Birth of the Living Dead - check out the trailer NOW !

Matt Boiselle

     Looking for the lowdown on one (if not the greatest) zombie movie of all time ? Do you have a hunger for all of the knowledge that was harnessed for the creation of George A. Romero's quintessential undead classic, Night of the Living Dead ? Then get ready to feast your orbital organs on the newest feature from Glass Eye Pix entitled Birth of the Living Dead.

    Rob Kuhns & Larry Fessenden have teamed up to present this documentary about all of the trials & tribulations that faced Mr. Romero and his zombie squad up to and during the filming of the movie itself. This will surely give the Living Dead fans a feel for what the powers that be were up against, and how the horrors of war during the 1960's played a huge part with the script inspiration. Fans in the New York area can check this out first hand on November 6th at the IFC Center, while the rest of the zombie nation can view it the same day on iTunes - give the trailer a look and see if your not ready to peel your skin off with anticipation.

   

The ONLY way to watch a true classic...with the proper introduction of course !!

Matt Boiselle

   Fans attending this year's Flashback Weekend 2013 in Chicago on  Friday, August 9th will have the opportunity to view (in it's glamorous entirety) - the original 1968 classic "Night of the Living Dead" in 35mm format on its 45th anniversary. So ? Not impressed ? How about viewing it with an introduction from the man that directed this golden beauty ? - the one and only Godfather of the Dead, Mr. George Romero !!

    That's right - this will surely highlight a jam packed weekend for horror fans which also include reunions from such classics as 1979's Dawn of the Dead, Pet Sematary, and a new cinematic infusion, The Lords of Salem. If you are in the Chicago area, get yourself on over to this convention and have the time of your undead lives, as this promises to be a weekend (August 9th-11th) of full -tilt horror ! All available info can be found at www.flashbackweekend.com

Ghastly Crud Zombies: The Final Days!

Todd Jepperson


The Ghastlycrud Zombies - when you mix a little bit of Edward Gorey with some extra chunky George Romero, you end up with a children's alphabet book that you probably shouldn't read to children.

Martin Whitmore has created a beautifully (if disturbingly) illustrated alphabet book featuring everyone's favorite undead monstrosities. The Kickstarter is over two-thirds of the way funded, and there are 5 days left for you to join in on the campaign. The rewards for contributing include signed copies of the book with doodles drawn inside by the artist, original Ghastlycrud artwork, custom illustrations, and even decommissioned grenades, painted by the artist with cartoon zombie faces! If that isn't tempting, then maybe you're in the wrong place... And as an added bonus, if the campaign hits $5000, everyone at the $44 level and above will get a decapitated Ghastlycrud zombie head magnet. ...for sticking those target practice bullseyes to the refrigerator.

So, get on over to the Kickstarter campaign, and join us in getting this project backed so we can bring this book to horrible, horrible un-life!

Zombies to Invade Sin City

Matt Boiselle

      The bright lights, the never-ending rows upon rows of slots and table games, the late-night shows, buffets.........dread.....gloom......red skies......and the hungry dead.....now if THAT shouldn't be on a travel brochure for Las Vegas, I don't know what should be !!!

     Opening this September 29, Fright Dome - Las Vegas, Nevada's TOP haunted house attraction will be celebrating it's 10th year in existence, and what a way to celebrate ! The Godfather of zombie cinema, George A. Romero, is teaming up with the creative minds at Fright Dome to present to you - "Ward of the Dead". Since it's inception in 2002, Fright Dome's creators have described this as "the most intense haunted house they have ever put out there". Guests will find themselves dropped smack-dab in the middle of a full-blown zombie outbreak in which they will HAVE to run for their lives.

    Keep in mind that this is ONLY 1 of 5 different themed houses for this upcoming season - "The Infected" - labeled as a zombie-quarantine area - "Camp Massacre" - tents, chainsaws, brutal killers....you know - "Fright Dome's Urban Legends" - playing on the legendary tales, and finally "The Anniversary" in which Fright Dome takes some of their most popular icons over the last 10 years and lets them wreak havoc on unsuspecting guests.

    The haunted houses will run through midnight on October 31st at the Circus Circus Adventurdome, which is now currently being transported into a 5-acre scareground complete with dozens of actors, 25 different attractions, and MANY more little things to make your blood run cold.
So, if your in the Vegas area this October......and really want some true entertainment to make you scream your butt off, check this out........then again, if you want a scare, you could always get show tickets to watch Celine Dion.....I just had a chill go up my spine....ENJOY !!!

