he wanted revenge and brutally murdered 22 people with a pickaxe before being killed himself. Now, after years of peace, something from Harmony's dark past has returned. Wearing a miner's mask and armed with a pickaxe, an unstoppable killer is on the loose. As his footsteps come ever closer, the townspeople realize in terror that it just might be Harry Warden who has found his way back.
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:32pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 19 February 2009
Based on the best-selling novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let the Right One In weaves friendship, rejection and loyalty into a disturbing and darkly atmospheric, yet poetic and unexpectedly tender tableau of adolescence. Helmed by Swedish filmmaker Tomas Alfredson, Let the Right One In is the first release of the Magnet Six Shooter film series, a collection of six high-quality films that aims to bring fans a mix of the most intelligent, genre-bending titles available. Regularly bullied by his stronger classmates, 12-year-old Oskar's wish for a friend seems to come true when he meets his new neighbor Eli. A pale, serious young girl, Eli only comes out at night and doesn't seem affected by the freezing temperatures. Coinciding with her arrival is a series of inexplicable disappearances and murders. One man is found tied to a tree, another frozen in the lake, a woman bitten in the neck. Blood seems to be the common denominator - and for an introverted boy like Oskar, who is fascinated by gruesome stories, it doesn't take long before he figures out that Eli is a vampire. But by now a subtle romance has blossomed between the two, and she gives him the strength to fight back against his aggressors. Oskar becomes increasingly aware of the tragic, inhuman dimension of Eli's plight, but cannot bring himself to forsake her. Frozen forever in a twelve-year-old's body, with all the burgeoning feelings and confused emotions of a young adolescent, Eli knows that she can only continue to live if she keeps on moving. But when Oskar faces his darkest hour, Eli returns to defend him the only way she can . . . We here at Mail Order Zombie are eager to review this movie, and you can expect one once we get closer to the release date!
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:58pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 18 February 2009
Variety calls the end of Dead in 3 Days "genuinely thrilling." On a quiet lakeside, a celebratory gathering of recent graduates grows grim as each of them receives an eerie text message; “In 3 days you’re dead.” The gang assumes it’s a joke at first, but no one is laughing when members of the group begin to turn up dead. As the body count rises and the slayings become more and more vicious, a mysterious clue leading to the killer’s identity is discovered . . . but time is running out. This DVD hits the street on March 3, 2009, and we have three copies of to give away! To win a copy of Dead in 3 Days, just email MailOrderZombie@gmail.com with "Dead in 3 Days" in the subject heading and your name and mailing address in the body and you'll be entered to win! Only one entry per person. Winners will be announced on March 3 - good luck!
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:31pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 10 February 2009
This could be one of the greatest vampire movies EVER! http://www.sonypictures.com/sphe/againstdark/tao_high.wmv Katana master Tao (Steven Seagal) leads a special ops squad of ex-military vigilantes on a massacre mission, their target: vampires. On the post-apocalyptic globe, sucked dry by bloodthirsty vampires, a few remaining survivors are trapped in an infected hospital. Tao is their only hope and he knows the only cure is execution. Now it's time for the last stand against the flesh-eating vampires and there's nothing left to lose but the last of humanity. Against the Dark was released to DVD TODAY, Febraury 10, and while we normally go for zombie movies here at Mail Order Zombie Central, I can't help but feel the draw of this movie! Steven Seagal? Keith David? VAMPIRES? http://www.sonypictures.com/sphe/againstdark/huntin_high.wmv I dare you to watch these clips and not want to watch this movie!
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:56pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 6 February 2009
Teri Gudorp, Linnet Brooks and Patrick Devaney, stars of the series Zombie Hunters: City of the Dead, will appear on Cult Radio A-Go-Go! this Saturday night! On Feburary 7 at 10:00pm Eastern, the Zombie Hunters crew will be LIVE, discussing upcoming episodes of the show and other goodies.
Cult Radio A-Go-Go! - http://www.cultradioagogo.com/cragglivelineup.html Zombie Hunters: City of the Dead - http://zombiehuntershow.com/
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:20pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 3 February 2009
In 1983, after the success of Creepshow, George Romero and company launched the television series "Tales from the Darkside," a horror anthology series that ran for four years, featuring adaptations of stories by Harlan Ellison, Clive Barker and Stephen King, and featured the directorial debut of Tom Savini. On February 10, 2009, Paramount is releasing "Tales from the Darkside: The First Season" as a 3-disc DVD set with audio commentary by George Romero himself on one of the episodes, and Mail Order Zombie wants you to have this in your collection! We have five copies of "Tales from the Darkside: The First Season" to give away! A review of this collection is forthcoming - you want to be up to speed, right? To win a copy of "Tales from the Darkside: The First Season," just email MailOrderZombie@gmail.com with "Tales from the Darkside" in the subject heading and your name and mailing address in the body and you'll be entered to win! Only one entry per person. Good luck!
