Fulci then holds off from showing any more zombie antics for some time, perhaps too long for some. ![]() Instead, the two cops who come on board to investigate are confronted first by rotting food, buzzing flies, writhing worms and a severed hand, then by a huge, obese zombie rather resembling Plan 9 From Outer Space’s Tor Johnson who bloodily bites the neck of one before being shot by the other – though it’s not in the head and a still of him emerging from the water on to the land means that it’s possible that a later scene involving him was cut. There’s no vampire, raving madman or person tied to the wheel here though. However, he shows himself quite good at creating some creepy atmosphere with the next scene of the seemingly deserted sail boat entering New York Harbour, perhaps deliberately recalling many of the versions of Dracula and especially the two Nosferatu’s. The arresting first shot is of a gun pointed at the viewer, followed by a bullet entering the white sheet-covered head of somebody and the camera zooming into the viscera so we see it better, a Fulci trait. Only in 2005 was it released uncut in the UK. The cut edit was released in 1991, then 1999 saw a less cut version, 23 seconds of cuts to an eye impalement and some body feasting. Both this version and the uncut one came out on UK video in 1981, and both were banned as Video Nasties. The film bested George Romero’s film at the Italian box office but suffered much censorship trouble, especially in the UK, where the BBFC cut nearly two minutes for the cinemas which comprised most of the gore. They used a tiger shark, which is one of the most dangerous shark species that exists, so the trainer fed the shark right before filming as well as doping it up with sedatives. zombie scene was shot without Fulci’s approval by Giannetto De Rossi in Isla Mujeres, with the zombie portrayed by a local shark trainer. Several of the cast members’ contracts had specified being provided with trailers but none were present when filming started and only Richard Johnson was able to convince the producers to provide one. Filming took place in Latina, Italy, as well as in New York City and Santo Domingo. When Fulci came on board, Dawn Of The Dead had just come out in Italy re-edited by Dario Argento and re-titled Zombie, so producer Fabrizio De Angelis ordered the title to be changed to Zombi 2 and new opening and closing scenes set in New York to be written into the script without Fulci’s permission while other things were cut out. Castellari was the first choice to direct, but he didn’t like horror films so turned the job down. ![]() Despite its Italian title and a line of dialogue very similar to the famous “when there’s no room in Hell” quote, it’s nothing much like Dawn Of The Dead at all, though it does kind of work as an alternate prequel.ĭardano Sacchetti’s script was originally entitled Nightmare Island and was set entirely en route to and in the Caribbean. I imagine that it may disappoint some first time viewers today as it takes its time and only becomes a fully fledged zombie movie when it’s over half way through, but it’s still a fun slice of pulpy horror adventure that, despite its graphic scenes of gore, is something of a throwback to the zombie films of the ‘30s and the ‘40s which tended to be set in the Caribbean and involve voodoo, which is of course where the idea largely originated anyway. It was the first of the cycle of Italian zombie films kickstarted by the huge success of Dawn Of The Dead in that country, and is considered to be the first entry in Fulci’s zombie quadrilogy, though whereas the other three are quite surreal and dreamlike in nature with no attempt whatsoever to have a coherent plot, Zombie Flesh Eaters has a reasonably straight forward narrative, even if it’s vague in a few respects. So after two quite obscure Lucio Fulci films, I decided to watch and review the movie that, despite the high quality of some of his earlier works like Don’t Torture A Duckling and Seven Black Notes, made him a major name throughout the world, and which for a long time seemed to be his most popular movie until more recently when The Beyond began to supplant it in people’s affections. Patients are dying of a strange illness, and the islanders are frightened by reports of people rising from the dead…. David Menard runs the hospital whilst researching voodoo rites. The boat owner’s daughter, Anne Bowles, hasn’t seen her father for months, so she and journalist Peter West follows his trail to the Caribbean island of Matul, en route befriending Brian Hull and Susan Barrett, who are sailing around the area and agree to take them to Matul. REVIEWED BY: Dr Lenera, Official HCF CriticĪn abandoned sail boat containing a zombie drifts into New York Harbour. Starring: Al Cliver, Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, Tisa FarrowĪKA ZOMBIE 2, ZOMBIE, ISLAND OF THE ZOMBIES ![]() Written by: Dardano Sacchetti, Elisa Briganti
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