Some George Romero Contests

Just a heads-up to you, the dear readers, of Zombies & Toys. There are a few contests going on right now where you can win some George Romero swag.

Monstersandcritics.com is giving away a Survival of the Dead poster autographed by George A. Romero and a copy of “The Walking Dead” autographed by Romero and illustrator Charlie Adler. The contest is open to US residents only and concludes on June 24.

I do find it odd that they had Romero autograph a copy of a comic created by Robert Kirkman. Not that I wouldn't want an issue of The Walking Dead autographed by Romero.

The other contest is being offered by DreadCentral.com and is for a slim Playstation 3 autographed by George Romero. Again, I'd like Romero's autograph. And I'd like a slim Playstation 3. I don't, however, think I'd want them mixed together. But did I enter anyway? Heck yeah!

Zombie Avatars For XBox

This month on XBox Live, you will find a running theme we should all be happy about. Realm of the Undead brings us zombie games, movies, themes, and avatars. While the ability to change your actual avatar to a zombie would be great, we have to settle for a T Shirt that says "Zombie Lover".

You can, however, purchase a little zombie friend. He climbs up from the ground and shuffles around until lunging for your avatar. Of course, he misses and falls at which time your avatar jumps over him and laughs.

The culmination of this month's zombie fiesta is the availability of George Romero's Survival of the Dead! As an exclusive to XBox Live members, Survival of the Dead will be available for download sometime at the end of this month.

"Colin" Movie Review

It is safe to assume that everyone reading this blog has seen a zombie film. We can't assume that everyone has seen a zombie film told from the perspective of one particular zombie start to finish. We can argue that some films like Return of the Living Dead come close as we witness a character's change and continue to follow their story afterward. Colin is still different, however, as the film introduces us to one main character whom we learn and care about as we join him on his journey. The big difference (and I'm not spoiling anything) is that our hero is a zombie. This fact is not what made the film Colin so popular and newsworthy, however. What really put Colin on the map is the fact that it was made for under $80. This fact is not going to play a role in the review you are about to read and though it may be mentioned, will not be centered upon. The review will be based upon the merits of Colin as a film.

To be brief, the film is about Colin and his existence in a world after the zombie apocalypse. The obvious difference between this and other movies of the same type is that the center of our attention is a zombie. The movie opens with our introduction to Colin as a living person. We discover the cause of his infection and experience with him his transition into one of the walking dead. We then find a way to roam the world of the living.

Colin is an excellent film. I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to see it to do so. If you live in Europe or have the ability to play a region 2 DVD this movie should be a no-brainer (pun intended). The story and character development are great. Like any movie where you follow the events of a living person, you begin to develop feelings and curiosities for the hero. Of course you want to know what caused his infection but you are also treated to the discovery of your new existence along with him. Where are you going, why are you going there, what influences your actions? We experience this transition much like watching an infant discover the world around him for the first time. We learn about Colin as a zombie and as a person and by the end of the movie we are treated to glimpses of the life he lived and his zombie instincts to remain there. This is not to say that Colin shambles to his favorite restaurant for a cup of tea. Think of Bub from Romero's Day of the Dead when he is handed the razor. In fact, the zombies seem to follow the rules defined by Romero's films which is not a bad thing.

The effects are not without flaw but are by far greater than many larger budget films I have seen. Fight scenes between survivors and undead are perfect for what the story requires and are shockingly believable. While you may spot an off effect or two, they by no means detract from the movie's experience or remove you from its grip. I was taken in from start to finish and only found myself distracted a few times by some of the actions of non-crucial living characters. The actions and reactions of all key players are believable and enjoyable. That's not to say the movie is entirely without flaws. Some of the scenes do tend to drag on a bit and the overall feel of the movie is of one that has a small budget. My only other complaints would be the 4:3 aspect ratio and the overall picture quality. I must quickly point out, however, that neither are distracting or took away from my overall enjoyment of the film.

While I am a fan of zombies and zombie films, I would say I dislike more zombie films than I enjoy. My short list of favorites include the original Romero trilogy, Shaun of the Dead, the debate-able as zombies 28 Days/Weeks, and even the Dawn remake among a few others. I can now say that Colin is a part of that too-slowly-increasing list. I am looking forward to watching Colin a few more times and the inclusion of the director's commentary will be the next run. Speaking of, if Marc Price is this capable with an $80 budget I can't wait to see what he is capable of with some rightfully-earned funding. My only hope is that it will be another zombie film.