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:33pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 25 January 2009
The official ballot for the 2008 Mail Order Zombie Dead Letter Awards is now available (as a .pdf) online. Click here for your own downloadable, printable, collectible DLA Ballot, and make sure you submit your entries no later than February 12, 2009, for a chance to win one of the Dead Letter Awards Swag Bags that will be awarded to lucky voters during the Dead Letter Awards show taking place February 26, 2009. It is not necessary for you to vote in every category, and write-in votes will be accepted in all categories. Only one ballot per person will be accepted. Brother D and Miss Bren will host the 2008 Dead Letter Awards show, and the event will feature special guest presenters, musical guests and lots of surprises!
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:58pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 22 January 2009
Mutant Chronicles will premiere on VOD on Friday, March 27th, 2009, followed by a theatrical release in select cities on Friday, April 24th. Mutant Chronicles is set in the year 2707, on an unrecognizable Earth where a war is raging between four giant corporations who control the planet as they battle over the planet's dwindling resources. This war is soon rendered irrelevant when an errant bomb shatters an ancient buried seal, releasing a horrific mutant army from its prison deep within the earth. As the mutant scourge threatens human extinction, a squad of ragged soldiers, led by Mitch Hunter (Thomas Jane), descends into the earth in a last ditch effort to destroy the mutants and save mankind.
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:59pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 19 January 2009
Mail Order Zombie woke up this morning to this email: Congratulations, Mail Order Zombie has been nominated for a Splatcademy Award in the category of "Best Horror Podcast" Voting is open to the public until Februrary 20th, get out and rock the vote, yo! The show will bring together a collection of horror podcast presenters and honor the best that the horror genre had to offer in 2008. We encourage you to tell your listeners/supporters to come on over and vote. The show will take place on Monday, February 23rd on Deadlantern.com's Splattercast. Mail Order Zombie is honored to be nominated with the other great podcasts in this category! You can check out the complete Splatcademy Award nominations here - http://www.vote.deadlantern.com/
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:55am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 19 January 2009
Man lives in the sunlit world of what he believes to be reality. But... there is, unseen by most, an underworld, a place that is just as real, but not as brightly lit . . . a Darkside. In the vein of “The Twilight Zone” and Creepshow, each episode of "Tales from the Darkside" depicts a short, strange tale . . . with a twist. From Executive Producer George Romero, each episode of the acclaimed series boasted eerie and suspenseful story lines and took audiences on a new journey from the worlds of horror, fantasy and science fiction. The ground-breaking iconic series from the 1980s also featured an array of acclaimed performances from stars including Christian Slater (“My Own Worst Enemy”), Danny Aiello (Do The Right Thing), Tippi Hedren (The Birds) and Justine Bateman (“Family Ties”). Featuring all 24 episodes from the show’s inaugural season and commentary on the pilot episode from Romero, the three-disc "Tales form the Darkside" set is a definite must-have for any horror fan. "Tales from the Darkside: The First Season" will be available for the suggested retail price of $39.99 US and $42.99 CAN.
Brother D is VERY excited about this release! The first season of "Tales from the Darkside" includes the episode "The Word Processor of the Gods," which is based on a Stephen King story, and "Inside the Closet," which was directed by Tom Savini! Keep checking back here at MailOrderZombie.com for future details explaining how you can win a copy of "Tales from the Darkside: The First Season" next month!
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:51am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 6 January 2009
My Bloody Valentine 3D wants to scare the hell out of your sweetheart this Valentine's Day. Head over to http://www.youtube.com/user/MyBloodyValentine3D to send a custom video Valentine's Day greeting to a loved one . . . or someone who just needs a jolt! My Bloody Valentine 3D hits screens in both 2D and 3D January 16th.
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:03pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 6 January 2009
February 10, 2009, is when you can own My Name is Bruce, the feature film starring and directed by Bruce Campbell. Grace Thorsen, newcomer Taylor Sharpe and Ted Raimi co-star in the story of a self-absorbed, hard-drinking, and marginally talented actor (Campbell) asked to rescue a group of socially inept fans who unwittingly unleash a vengeful spirit on a killing rampage. My Name is Bruce was written by "Battlestar Galactica" co-executive/writer Mark Verheiden. Both the DVD and Blu-ray will feature four featurettes and a commentary by producer/Dark Horse Comics publisher Mike Richardson and Bruce Campbell himself. Brother D was able to watch My Name is Bruce theatrically last month, and he'll be reviewing it in an upcoming episode of MOZ Presents: The Munchies.
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:28pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 4 January 2009
Remember everyone - you have an opportunity to win a copy of Necroville, which was reviewed back on Episode 34 of Mail Order Zombie. We interviewed co-writer/-director Billy Garberina on Episode 47 of the show, and during that interview, I asked him to pick a number between 1 and 100. You have until January 7th to submit your own number between 1 and 100 to Mail Order Zombie, and those who submit the five closest numbers will with their own copy of the 4-Headshot-rated Necroville! Email your number pick to MailOrderZombie@gmail.com. We'll accept only one entry per email address, and the winners will be announced during Episode 50. Good luck! 
