Though the film is clearly lacking in many things, what it doesn’t lack is an opening that is bland. I liked the beginning more than the film as a whole, mainly because it succeeds in setting forth what is about to happen despite robbing us of terror. The opening is very close to what the opening of the remake of “Dawn of the Dead” was except it doesn’t take the same risks and supply the same frantic nihilism, however it does succeed in tension from the workers going back into the hive being overrun by zombies, right down to the calm neighborhood interrupted by a car crash which essentially sets the stage for the “plot” of the missing daughter of the scientist of the hive and fades away to Jovovich in her delicious glory on the stretcher where we last left off from the ending of “Resident Evil.”
Tag Archives: Zombies
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)
I loved the original “Vampire Hunter D,” I remember watching it for the first time with my jaw hanging down, drool and some snot hanging down. So, I was obviously excited to see this, and after I popped this bad boy into my DVD player, I was not disappointed. I was weary about the new design for Vampire Hunter D at first, I wasn’t sure what was wrong with the original design, but he looks so much better here. With a design that Universal ripped off in 2004’s “Van Helsing” he’s just so stylish here with a beautiful costume that not only acts as a shroud but protection from the sunlight and they make his vampiric appearance better here with a white pale face and just a cold exterior that makes him such a great character to watch.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
If you were to ask me right now which I prefer, British comedy or American comedy, I’d reply without a moment’s hesitation: British comedy. Uh-oh someone’s being unpatriotic! Think about it: they gave us “Monty Python”, “The Office”, “Coupling”, and inspiration for “All in the Family” and “Three’s Company” (and so much more), I love all British comedy because it’s just so utterly brilliant. Regardless, the British have comedy down to a tee, down to an art and theirs is subtle, so sharp and so unbelievably funny and sometimes weird, case in point: Shaun of the Dead. It’s quite obvious when watching this film that creators Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright are not only pop culture buffs, but also horror buffs as they pay homage to the great George Romero with every aspect of a good zombie film, and yes there’s walking zombies, no runners here.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
In 1978, George A. Romero followed up his classic “Night of the Living Dead” with an even bigger horror hit known as “Dawn of the Dead” this time showing the world only weeks after the outbreak where society is now overrun by the undead and carnage ensues as people struggle to comprehend what is happening and how it happened. True, director Zack Snyder’s re-working of “Dawn” is a lot slicker than the original, but ultimately it lacks the truly sick and sometimes twisted satire and jabs at pop culture and the consumer era.
House of the Dead (2003)
After the (literally) seven minute long opening to “House of the dead”, I was almost sure this would suck as I instantly lost patience with this frenzied film; man, I should learn to listen to my instincts more. I sat in the theatres watching and squirming in my seat because I had to use the bathroom, and had pre-determined I would hold it until the movie ended (not wanting to miss out). After about ten minutes in, to the bathroom I went. What’s sad is that this is not only a bad movie, but a bad zombie movie with a lot of potential to it. With a plot off of “Zombie” and “Resident Evil”, the movie had a lot of chances to become innovative and creative yet Uwe Boll takes no chances and goes by the book.
George Romero's "Resident Evil": The Script For the Movie we Never Saw
For those of you non- horror movie geeks and none “Resident Evil” fans; back when the “Resident Evil” movie was in the works, the studios recruited horror legend George Romero to write and direct the movie. He then created a script that was rejected by the Hollywood fat-cats because it was too violent and too scary. So he was fired from the project and the studios made the movie more watchable and watered down to appeal to the teenage male audience. So, after firing him they enlisted action director Paul Anderson (Mortal Kombat) to re-write the script and water down the movie. The movie wasn’t as good as audiences guessed it would be, and when fans discovered this crime, they instantly protested. Though, George Romero’s vision was never given to the American audience, his script still lives on in the internet.
Horror Movies
“Horror is the future. And you can not be afraid. You must push everything to the absolute limit. Or else life will be boring. People will be boring. Horror is like a serpent; always shedding it’s skin, always changing. And it will always come back. It can’t be hidden away like the guilty secrets we try to keep in our unconscious.” – Dario Argento
Horror has become the dominant force in my movie purchases, movie viewings, and movie contemplations simply because I was introduced to the genre as a child and because they’re fun to watch. I seek out every horror movie there is, good or bad. I first saw “Night of the Living Dead” when I was seven, and it was horrifying. I have nothing but a petrifying fear for zombie movies. I’ll watch whatever horror movie you want me to, but I’m scared shitless of zombie films no matter what film and when it was made. My first glimpses of the walking dead feeding on an arm, chewing off the flesh scared me and it was the most shocking thing I’ve ever seen. Just talking about it makes me look over my shoulder in fear.