I've Been Busy - Shaun Of The Dead, Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, Wild Zero, etc!

[Mr_Vindictive]

I finally got a chance to tear through some films I've had waiting for some time now.  Here are some short reviews.


Shaun Of The Dead: I have been waiting to see Shaun Of The Dead since hearing about it early last year.  It eventually hit our shores in September, but never played anywhere near me.  Well now, only weeks before the offical American DVD release, I obtained a DVD Region 0 copy of the film.  

The wait was seriously worth it.  I'll not go through a whole synopsis being as it's been done numerous times on this board in the past.  I will say though that it is one of the absolute best zombie films ever made.  It's also the absolute funniest horror film I've ever seen.  This one, especially after repeat viewings, is climbing into my top 5 favorite horror films.  This is exactly what Evil Dead 2 and Club Dread should have been.  



Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter:

I had heard a lot of buzz about this flick on this site and other sites in the past year or so.  I went ahead and picked up a copy and was a bit disappointed.  Sure the film is fun, but it's also a little too cheesy.  Dubbing the is off time, cheesy effects, horrible acting...that's normally what we look for in a film but it just didn't seem to work as well as I would have liked.  It was pretty cool to see some punk rock priests though.  "PRAY TO LIVE!  LIVE TO PRAY!"  Overall the film is worth checking out as a rental.  I can't really say I'd buy it though.


Wild Zero:

Out of all the films I watched this week, Wild Zero was the most surprising.  I didn't really know what to expect when I started watching it.  All I knew was that it was a Japanese zombie flick with Rock N Roll.  What could go wrong there?

The film follows "Ace".  He's a young Japanese punk rocker who idolizes the band Guitar Wolf and especially their frontman, Guitar Wolf himself!  One night Ace saves Guitar Wolf from certain death.  Wolf then makes him an honorary Rock N Roll Blood Brother!  He also gives Ace a whistle and tells him to use it anytime he's in trouble.

Well sure enough Ace gets in trouble.  He goes to a town that has been infested with zombies (from aliens!) and needs Guitar Wolf and his gang to him and his "girlfriend".  While all of this is happening, there are also some subplots running along.  There is a group of people that were traveling through the same town that got attacked, a female arms dealer, and a crazed (male) bar manager in short shorts who is out to kill Guitar Wolf!

This flick was an absolute blast from beginning to end.  It has zombies, it has gore, and it has some kick ass Japanese punk rock.  Guitar Wolf is one of the coolest heros to ever hit the screen.  This one is a DVD that you should seriously have in your collection.  




As I said, I've had a busy week.  Soon I should have reviews for Haute Tension (High Tension), Happiness Of The Kakaturis, Dead Next Door, Casshern, Audition and Undead.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Just watched another wacky Japanese zombie film.  This one is set in the near future where girls between the ages of 15-17 are afflicted with NDH (Near Death Happiness).  Before they die, they go through a period of days where they are gigglish and elated.  After the time, they die only to rise as flesh eaters nicknamed "Stacies".

The flick is riddled with homages to other zombie films.  There is a government agency called the "Romero Rekill Team" which goes around killing the Stacies.  There is even a huge homage to Evil Dead in the flick.  There is a product that exists in the film called "Blues ( Bruce) Campbell's Right Hand 2".  It's basically a small, flashy colored chainsaw that attaches to your right arm so that you can kill the Stacies.  There are even infomercials for this product sprinkled throurghout the film.

Overall it's a strange flick that must be seen to be believed.  It hits the WTF mark numerous times and has a confusing ending.  Extremely gory, entertaining and well worth a watch.  It looks like it's out on DVD from Snyapse, the same guys that brought us the US Wild Zero DVD.

[Brother Ragnarok]

If you like Wild Zero (and who the hell in their right mind wouldn't?), you need to a) see Guitar Wolf's other movie, Sore Losers, and b) go buy some Guitar Wolf records RIGHT NOW!  Oh, how they kick ass.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Way ahead of you Brother R.  I'm looking at buying Sore Losers as we speak, and just "obtained" a few of Guitar Wolf's tunes.

Wild Zero really really surprised me.  At first the flick was a bit off putting.  It has very strange direction.  But once I got into the whole "Booze, Gore, Flames, Zombies and Transvestites" feel of the film, I had a blast.

[blkrider]

Didn't like WILD ZERO, so I guess I'm not in my right mind...I can't get into horror movies if it seems like the characters are never in any real danger.  I never got a sense of menace from the zombies in that movie, so I gave it thumbs down.  

SHAUN was much better in that respect...it was funny when it needed to be and scary when it needed to be, and it always seemed like there was a possibility that anyone in the cast could become zombie chow at any time.

[Brother Ragnarok]

I don't think Wild Zero was ever meant to be scary, or to be honest, anything but a really cool movie about love and the zombie slaying power of LOCK AND LOLL!

[Mr_Vindictive]

I'm gonna have to agree with Bro R about Wild Zero.  It certainly never meant to be scary, just a kick ass flick about zombies and rockin.  It excelled in that respect.

If you want a pretty good zombie flick, check out Stacy which I reviewed in this thread.  Pretty good zombie flick even if the ending is a bit convoluted and confusing.

[Scott]

Sounds like a great bunch of films Skaboi. SHAUN OF THE DEAD is a very good zombie film and very funny. Been wanting to see WILD ZERO since I first heard of it. JESUS CHRIST VAMPIRE HUNTER has been on my long list as I thought it might be a cheap one in the realm of CANNIBAL THE MUSICAL.

[Mr_Vindictive]

In case anyone wanted to know what those Bruce Campbell chainsaws looked like, then head over to my site where I have a full review:

http://keeptheticket.com/reviews.php?searchrid=27

[Zilla]

I don't know where you are writing from skaboi, I am just assuming that most of you guys are from the states.  Have you ever seen the brittish TV series Spaced, its the predececor of Shaun of the dead.    If you liked Shaun you will love spaced.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Unfortunatly I've never seen Spaced, Zilla.  I've seen that it's available on DVD.  Looks like a pretty good show.  I'll definently check it out.