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:19pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 24 December 2008
Resident Evil: Degeneration hits DVD and Blu-ray December 27th! A zombie attack brings chaos to Harvardville Airport. Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, former special forces members during the Raccoon City tragedy 7 years ago, are back. In high-octane Resident Evil style, they're ready to battle a rogue warrior who is seeking revenge after his family was killed in Raccoon City. The deadly G-Virus is unleashed and a new mutated monster goes on the rampage. Will Claire and Leon be able to terminate the virus before history repeats itself? Resident Evil: Degeneration Trailer  You could win a private screening for you and 100 friends, two years of free unlimited video games rentals and a PlayStation®3 from GameFly.com.Visit www.sonypictures.com/redsweeps2 or text EVIL to 62407 to enter before it's too late (01/30/09)!
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:13am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 15 December 2008
Intelligent. Deadly. And Out To Destroy Us. Exterminator Devin Hall (Sebastien Roberts, "Providence") has seen a lot when it comes to peculiar insect behavior, but nothing like the swarm of wasps that descends on a homeless man and kills him. The attack captures the attention of two women: Katherine Randall (Jayne Heitmeyer, "Earth: Final Conflict"), an associate professor of entomology; and Jane Kozik (Sarah Allen, "Secret Window"), the new Deputy Sheriff and Devin’s former lover. They join Devin in his quest to stop the deadly swarm. When Jane’s daughter Kelsey meets Eli (Robert Englund), the odd “wasp keeper,” and other locals who all seem to buzz, things get even stranger. Be afraid. Be very afraid, if you see a Black Swarm approaching! I'm sure this is one Miss Bren will NOT be sitting down to watch with me(!), but I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the entires in the Maneater Series, and I'm looking forward to this one when it hits DVD on February 3, 2009.
Category:general
-- posted at: 9:02pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 11 December 2008
As announced in Episode 045, you can win the first four trade collections of The Walking Dead from Mail Order Zombie. All you need to do is email the show at MailOrderZombie@gmail.com what zombie movie you'd like to see adapted as a comic. It can be a sequel, a prequel, a side story or even some sort of "expanded" or "uncut" version of the original film. You entry can also be submitted by voicemail at 206-202-2505. Entries are due December 15th, 2008. If you win, Brother D will offer to gift wrap the four books and will ship them anywhere you want as a holiday gift! In addition to the trade paperbacks, you'll also win a The Walking Dead t-shirt! Winners will be contacted privately shortly after December 15th and then announced later that week in Episode 047. Only one entry will be accepted per person. Good luck!
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:47am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 7 December 2008
Zombie fans of all media now have a chance to be part of a community driven film as Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated, Lost Zombies and Nation Undead have joined forces to facilitate each others projects creating a community of the zombie communities.
Between NOTLD:R's final call for artists and animators to reinvent the scenes of Romero's classic, Lost Zombies reaching out to the community for any form of 'proof' they have of zombies and Nation Undead's call to independent film makers to tell their story within the framework of an outbreak, every fan has the chance to have their work seen as part of these ever growing projects.
Lost Zombies has set a goal, 1000 videos and 10,000 images, before they move into assembly and production. With the call for everyone to submit their 'Proof of Zombies' to this community driven documentary, there is now an end in sight for this extensive project. Submit your proof at LostZombies.com. Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated is entering it's final round of submissions. With over 500 artists and animators responding from over 50 countries around the world, this is the final call for artists to join our group and help re-envision Romero's classic through their artwork. Expect this film to see its International DVD release in 2009. Go to NOTLDR.com for details. Nation Undead has revamped its website in order to offer filmmakers more props, materials, and media to facilitate telling their stories. As a whole, the outbreak will cover everything from the first signs of infection strait through the aftermath by way of these independently created featurettes. To view some of the films which have been submitted and to find out how you can tell your story go to NationUndead.com.
Category:general
-- posted at: 5:17pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 6 December 2008
This remake of the 1981 horror classic stars Jensen Ackles (TV's "Smallville" and "Supernatural"), Jaime King (The Spirit, Sin City), Kerr Smith (Final Destination, "Dawson's Creek"), and Tom Atkins (Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Night of the Creeps) is directed by Patrick Lussier (White Noise 2). My Bloody Valentine 3-D opens January 16.
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:28pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 2 December 2008
John Johnson, the man behind Darkstone Entertainment, has announced that he'll be tackling the Dark Tower . . . sort of.
Johnson has announced plans to shoot his own series of features inspired by the Robert Browning poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came," which also served as an inspiration to Stephen King when he wrote The Gunslinger. "I’ve had an obsession with a dark tower in my dreams since I was 5 years old," John Johnson told Fangoria. "Guess it is time to face it in the best way I know how." Johnson is the director of several horror movies, including Shadowhunters, which features zombies, as well as the upcoming remake of Ed Wood's film Plan 9 From Outer Space.
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:05am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 26 November 2008
Lionsgate has announced the DVD and Blu-ray Disc release date for The Midnight Meat Train. Directed by critically acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Ryûhei Kitamura (Versus) in his American debut, the film is based on legendary horror writer Clive Barker's popular short story from his classic Books of Blood collection. The screenplay was adapted by Jeff Buhler. Featuring a cast highlighted by some of today's hottest stars including Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers), Leslie Bibb (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), Tony Curran (The Good German), Brooke Shields (TV's "Lipstick Jungle"), and Vinnie Jones (X-Men: The Last Stand), critics called The Midnight Meat Train "one of the most effective horror films of the year" (Cinematical), "destined to become a cult classic as a vicious, brilliant, and disgusting horror film" (Cinema Crazed), "sharp and brutal" (Boxoffice Magazine) and "guaranteed to make you squirm, scream and beg for more" (Bloody-Disgusting.com).
