Enjoy this Monday with Mildred!
This is also Zombie World Tour post!
Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection
Despite seeing some truly terrible reviews for this film I decided to watch it because, really, how often do you get to visit Wales on a Zombie World Tour? Sadly, I should have stayed at home. The reviews were right, and I’m sorry I watched it.
The filmmakers are supposed to be giving us a paean to the original Night of the Living Dead, and to that end they “use” a lot of the elements. A heroic black guy, a farmhouse in the middle of the country, an old radio. I kept a list and got up to eleven obvious things, but really, it’s not even a little like the original classic. Instead of strangers in a rambling old board farmhouse there is a family in a tiny stone homestead. Papa has a massive twelve gauge and apocalyptic eyebrows. Everyone has issues and airs them constantly between dark and unexceptional shots of zombies roaming around somewhere outside.
As I’ve said in other reviews, good zombie fiction will shine a light on society by using the zombies to strip it of all but the bare essentials. If this film were sending a message it is that people in Wales are terrified of their youth because they are without exception slutty, murderous thugs. Being an American and therefore used to all manner of bull hockey said about differing cultures, I’m willing to bet not every single Welsh teenager should make your blood curdle when they draw near.
But then, this is not a good film. The digital is poor, though it gives the filmmakers a way of easily colorizing the shots. There are many scenes with a color overlay, so you can discuss the green scene, the blue scene, the red scene, etc., etc. They’re also seriously fond of extreme close-ups, shooting from the floor or the ceiling or through balusters, and turning the camera at an angle. I suspect they mean to keep us off balance with that last but mostly I just kept wishing they’d pick the thing up and point it at the actors.
Not that a more serene angle would improve the acting. It’s bad enough they have to spout laughably illogical lines and change their motivation from one room to the next, but they just aren’t very good actors.
Somewhat Spoilery Here
And the end does try to be like the original movie but just isn’t. There’s a world of difference between tragedy and depravity.
End Spoiler
Don’t see this movie. Don’t even mention that I told you about this movie. Burn your copy of the review so that the movie will be utterly forgotten.
LINKS:
Official NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: RESURRECTION Trailer — 2013
CFR: In Addition: OMG. When I first saw this movie posted on IMDB I read it as “Night of the Living Decaf.” Oh yeah. I love my coffee.
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