Zombie HOLOCAUST (1980)
aka Dr. Butcher, M.D.
Directed by Marino Girolami
Shriek Show DVD
THE FILM
The movie is a rip-off of Zombie with a touch of the Romero walking dead. The promotion in the U.S. changed the title from good to genius and added lots of sleaze to their advertising campaign. The film itself is gory and a bit sleazy but the whole sloppy shebang is as comfortable as the pair of shoes Mr. Rogers always put on when he entered his home. Yes, eyes are mashed out and heads are demolished but I feel tingly...The good tingly, the morning-of-a-day-with-presents tingly.
Teen Dan has a Nut Punch for that jackball. This is Dr. Butcher, M.D. (He doesn't care what you call it.) This is a rough, gory film that is made for showing to People Who Know No Better to get them sick to their stomachs. Sit down with this film and a big, sloppy extra-cheese pizza from Pontillo's and overeat and dare yourself (& your friends) to get sick.
I understand Teen Dan and his young man's thoughts. But, that's not really a review. Sorry. Zombie Holocaust is a thoroughly average, Italian gore-fest from the early 80s that combines Zombiees & Cannibals. The film has no pace to speak of; it goes from scene to scene with no build to it. But, there is a bunch of gore, the music is cool and, especially during the first viewing, it keeps you off kilter. Some style would have been great but this is simply an entertaining Zombiee/Cannibal film.
That's a capsule review, Teen Dan. I even used a semicolon.
Teen Dan says that if he could get his hands on "Reviewer Dan", he'd slap him "downstairs". It's all about the gore. That's why you watch it! If you can find a cute girl who'll watch it with you, even better. No Pace! Not the best! Semicolon! (Teen Dan doesn't even think you used that right.) You're an A-hole of the First Order!
Ladies & Gentlemen! Teen Dan! Isn't he a sonofabitch? There's nothing exceptional about this film but it is worth watching. Please, Teen Dan, understand me. This has everything you could want out of an Italian horror from this time period, except style. It is bread & butter exploitation and when you're in the right mood you can eat it up all night long.
Teen Dan sighs because "Reviewer Dan" should eat a frog.
Look, this review goes on and on just like this…Zombie Holocaust is like Patrick Still Lives. It is what it is and no more. It spends time in NYC with cannibal shenanigans and then it goes to sweaty jungles for cannibals and Zombiees. The description of what's in the package is better than the actual content. But, there's enough in there for Fun.
Teen Dan made a list of "Jerks I Know". Guess who is #1?
AUDIO AND VIDEO
The English dub welcomes my friends back into the living room. You know my friends. The English Dub Pals of Funtime Cinema. The picture looks fine. A touch of grime still seems to linger, which is OK by me.
EXTRAS
A bunch of stuff. Apart from the cool scenes from Tales That Will Tear Your Heart Out, nothing really grabbed me. (Well, except that German trailer. Every German trailer from this period seems apocalyptic.) It is nice, though, to have so much cluster and clutter around this movie.
FINAL THOUGHTS
"If you spend all day farting into a bag, at the end of the day all you're going to have is a bag full of farts." -- Larry Gold
Teen Dan loves this movie. He could watch it every day for a month.
"Reviewer Dan" liked the movie. It has some drawbacks but it's worth a viewing, maybe even worth revisiting once a year.
For some reason, that really pisses off Teen Dan.
— Dan Budnik, 05.05.11 |
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