The DVD and Blu-ray Disc contain frightening bonus materials including the featurettes "Anatomy of a Murder Scene," - a first hand look into how the grizzly killings from the film were created, "What's in Mahogany's Bag?" - a look inside the killer's tool kit and "Clive Barker: The Man Behind the Myth" - the horror legend shares the origins of Midnight Meat Train as well as presents a never-before-seen tour of his personal art studio and paintings.
I didn't get a chance to see this during it's VERY brief theatrical run, and I've been a fan of Barker's short stories for a long time, so I'm definitely looking forward to this. I've listened to the score by Johannes Kobilke and Robb Williamson, which I found to be appropriately creepy - here's to hoping the movie holds up!
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:48pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 26 November 2008
I spoke about Alien Raiders in the first MOZ Presents: The Munchies episode when the film was screened as part of the 2008 H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival. I had an absolute blast watching this film, and along with the Audience Favorite Award it won at that festival, Alien Raiders has also been recognized with the following awards at other festivals across the US:
Shriekfest - Best Thriller Shockerfest - Best Sci Fi Feature Film, Best Actress (Courtney Ford) and Honorable Mention in the Best Actor category (Carlos Bernard) Terror Film Festival - Best Picture Freak Show Horror Film Festival - Best Feature and Carlos Bernard was named Best Actor International Horror and Sci Fi Film Festival - Best Horror Screenplay The Thriller! Chiller! Film Festival - The Thriller Award Fresh veggies on Aisle 1. Fresh kills throughout the store. Something terrible is happening at Hastings Market. Something bloody. Something deadly. Something inhuman. And caught up in the grisly horror inside the market are shoppers turned hostages, unearthly alien terrors . . . and a dedicated commando band of raiders on a search-and-destroy mission to stop the intruders dead cold no matter where they hide. From Raw Feed, creators of the Rest Stop and Otis shockers, comes the sci-fi/horror tale Alien Raiders, a nerve-shredding battle for human survival against aliens that invade our world by invading our bodies. Be alert. Beware. Be afraid. The creatures’ next host could be your neighbor. Your kid brother. No – it’s you! Produced by Dan Myrick (co-director of The Blair Witch Project, co-writer of Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, director of Solstice, The Believers, and The Objective) and directed by Ben Rock (Shadow of the Blair Witch, Conversations), Alien Raiders is WHV’s sixth acquired title from the successful “Raw Feed” film franchise. The film stars Carlos Bernard (“24”), Jeff Licon (Mysterious Skin), Courtney Ford (Lie to Me), Samantha Streets (The Girl from the Naked Eye), Keith Hudson (Bad Boys II, Sex Drive), Matthew St. Patrick (War, “Six Feet Under”), and Rockmond Dunbar (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, “Prison Break”). Tony Krantz (Otis, Mulholland Drive, Sublime, “24”) and John Shiban (“The X Files,” “Supernatural,” Rest Stop) are also producers. AVAILABLE ON DVD FEBRUARY 17
Category:general
-- posted at: 2:08am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 26 November 2008
Left 4 Dead is a First Person Shooter that pits four survivors against endless waves of the undead. The thing that sets this game apart from ther FPS games is teamwork, no matter how good you are, you need to stay with the group to survive and that's where the game shines. The levels are well thought out and follow a linear path (beginning, middle and end), but multiple paths can be taken to get to the end of level. Left 4 Dead also features what's called an AI Director which means zombies will never come from exactly the same place. You may be overwhelmed in a subway one game and find nothing there the next. Online play is where this game really shines - having three other people controlling your the other survivors adds a tactical edge that I have not seen in other games of this type. Your enemies in this game are hordes of mindless zombies and five hero zombies (four of which can be played in the online versus match). These are not NotLD zombies - these guys are after you at top speed once they see you. The two things that hurt this game are the lack of weapon variety and the lack of an overarching story. Weapons-wise, you get shotguns, pistols, machine guns and a couple explosives. While each level has a basic "we have to get here to escape" storyline, there is nothing deeper than that. There are rumors of these issues being adressed in future downloadable content, but that is only in rumor form right now. I am going to give this game two ratings. One for your average man on the street and one for the people who love zombies as much as I do. For the Zombie Fan this game get's a solid 4-out-of-5. For the Average Joe, this game gets 3-out-of-5 due to the lack of weapon variety and story might turn them off a bit.
Category:general
-- posted at: 2:02am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 5 November 2008
Zombie Allegiance (the first feature film from Solipsist Media Group) takes place in a post nuclear WWIII America, where those who were not killed in the attacks were turned to zombies by a second biological attack. The world is mostly dead, and those who survived are either vigilantes or desperate survivalists. One such group of survivalists find themselves defending their lives from much more than zombies and vigilantes when strange disappearances start to occur. Religion, politics, and the fundamental struggle of right and wrong construct a backdrop to what is much more than a zombie/slasher flick, but what writer/director Tony Nunes hopes is a true account of American values. Zombie Allegiance stars Brandon Luis Aponte, Richard Tretheway, Jennifer Kimmerle and Andre Boudreau; the film's homepage is http://www.myspace.com/zombieallegiance. Zombie Allegiance is wrapping post-production now with a planned premiere scheduled for mid- to late-December.
