Zombie

Before we begin, let's just go over this one more time: "Zombi 2" is actually just called "Zombie," but was marketed in most territories as "Zombi 2," because at the time George Romero's now-classic "Dawn of the Dead" was so big that the Italian film board and some others wanted to market the heck out of every zombie movie they could, so Fulci's movie, simply titled "Zombie" was changed to "Zombi 2," as in Italy, "Dawn of the Dead" was called "Zombi." Okay, got that? Long story short: "Zombi 2" is not a sequel to anything, and it's actually just called "Zombie."Now then, "Zombie" is truly worthy of its title. It pulls a total Tarantino in the first few minutes, showing something that won't occur until much later in the movie first which draws you in immediately making you say: "Wait, what? Why'd that happen?" The story is pretty simple, zombies run amok on a tropical island, a group of survivors fight them with disastrous consequences. But it's not so much the story that makes "Zombie" a masterpiece, but the cinematography and practical special effects which after so many years don't feel dated and can manage to make gore hounds like me twitch just a little, deep down inside. The "splinter eye" scene springs to mind immediately. Another great scene would be the "Zombie Versus the SHARK" scene, which I'm pretty sure is the most dangerous stunt ever put on camera-- a real actor in full zombie makeup fights a live shark underwater without the use of any breathing apparatuses for a very long scene that had to have taken several takes and somehow he came out okay. The movie is fantastically transferred to Shriek Show's two disc DVD set, which comes with your very own little poster for the movie!Criticisms, the dubbing springs to mind, first. The movie was filmed with largely Italian talent, which is cool, so were some of the best Westerns (or in this case, 'Spaghetti' Westerns) ever, but what's weird is, if you watch this movie closely, you'll see that the actors are sometimes dubbed and their lips sync, or that they do not sync. It took me awhile to figure this out, but from what I can gather, the movie was filmed mostly in phonetic English, then in certain scenes, some actors couldn't do that, so they were simply dubbed. But those who were speaking phonetically were still dubbed due to their thick accents. So, to put it simply, "Zombie" is a movie that was filmed in English, dubbed into Italian and then completely re-dubbed back into English. This is one thing that is fairly noticeable, not the point that it becomes so distracting that it takes away fun from the movie, but that it does make certain parts feel less immersive or emotionally intense. One other major thing, the box says the movie's runtime is "223 minutes," this is incorrect. The movie is about 94 minutes, the total runtime with two discs of special features is 223 minutes, so it's a bit misleading, but that's okay, too.There's a certain psychedelic nature to the film, not in the "Deep Red" sense, we never set foot in the irreal the way an Argento film might, but the movie feels like a weird trip after a little while. It's easy to lose track of what's going on depending on who is watching, and there are certain things that simply don't make sense for the sake of not making sense, like the zombie on the cover with all the worms in his eye comes out of a grave marked "Died 1500," it's a small wooden grave marker with chalk writing. I know Fulci wasn't exactly going for realism here (it's a movie about hungry walking dead people, after all) though every time I watch the film I have a hard time suspending belief with this scene, as the zombie comes out of a grave about three inches under ground, he's hardly decomposed for a five hundred year old corpse and on top of that my nit-picking nature has to ask if that grave marker is supposed to be the ORIGINAL grave marker that was put in the ground in the year 1500 or if it's supposed to be an updated marker put there by the caretaker of this, what I'm assuming is a Spanish War cemetery in the middle of a tropical jungle.It's little things like that about "Zombie" that get to me, but it's also those things that make it so much fun. And without spoiling anything, I have to say that the film's final scene is one of the ballsiest moves ever made by a set of low-paid extras and a director. The fact that they got away with the final shot of this movie without six dozen people dressed in full zombie garb getting detained is not only a miracle in and of itself, but proof that this film was meant to be. I don't want to give it away, but it's a fantastic visual.This film was followed by three sequels: "Zombi 3" (which is really "Zombie 2") then "Zombie 4: After Death" (which is actually "Zombie 3," in this case) and a prequel/sequel "Zombie 5: Killing Birds," ("Zombie 4, you see where I'm going with this) though the canonicity of that last one is heavily disputed, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that "Zombie 4: After Death" is definitely canonical to the series, especially considering the continuity "Zombi 3" takes in conjunction to this film.All in all, "Zombie" is one of the best zombie movies ever made, and it was followed by three 'sequels,' one of which was official, two which were not. I like to refer to these four films as the "Spaghetti Zombie Quadrilogy," as the next film in the series, "Zombi 3" is actually "Zombie 2." But we'll argue the semantics of the titles of these movies in another review. If you can find a copy of it (which isn't very hard, nowadays, circa 2014) "Zombie" is absolutely worth your time if you're a zombie movie fan, Spaghetti Western fan, or just a movie aficionado in general who happens to have a niche for Italian cinema.