Regardless of the costs to make this film, Colin delivers. Colin is a great film that gives zombie fans what they long for. It is a shame that the hype surrounding Colin has been focused on the small budget that was used to film it and not the quality zombie film that it is. But if that's what it takes for such a great movie to be noticed so be it.

"Zombi 2" Movie Review

I'm excited to bring you another guest post by Jason Stein of Jason Takes Portland. Jason recently had the opportunity to view Lucio Fulci's "Zombi" and is back to share with us a review.

I was finally able to see Italian gore master Lucio Fulci's "Zombi 2" at a monthly grindhouse night. Nothing makes a great movie better than experiencing it in the proper atmosphere. Just to be clear, there is no "Zombi part 1". "Zombi 2" is an indirect sequel to "Dawn of the Dead" which was huge in Europe and released as Zombi. The two movies have no connection other than zombies.

Fulci's film begins with a boat showing up in the Hudson harbor carrying a bloated zombie and a mysterious note. The note is written by Matool, a researcher on a tropical island, and intended to be a warning to his daughter, Anne. She meets a reporter who is investigating the boat and the two decide to go to the tropical island to figure out what happened. Upon arrival, they enlist the help of an American couple to find Matool. What they find is an island where no one stays dead and zombies literally pop up all over the place. Gory zombie fun ensues.

This is low budget, high gore film-making at its best. The girls are hot and take off their shirts randomly. The zombie effects are cheap and simple, yet gruesomely effective. The acting is lame and the sets are cardboard but this movie is too much fun to care. Fulci is a great director who turns budgetary obstacles into assets and gives the audience exactly what they want. There are numerous memorable scenes including a very disturbing eye puncturing and a stand-off in a burning church. The best of all is the infamous zombie versus shark sequence:

Let me recap what you just saw: A man in zombie make-up fighting/biting a real tiger shark. Awesome! This is one of the best zombie scenes ever filmed. It is funny, absurd, well executed and scary at the same time. Mention must be made of the final scene. I will not ruin it, but it is brilliant for its shock and low budget ingenuity. You will not find the social commentary of George Romero's "Living Dead" series here but you will find just pure zombie fun.

Zombie Jesus Day

And the countdown begins! We have one week until the celebration of Zombie Jesus Day. Or... to the majority, Easter. I'll keep my personal opinions out of the mix and hope not to offend the masses but you can expect some borderline offensive images this week. I mean, presumably he did die and come back to life. If you ask me, that's the textbook definition of a zombie.

We'll kick things off with a great photograph of a zombie Easter bunny!

Followed by a great painting most of you have probably seen already. I would love to know who the artist of this is. If anyone knows the story, please drop me an email.

Finally, head over to Nakatomi and grab yourself a copy of this print by Omar Hauksson. "Romero 3:16" is limited to only 150 hand numbered pieces so act fast.

Romero Talks About "Survival"

No, he doesn't talk to me about his latest film, Survival of the Dead. But Oh My Gore has a nice interview with George from the Venice Film Festival. It's worth your time as he tells us what may lie in the future for those of us wanting more Romero zombie films.

"For some reason, the publishing world and gaming world and the movie world, they're insisting this is the year of the zombie. I don't get it. I think people are just grabbing onto that, going ‘Let's do a zombie thing.' It's become a popular character, mostly because of video games."

Read the full interview here.

Alice Jacobs Is Dead Screening

Do you live near Jersey City, NJ? If so, make plans on attending Saturday Nightmares on March 20th. There will be a screening of Alice Jacobs is Dead as-well-as some exciting guests. Alice Jacobs is Dead is a great and unique zombie short film that I had the pleasure of reviewing in an early post. Seriously, it's great and if you have the opportunity to see it you must. Not only will you have the opportunity but star, Adrienne Barbeau, will be there to introduce the film!

Other guests include none other than the Godfather of modern zombie cinema, George Romero. George will be accompanied by some of the cast from his original trilogy of zombie films including Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Tom Savini and more!

Dawn of the Dead Blu-ray

Just a quick follow-up to the post about the Day of the Dead blu-ray import. In case you weren't salty enough that we in the states were neglected (or happy that you live in the UK), I thought I'd share the previously released Dawn of the Dead blu-ray.

Of course, this edition is also available with several different covers, includes a poster, and is loaded with extras.