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:06pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 3 November 2008
At a run down theater in a sleepy suburban town, a group of friends attend the midnight screening of a 1970s cult horror film. These unsuspecting teenagers are unaware that the director and star of the movie made a bloody escape from a psych ward five years earlier and may still be on the loose. As the midnight movie begins, the kids heckle the old black-and-white scenes. But they are jolted when the killer butchers one of their friends…on screen! They soon realize that the killing is not a prank. They are locked inside the theatre and the killer from the movie is after them! A series of special screenings of Midnight Movie are about to hit various cities across the US. The movie will play in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania and in Portland, Oregon, which means Brother D will be seeing the film and reviewing it in an upcoming episode of the MOZ Presents: The Munchies podcast. Midnight Movie, directed by Jack Messitt, looks like a lot of fun, and we can't wait to talk about the movie here at Mail Order Zombie! You can learn more about the movie at http://www.midnightmovie.com, and you can find out where you can see Midnight Movie at http://www.midnightmovie.com/events/index.html. 
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:31am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue, 21 October 2008
An ancient religious artifact has been recovered by a deep-space mining ship, and for the crew of the USG Ishimura, life just became a living hell. Unearthed on a far-away planet during a mining operation, the relic is worshiped by some, even seen as proof of God. But when it's removed from its resting place and brought on the ship, the artifact unleashes a long-dormant alien race, one bent on ripping apart -- and taking over -- every human aboard. Their screams CAN be heard in space . . . but only the slashers are listening.
Category:general
-- posted at: 1:53pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun, 28 September 2008
Gothic Horror Soundscape masters, Midnight Syndicate bring their nightmarish visions to the big screen with the supernatural horror thriller The Dead Matter (coming 2009). Co-produced by Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Till Dawn, KNB FX) and starring Andrew Divoff (Lost, Wishmaster), Jason Carter (Babylon 5, Angel), and Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Grindhouse), The Dead Matter tells a story of vampirism, the living dead, and ancient occult relics all drenched in the dark and shadowy world of Midnight Syndicate's music. Be the first to view The Dead Matter trailer at www.t3nth1rtyone.com, hosted by Hot Topic stores. Hot Topic is teaming up with Midnight Syndicate Films to bring you The Dead Matter Flyaway Contest where you and a guest can win a flight to the premiere of the movie along with hotel accommodations, limo service, and a meet and greet with Midnight Syndicate and the cast. Other prizes include a complete set of all ten Midnight Syndicate CDs and limited-edition movie props. Restrictions apply. Must be 18 and over to enter. Looking for the perfect atmosphere this October? Midnight Syndicate's chilling new CD, The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates, has arrived just in time for the Halloween season and is now available at www.Hottopic.com and Hot Topic stores with music departments.
Category:general
-- posted at: 5:43pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 12 September 2008
Nobody knows exactly how it happened. Whatever the reason, the dead had risen from the ground, and they were hungry! After years of war only small rebel bands of humans remain in the war against the undead. When Brian, the leader of a military group, is captured by the enemy, he is taken to a nearby farm where he learns of a horrific secret . . . David A. Prior's Zombie Wars, starring Alissa Koenig and Dean Chambers, will be screened Friday, September 19, at 6:30pm; and Saturday, September 20, at 4:00pm and 6:00pm. The location of the screening is the O. S. Art House at the John Street Grill (17 John Street) in New York City, and producer Bill Ferrell will be in attendance for a question-and-answer session focusing on Low Budget Indie Filmmaking. Tickets cost $15 at the door. If any of the Mail Order Zombie Family is in the area and catch the movie, give us a call and let us know how it is!