I would have never have guessed a few years ago Fulci's Zombie would be getting a HD Blu Ray treatment this soon in the gameDon't get me wrong I'm very happy and excited Lucio Fulci's Legacy is getting more exposureAll films by the likes of Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento, John Carpenter, Don Coscarelli, & George A Romero should have all there work put out on Blu ray mostly cause there films are beyond a horror genre there living breathing Art!I'll get to the pointFulci's Zombie is a Ground Breaking Over the top extreme gore filled epic zombie flickI've owned every Digital version so far (Payed 60 Dollars for the "Original" Uncut laserdisc 10 years ago along with 3 different DVD cutsso the asking price for 28.00 for the Two Disc BR is a great priceThe Plot could easily be the back story to the Romero's Dead Series.Unlike George Romero's zombie films Fulici's Zombie is missing any social commentary which can be forgivable...........There isn't many Zombie films where you see a zombie fighting a hammer head shark the gore and extreme over the top violence is crazyThis Film would now be given a NC-17 if released in theatersPeople new to the zombie genre thanks to AMC's The Walking Dead will Love it or hate itHopefully Hollywood will not go and re-make this filmIt can Not be done right in this day and age of all the over used CGI and lack of practical effects in sci-fi & horror now a daysA re-make would just be another gimmicky Resident Evil live action flickThe breakdown of both blu ray and the extras each haveBlue Underground: Released Oct 24, 20112-Disc Ultimate EditionResolution: 1080pAspect ratio: 2.35:1Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1Audio tracks:English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 EXDolby Digital 5.1 EX, Dolby Digital Mono (Original)Disc One extras:****Audio Commentary: Star Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine Editor Jason J. Slater. (Ported over from the Laserdisc)***Theatrical Trailers, International Trailer ,TV Spots, Radio Spots, & Poster & Still GalleryDisc Two:****Zombie Wasteland Interviews with Actor/Stuntman Ottaviano Dell'acqua and Stars Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, and Al Cliver.****Flesh Eaters on Film: with Co-Producer Fabrizio de Angelis.****Deadtime Stories: with Co-Writers Elisa Briganti and (Uncredited) Dardano Sacchetti,***World of the Dead: with Cinematographer Sergio Salvati and Production & Costume Designer Walter Patriaca,***Zombi Italiano: with Special Make-Up Effects Artists Gianetto de Rossi & Maurizio Trani and Special Effects Artist Gino de Rossi.,***Notes on a Headstone: with Composer Fabio Frizzi,***All in the Family: with Antonella Fulci (very interesting wish it was longer though)*****Zombie Lover: Guillermo del Toro Talks About One of His Favorite Films (This is awesome but, too short)Here's is the second version you might want to double dip and getArrow Home Video's Zombie Flesh Eaters Blu-ray Special Edition (Released Dec 03, 2012)Region (B) LockedResolution: 1080pAspect ratio: 2.39:1Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1Audio Tracks:English: LPCM 2.0 & Italian: LPCM 2.0Two Disc Special EditionDisc One:****Introduction - an introduction to Lucio Fulci's Zombie Flesh Eaters, recorded exclusively for the film's Blu-ray release, by actor Ian McCulloch. In English, not subtitled,***** First audio commentary with Lucio Fulci biographer Stephen Thrower and horror cinema expert Alan Jones (Exclusive to Arrow)*****Second audio commentary Elisa Briganti, who wrote the script for Zombie Flesh Eaters (Exclusive to Arrow)***** From Romero to Rome: The Rise and Fall of the Italian Zombie Film: 60 minute documentary that's make this set a must have alone!**** (Ported extras) U.S. Trailer - The "barf bag" trailer. Music only, VIPCO Trailer - in English, TV Trailer 1 - Music only, TV Trailer 2, and Radio SpotsDisc Two:****Aliens, Cannibals and Zombies featurette: Spotlights actor Ian McCulloch,***Zombie Flesh Eaters - From Script to Screen ,**** Music For A Flesh-Feast - a Q&A session with Zombie Flesh Eaters composer Fabio Frizzi,****The Meat Munching Movies of Gino De Rossi - the legendary special effects and make-up artist Giannetto De Rossi (The House by the Cemetery, Bernardo Bertolucci's Novecento, David Lynch's Dune) discusses his collaboration with Lucio Fulci on Zombie Flesh Eaters. In Italian, with imposed English subtitlesand a Booklet - 40-page illustrated booklet featuring Stephen Thrower's essay "The Joys of Repulsion, Or Anthrophagy in the UK: An Appreciation of Zombie Flesh Eaters" (Mr. Thrower is the author of Beyond Terror The Films of Lucio Fulci and is currently writing a book on Spanish director Jess Franco); "An Eye For An Eye - An Interview with Olga Karlatos", conducted by Calum Waddell; "Zombie Flesh Eaters and the BBFC" by Craig Lapper; "Pages From the Original 'Nightmare Island' Screenplay" by Jay Slater; posters; and Lucio Fulci CV compiled by Jay Slater.Overall if you are a die hard Lucio Fulci fan get both versions they both have awesome extras and exclusivesYou just need a region-free player 9.7/10

Blue Underground did such a great job in the 4K restoration! I upgraded to the 4K and was not disappointed!