Disc One (Blu Ray)

* Theatrical cut of the feature in 1080p High Definition; DTS HD and Stereo audio options

* Audio commentary by director George A Romero, special effects artist Tom Savini and assistant director Chris Romero; audio commentary by producer Richard P. Rubinstein

* "Document of the Dead" documentary

* "Document of the Dead: The Lost Interview" and deleted scenes

* "Fan of the Dead" documentary.

Disc Two (DVD)

* Director's cut of the feature

* "The Dead Will Walk" documentary

Disc Three (DVD)

* Dario Argento's cut of the feature

* "Scream Greats" documentary

* Publicity Vault containing US and German trailers, TV and Radio spots, reviews

* Arrow Video's Giallo trailers ("Macabre", "Sleepless" and "The House by the Cemetery")

Also included: Exclusive, four artwork option packaging; double sided poster with all-new Rick Melton painting on one side and the original UK theatrical artwork on reverse; "For Every Night There is a Dawn" booklet written by Calum Waddell.

Romero's Day of the Dead Re-Mastered

Try this on for size and do your best to not drool all over your keyboard as I give you the details...

George Romero's classic, Day of the Dead, is getting re-mastered and released on Blu-ray. To celebrate the films 25th anniversary, this release will contain a mad amount of extras. It even includes a comic book that tells a new story featuring Bub! But that comic is just the beginning. Not only is the video restored, but it also features a new hi-def soundtrack of the newly-restored 'uncensored dialogue' version, a dual-sided poster, a 24 page booklet, and is available in four collectible sleeves. Here's what this two disc package has to offer:

Disc One (Blu-ray)
* Theatrical feature
* Audio commentary with special effects team of Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger, Everett Burrell and Mike Deak
* Joe Of The Dead – Acting In A Romero Classic
* Travelogue Of The Dead

Disc Two (DVD)
* The Many Days Of The Dead
* Behind the Zombies footage
* Romero Zombography
* Photo Album of the Dead
* Souvenirs of the Dead
* Night Of The Living Dead trailer
* Dawn Of The Dead trailer
* TV Ads of the Dead
* The Audio Recollections of Richard Liberty
* Wampum Mine promo

This package of must-have goodness will be released on March 29th. Oh, yeah... there's one tiny detail... it's only available in the UK. D'Oh!

Dead Ringers - Custom Zombie Sculptures

It is finally time for my review of the appropriately named Dead Ringers I wrote about a few months back. Being a collector of statues and busts, I could not resist the opportunity to have a statue of myself as a zombie. They are not exactly cheap, but in my opinion are worth every penny. Is the final product worth your hard-earned change? Sit back as I discuss with you the pros and cons as well as offer some pointers in case you decide to take the plunge.

I will first start by admitting that my review may be overly-enthusiastic. Again, being a collector of statues and busts and an obvious fan of zombies, I was eager to have a Dead Ringer made. The process is simple: You email several pictures of yourself from different angles to the sculptor, Philip Hynes. Make sure to include any specific details you are looking to have done. What type of injuries do you have? Were you simply bitten or have you had an arm ripped off and half your face eaten? What skin color do you want? Bloodless and pale or Romero Dawn of the Dead blue? Maybe classic green? What about a pose? Would you be a shambling zombie with a blank stare or a fierce one lunging to attack?

My request was to be a freshly turned zombie. I wanted one eye removed and my cheek torn exposing my teeth. I included a picture of a zombie from Land of the Dead as my inspiration. I asked to have one arm out stretched slightly and the other dangling freely. In my mind, I envisioned the care-free dead from Romero's Dawn who just wandered around aimlessly, lazily, and effortlessly.

Now for the actual product... The good? Detail is aplenty and the sculptor is truly talented. You can view muscle fibers beneath the torn skin. There are tiny teeth visible where my cheek is missing. There is texture in the hair. Clothing has a natural flow. And while the statue as a whole is somewhat (and intentionally) caricature-ish, everything is proportioned well. More good? The painter, Martin Whitmore, is talented also. Skin tones look great. Colors are natural. And creative applications with a steady hand are apparent. The areas where skin is missing have a gloss finish making the wounds look realistic and wet. The shirt I wore had a white and gray coi fish that Marty was able to reproduce perfectly. He was even able to paint the tattoo that peaks out from under my shirt. As a whole, I received a statue that I am thoroughly impressed with.