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:54pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat, 26 July 2008
Lord Dward, host of the podcast Plan Nine From Cyberspace and listener extraordinaire sent Mail Order Zombie this email about the original Night of the Living Dead. Bren and Brother D read this email on Episode 026 and shared their thoughts, but by popular request (at the Mail Order Zombie Forums), and with Lord Dward's permission, his email is presented here for the Mail Order Zombie nation to read. I do have to take you and Sister B to task on your take on Ben and Mr. Cooper. Let me preface my rant by saying that I believe that those of us in the horror movie lovers community try to be, and for the most part, are rather open-minded and we certainly do not like to think of ourselves as racist. Perhaps we all have a little arrogance in that we aren't like so many others out there that would judge a person by the color of their skin instead of the content of their character. Maybe we even attempt to go the other direction a little too much. That is why I want to point out a few things that often seem to be overlooked, or at least, glossed over in many discussions on the social dynamics of this classic film. Let's start near the beginning just after Ben has boarded up the windows a little. Barbara has regressed into herself and Ben sits down and begins to tell some of his story; he seems sympathetic for a moment until Barbara speaks. The very moment she mentions that she was with a male (Johnny), Ben's demeanor changes. He doesn't care what happened to her and he goes back to nailing up boards. He doesn't take a minute to listen to her, let her get her feelings out or even try to calm her down. He just starts yelling that she should calm down. When she trys to leave, he clearly manhandles her and when she slaps him, he punches her in the face! It is not a slap to quell hysterics; he full out decks her and once she's on the couch, he opens her coat! One might argue that he was just trying to make her comfortable, as she did mention serveral minutes earlier that she was hot, but he doesnt give her a pillow or do anything else for her including showing any remorse. When he finds the shoes and gives them to her, it's not so much a touching gesture as it's classic abusive behavior. He is trying to excuse his abuse. Barbara remains submissive so Ben returns to boarding up the house. Now let's move forward to when Tom and Cooper come up from the celler. Ben's first reaction is not one of, "Hi. Who are you?" or, "Great! More people to help," but an angry lashing out that they didn't come up sooner. His demeanor has once again changed and my personal feeling is that he is pissed off because there are other men in the house now. He immediately goes on the offensive putting Cooper and Tom on the defensive. This is where the real hero of the first half comes to light. Tom remains calm and tries to mediate between the two alpha males who are both too stubborn to listen to any reason. If Tom is not the hero, he is certainly the true protagonist. I would also like to point out that during the back and forth between Ben and Cooper, while Cooper says things like, "You're crazy!" and, "That's insane!" he is not really insulting Ben whereas Ben directly calls Cooper stupid and says he is sorry that it's too bad the sick little girl has such a stupid father. In my view, this is a direct insult on more than one level whereas Cooper's comments are more commentary to the situation. The next scene with the Coopers in the basement is the central point from which I draw my conclusions. It is clear that the Cooper marriage is not a happy one and based on the way the scene is played out, I believe that it is Mr. Cooper who is doing the best he can with what he has while being attacked from all sides. He wants to save his family and is the character most torn. He can't bring his daughter upstairs and the rest of the group won't go downstairs. It is really a no-win situation for him. I would also like to point out how he refers to Ben, he says there is a man and a woman upstairs, not a colored man or a black man or even the N word but that there is a man upstairs. Even after being told how stupid he is, he gives Ben the basic respect that was not common in 1968! He does go up and watches the TV. He is not real sure about the plan to gas up the truck (he is well aware that not everyone is going to fit in the cab of that little truck), but he goes along with it without arguing and does his part. Now it may seem like Cooper is the bad guy after the truck fiasco but again, let's break it down. The truck has blown up and Cooper moves to go down to the basement. He hears Ben at the door and he hesitates. He does not continue on down and barricade the celler door; he just hesitates for only about two seconds (time it) when Ben busts in. He then goes and helps Ben reboard up the door. Once that is finished, Mr. Abusive beats Cooper. He Doesn't ask any questions; he just beats the tar out of him. Cooper most likely was not sure what the situation was as he had an obstructed view (based on what we can see in the film, remember that as Ben is making his way back to the house, the camera loses sight of him). All he did know for sure was that the truck blew up. Ben on the other hand stays up by the house and lets Tom make his way to the truck on his own. Ben, the only armed character (with a gun, a torch and a hammer) stands back until after Tom gets into the cab of the truck. Not a very heroic action to me. This brings us to the fateful fight over the gun. Cooper knows he needs the gun to survive based on the news report they watched which says to shoot the attackers in the head, and to take some of the power away from from the abusive Ben. The ghouls start picking up weapons and breaking their way into the house JUST AS COOPER HAD PREDICTED when Ben drops the gun and Cooper gets it. The next two actions by Ben and Cooper are the defining actions as protagonist and antagonist. Cooper gets the gun AND BACKS UP!!! He then says, "Go ahead! Go ahead! You wanna stay up here now?" He then motions for Helen to head downstairs, which I think everyone can agree is their only option now. Cooper points the gun away from Ben, trying to tell his wife to get down stairs and Ben attacks, gets the gun, and promply shoots Cooper. It's cold blooded murder. Cooper may have aimed the gun towards Ben but he didn't shoot even though Ben had beaten him previously. Ben point blank murders an unarmed man when he could have just threatened him or hit him with the butt of the rifle. Does he then go to help Helen Cooper who is being grabbed? No. He leaves the room and the women to their fate. Mr. Cooper however stumbles downstairs to die next to his daughter. Ben, meanwhile, is driven back to where Barbara is and when she is grabbed by Johnnie and turned around, it almost appears as if Ben is pushing them out the door! He is sacrificing her to save himself! This isn't entirely clear though, but it does appear that way. And as the ghouls are breaking in from all over, where does Ben retreat to? The celler that Cooper had fortified! Once down there, what does he do? He shoots Cooper three times even though he had just seen a news report stating to shoot them in the head. He does this out of spite. I say this because he only shoots Helen once. Then, again just as Cooper had said, the rescue party shows up, the remaining ghouls are taken out and Ben, hearing the gun shots (which he certainly heard based on his reaction) goes upstairs but does not call out or wave his arms but instead creeps to the window WITH THE GUN AIMED at the men outside. He has a few seconds before he is spotted and he still does not call out but keeps the gun aimed at the men outside and stays in the shadows. One word from him and the so called "Rednecks" (and just how is the term any different than the "N" word?) would have saved him. So no I do not think Ben is anywhere near heroic nor do I think he did the best he could with what he had but was simply focused on his own best interest. Which is ok, even understandable, given the situation of the movie. However, I think Cooper has been given the short end of the stick for many years and doesn't really deserve it. Hearing your great discussion on the film just made me want to share a different viewpoint! Nothing personal so please don't take anything that way. I used to think Ben was the hero until, oh, about the 5000th view of the film and then I started to question it. (Don't get me started on how the ghouls differ from what many people consider typical zombie behavior!) Regardless, it is a fantastic film that holds up very well and can still generate thoughtful debate!
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:09pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 9 July 2008
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:41pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 29 May 2008
 Learn how you can win your own Zombie Comfort Guide by listening to Episode 18!
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:36am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 1 May 2008
Over the last couple of weeks, as Bren' begins her exploration of the zombie genre, you guys have raised several interesting questions. One of them is, "Do zombies have souls?" This could become a deep, metaphysical discussion and it would also change from movie to movie. I had a few brief thoughts to share. First, on Mail Order Zombie, we seem to be using the baseline on of the Romero zombies as a baseline for judging if the assailants in other films are truly "zombies". This is ironic, since Romero (and Russo) never used the word "zombie" in the original "Night of the Living Dead" film. The basic premise is that the recently dead are becoming re-animated. This is one of the reasons many do not believe the Rage-infected from "28 Days Later/28 Weeks Later" count as zombies. This may also be something to consider about the T-virus zombies of the "Resident Evil" films. It is this belief that zombies are the re-animated dead which lead many to prefer the slow-moving creatures of the Romero films to the fast-moving creatures from the "Return of the Living Dead" movies or the "Dawn" and "Day" remakes. However, all of these examples still share the attribute that the creatures were either dead, or killed, before re-animating as zombies. So what is "dead"? This is where the metaphysics begins. Depending on your spiritual, cultural and political background, you'll have a very different definition of "dead". However, people generally agree that when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop breathing and the brain stops working... beyond the point of resuscitation... you are dead. The "life force" leaves the body. The soul is no longer in the shell. When a zombie is re-an imated, is it re-imbued with a soul? I'm going to stop for a moment to talk about another breed of the undead, vampires. In Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", vampires have no souls. The soul left the body at death and was replaced with a demon. This is how Whedon explained the sentience of the vampire over the zombie. The character Angel (and later Spike) was a vampire whose soul was put back into his undead body. Again, sentience and now conscience in the body of the undead. From "Dawn of the Dead" on, zombies start to remember things from their lives. They come to the mall because they did so in life. They remember how to use basic tools and eventually guns. They even begin to become self-aware. In the "Return of the Living Dead" films, the zombies can talk and even problem-solve. In the first film, the zombies can use a police radio to tell a dispatcher to send more cops. In the third film, a character learns that pain can stave off the hunger. But does having access to memory equal having a soul? If someone has amnesia, a total loss of memory, do they still have a soul? Most would answer yes. As long as you are alive, even if you lose your sense of self, you still have a soul. So, your memory, even your personality, is separate from your soul. It is possible to have a soul without memory, therefore it may be possible to have memory without a soul. While Romero-type zombies don't breathe, they do use their nervous systems, their brains, to move their bodies. This is what makes the brain their weak spot. The electrical activity in the brain that makes it possible for them to sense, move and attack must also be activating the memory centers, at least in some small way, allowing them some awareness of memory. To summarize, it is my belief that the soul (the spark of life) leaves the body at death . Zombies are re-animated corpses without souls. Some may have access to their memories to varying degrees, but this is as vestigial to a zombie as its heart or lungs. The soul has departed. Just as zombies can eat without gaining sustenance, they can remember without having a soul. Tequila Matt
Category:general
-- posted at: 12:18am PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 16 April 2008
Howdy Brother D, I'd like to apologize for the length of this e-mail in advance. While it would seem that this topic should be easy to answer with a few short sentences, you've touched on an area that many zombie enthusiasts love to debate ad nauseum. I even get fired up about it. So, here is what amounts to an essay when a simple e-mail should suffice. Before I tell you what I think is the ideal weapon to wield during a zombie uprising, I want to first rule out a few popular choices. Shotgun -- For many, the "boomstick" is the go-to weapon, however it's practical drawbacks are many. First, the shotguns readily available to civilians have a limited ammunition capacity: 2 shells for a double barrel, 4 shells for a stake-out and 6 to 8 shells for a combat shot gun. Stopping to re-load can spell disaster as the zombies descend upon you. The Saiga-12 is a shotgun based on the AK-47 assault rifle and is available with a 20-round drum magazine, solving the ammunition capacity problem. However, there are still several other issues to consider. While a scatter-gun is useful in a one human versus many zombies in close quarters scenario, it has disadvantages if those conditions change. A shotgun is not precise enough if you have friends our family members in melee with the zombies. Its accuracy over distance is another limitation for many models. If you are going to use a firearm, you want it to be accurate and for it to have range so you can pick off zeds before they get too close. The largest drawback to shotguns, and guns in general, is noise. While there are