So what about the bad? There's not much, really. The few things I will point out are really not all that important but I want to be thorough in case anyone reading decides to buy one. There are a few areas where it is apparent that this is hand made. The rare and slight "imperfections" are really not worth basing a decision on, though. It's no different than buying a hand-made vase or piece of glassware. It's art and it should be expected. I only mention it for anyone who would want to compare their sculpture to something produced by the likes of Gentle Giant or Bowen Designs. But then we're talking about companies who fine-tune items for editions of hundreds and even thousands so a completely flawless item is a bit more expected.

Pointers before contacting Marty to start your Dead Ringer? Think about what kind of zombie you want to be. Grab some inspiration from your favorite films, paintings, or zombie-walk participants. As goofy as you may feel, don't be afraid to be expressive in the pictures you send. I imagine it would make for a more fluid and believable pose to have a more animated facial expression. Choose to wear clothes that you don't mind looking at for a long, long time. Clothing is a small, yet obvious, detail that I did not consider when sending in my pictures. Another obvious one is to make sure you are having a good hair day and are wearing jewelry you don't mind having immortalized. Finally, make sure to send me some pictures so that I can feature you and your Ringer on ZT!

Thanks to Marty and Phil for an excellent addition to my toy collection and for providing me with what is now one of my favorite pieces. You can pick up your Dead Ringer 'Groaner' bust or 'Shambler' statue by visiting Marty's site. Prices range from $150 to $250 depending on what you want. As a zombie fan and toy collector I think it is money well-spent. In fact, after seeing mine, my son wants one! So who knows... you may see a second review in the future!

Marty and his Dead Ringer:

Dead Rising Movie Confirmed

So... a movie based on a video game that was based on a movie. Sounds about right. Dead Rising, a game based on George Romero's Dawn of the Dead is now getting a movie. The movie will be directed by Keiji Inafune who also created the original video game.

The movie will be available later this year through XBox Live and will follow two brothers who are trying to escape an area of Japan. Of course, they are escaping because of the zombie virus that has caused said area to be quarantined.

Those of you living in Japan can look to see this later in the year! Oh, yeah... did I forget to mention that it is being released only in Japan?

Find the official site and trailer here.

Romero's "Survival of the Dead" Has An Official Release Date

We finally have a release date for George Romero's "Survival of the Dead". Survival will be available through Video On Demand on April 30th. There will also be a limited number of theaters showing the film on May 28th.

Stay up-to-date by following the official Survival of the Dead Facebook page. While your there, follow Zombies & Toys for exclusive news, updates, and bonus contest entries.

Dawn of the Dead Television Series

Here's some interesting news with pretty much no facts to support it:

MTV is reportedly discussing with George Romero the possibility of turning his classic Dawn of the Dead into a television series. As exciting as this news is, the leveling reality is that there are no real facts to support it. Rumours are flying and include: there will be both fast and slow zombies. Zach Snyder will not be involved. The entire series will take place in a mall.

Even with the news as vague as it is, I'm still excited. Though, I'm more excited about The Walking Dead series.

More news as I come across it.

Interview With Max Brooks

No, not with me. I know, bummer. However, TimesUnion.com has posted an interview with zombie guru, Max Brooks. Head over and check it out. He talks about his dinner with George Romero, his use of props during appearances, and his advice regarding not being too proactive exterminating zombies.

Q: What I admire most about your oeuvre is the seriousness with which you take zombie threats. How do you feel about films such as "Sean of the Dead" or "Zombieland" that use zombies for laughs? And how about vampires (as in "Twilight" or "True Blood") who try not to act like vampires?

A: I have nothing against zombie comedies. They help spread the word and keep the general morale high. As far as vampires go, well, we know vampires don't really exist, right?

George Romero to Write Debut Zombie Novel

Guardian.UK has just reported that the Godfather of the modern zombie, George Romero, has (allegedly) been given a $300,000 advance to write his debut zombie novel and follow-up. Reportedly titled, The Living Dead, the book will tell "the origin of the zombie realm".

Publisher, Headline, reports that the upcoming novel will tell "the full story behind the living dead: how they came to be [and] what they can and cannot do". The epidemic begins in San Diego with a corpse rising during an autopsy. At the same time, a reporter from Atlanta tells of "increasing chaos around the globe".

I'm up to my neck with books to read but would definitely add this one to my list!

While we're on the subject of Mr. Romero, head over to ShockTillYouDrop for an exclusive interview. No mention of the book, but still worth a read.

Survival of the Dead - Movie Review

No, I did not have the opportunity to view George Romero's latest film. So I hope you're not expecting to hear my views. The same cannot be said for the lucky folks at Fangoria. So head over there to read their review!