different kinds of zombies with different strengths and weaknesses, they all seem to be drawn to noise. The sound of a gunshot can travel for miles. Do you want all of the zombies in your zip code showing up at your door? I would avoid using guns accept as a last resort. Flame-thrower -- War movies and science fiction such as "Aliens" and "The Thing" have popularized this device which is really more effective for defoliation than as a weapon. It is cumbersome, dangerous to the operator and has a very limited fuel capacity. With apologies to Uncle Romero who suggested zombies fear fire, the Italian Cycle (Argento, Fulci, Mattei) showed us that zombies feel no pain and have no reason to fear fire. In fact, using fire as a weapon against zombies often creates a walking bonfire which can set your home, your car or your whole neighborhood ablaze. Further, Russo and O'Bannon (in the "Return of the Living Dead" series) showed us that burning zombies can spread the cause of the zombification. Chainsaw -- With apologies to director Sam Raimi and Ashley J. Williams, the hero of the "Evil Dead" series, the chainsaw just isn't good choice. While it is outrageous, even comedic, that Ash has a chainsaw for a hand, there are numerous reasons not to use this as a weapon. How many of us have been rudely awakened on a Saturday morning by a chainsaw in use down the block? The noise could attract more zombies. Then, there's the infectious blood and viscera that you'll be splattering everywhere. Even if the source of zombification isn't biological, there are other bloodborne pathogens to consider. Finally, one slip and you are tearing through your own flesh. Open wounds and limiting injuries are not good things during the zombie apocalypse. Machete -- Apologies to Cousin Savini, the make-up artist, stuntman and actor who supported many of Romero's efforts, but the machete is also a bad choice. These thin, blunt blades are designed for clearing brush, not for cutting fles h and rending bone. Swing this at a zombie's head or neck and it will get stuck in the wound without doing any real damage to the creature... and you will be without a weapon. Samurai Sword -- In Feudal Japan, these noble weapons were crafted by artisans and rated by the number of bodies they could slice through in one swing. In modern times, these finely crafted, hardened swords are difficult to come buy and cost thousands of dollars. The collectors’ items we hang on our walls are not battle-ready. Search YouTube for the video of a salesman on a home-shopping channel demonstrating the strength of a samurai sword by tapping it on the counter-top. The blade snapped in half, flipped back at the salesman and stabbed him in the belly. Not what you want to face a zombie with. Even if you get your hands on a REAL samurai sword, these take skill to wield effectively without injuring ourselves or comrades. Axe -- So, if we can't use a machete or a sword, how about an axe? These are heavy and unwieldy tools. Thousands, not hundreds, but thousands of people injure themselves with axes every year just chopping wood for fireplaces. A log is not a moving target. A log doesn't have an infectious bite. The dangers of over-swinging are immense. Then, there is still the risk of getting your weapon stuck in the flesh and bone of one zombie while others descend upon you. Baseball Bat -- If bladed weapons are bad, how about a blunt object? We are on the right track, but a baseball bat is designed for hitting a 5 ounce cork, rubber and leather ball... not a human skull. We've seen both wooden and aluminum bats break after repeated uses... against a 9-inch circumference balls. They wouldn't last very long against skull and pavement. So, this brings me to my weapon of choice, if I could only arm myself with one weapon in the zombie apocalypse.... A crowbar. Seriously, a crowbar. I'd arm myself with a non-sparking, 3 or 4 foot crowbar. Non-sparking in case of gas leaks as the human infrastructure breaks down. 3 or 4 feet in length to give me some swinging room, but not too long that it becomes to heavy to carry or that over-swinging can become an issue. No re-load or noise concerns that come with a gun. While there are pointy bits that could be used on vital spots such as eyes and ears, it isn't a bladed weapon that can get stuck in flesh or bone. It is a bludgeoning weapon that will break many bones before it suffers structural fatigue. When using a crowbar as a weapon, there are several techniques to consider. Of course, the obvious straight strike to the head can be very effective. However, you can also trip or even hobble a zombie by swinging at its knees or ankles. While they do not feel pain, they still rely on the functionality of bones an d joints to walk. A crawling zombie is still a threat, but it is also an easier target. Once on the ground, one can bludgeon the skull or destroy the brain by stabbing through the eyes or ears with the tip of the crowbar. The crowbar is also a tool, remember. It can be used to pry open locked doors, break padlocks, smash windows and even pop-open the ignition of a car. It is a lever which can be use for many purposes. It can even remove nails for re-use in fortification. Personally, I think no zombie hunter or apocalypse survivor should be without a crowbar. That said, I still think there is room for knives, guns and other weapons in the zombie survival kit. Some situations call for their use. I just think if you could have only one tool for all situations, it should be a crowbar. Its utility, effectiveness and durability is unmatched. Tequila Matt
Category:general
-- posted at: 10:15pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 18 January 2008
My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-6df7e494d8e3f32cd6e2dac9dd50ffc7}
Category:general
-- posted at: 11:43pm PDT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Mail Order Zombie (general)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
