The Lucid Nightmare: Bill Moseley

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

REVIEW: Night of the Living Dead

Night of the Living Dead
Director: Tom Savini
Year 1990

Night of the Living Dead is an excellent remake of George A. Romero’s 1968 zombie horror masterpiece, which takes the same tried and true premise of the original and amps it up with updated practical effects and a creepy tone that pays considerable tribute to the black & white cult classic. Directed by genre icon and special effects wizard Tom Savini, the film has a visceral quality to it that really brings this zombified tale to life. With an abundance of interesting characters and a line-up of wonderful actors to portray them, Night of the Living Dead is a remake that justifies its existence by presenting a story that is without a shadow of a doubt, equal to its originator.

The film follows a quiet and repressed woman named Barbara, who suddenly finds her world turned upside down when a zombie uprising takes the life of her brother, leaving her all alone to fend for herself amongst an ever growing army of the undead. Finding sanctuary with a small group of survivors in an old farmhouse, Barbara struggles to stay alive by fortifying her surroundings and taking as many of the dead down as she can. With the army of walking corpses surrounding the estate, Barbara quickly comes to realize that the masses of flesheaters are not the only things that can bring about her doom as the surviving group begins to implode from within. Night of the Living Dead tells a terrifying tale which emphasizes the failings of the human race, showing blow for blow that when we are not literally devouring each other, we are figuratively cannibalistic with each other when struggling to save our own skin.

Patricia Tallman takes on the role of Barbara, the poor unfortunate soul who finds that even amidst such chaos and horror, she can rise above the bedlam and prove that she is a fighter. Tallman is sensational in this film and her character arc from a passive and fearful victim to a badass zombie killing warrior is tremendously achieved thanks to Patricia’s heartfelt and genuine performance. Her acting filmography may not be as accomplished as some of her counterparts in the film, but she is a driving force within this production. I love the contrasting elements between the original Barbara character and Tallman’s iteration, and I find this version’s portrayal much more compelling and exceptionally interesting.

Finding equal footing beside Tallman’s Barbara is Tony Todd who perfectly encapsulates the character of Ben. With his intimidating presence and theatrical form of acting, Todd is another aspect of this remake that really ups the bar. His intensity is infectious and from the moment that he bursts onto the scene, with crowbar in hand, he brings a dire urgency to the progression of the film. The same can be said for Tom Towles antagonist character Harry Cooper, who wants nothing more than to stay locked up in the basement where it’s safe. Towles has always impressed me as an actor and the moments where he begins to clash with Todd’s Ben are explosive to say the least. You can really feel the tension between each opinionated character and for an intimate story such as this one that is a must. On a side note, the inclusion of Bill Moseley as Johnnie is pure casting genius and his short appearance in the film is one that will stay with you long after.

With Tom Savini at the helm, the movie goes for a more realistic take on the zombie genre in the vein of Romero’s last two entries in the Dead series. The graphic nature of the practical make-up effects, which were not created by Savini, and the harsh violence that is unabashedly on display, produce an end product that boasts a visceral take on George A. Romero’s undead masterpiece, highlighting the gorier aspects of its content in stark clarity. I love the classic way in which Romero realized the original film, but I’ve always been drawn to the horrific way in which this remake delves into the modern portrayal of the zombie film at that time.

After Romero created his legendary trilogy in the form of Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead, a new resurgence of zombie styled stories began creeping out of the woodwork which took the golden rules that Romero set up and built off of it. With the escalation of realism and gritty nature in Romero’s trilogy increasing, we ended up with a movie series that progressed into a much darker and nastier sort of outlook on both the zombie apocalypse and the character of mankind as a whole. With the 1990 version of Night of the Living Dead, Savini continues in this tradition by adding realistic and disturbing make-up effects, a heightened brutality factor, and a visual style that falls more in line with Dawn and Day of the Dead. In its unbridled portrayal of a harsher world, this updated version of the black & white classic comes off as a perfect companion to Romero’s later entries in the series and fits quite nicely in the stylistic flow of things.

Just like its predecessor, The Night of the Living Dead remake went on to inspire pop culture, infecting a particular classic zombie video game franchise known as Resident Evil. There are numerous examples in the game that seem ripped right out of the look and feel of Savini’s version, especially when it comes to the inventive angles and the aesthetic style of the farmhouse’s creepy staircase with rotten corpses strewn about in various locations. What is most strange about this 1990 entry is that if you were to have played the game before watching the film, you would have sworn that Savini was borrowing heavily from the video game franchise, because the film really does feel like a live action version of the game. With its distinct feel and deadly serious approach, the Night of the Living Dead remake is a crowning achievement in cinematic reiterations and the film is a poster child for the correct way to pay homage to a classic property that still manages to maintain a unique vision of its own while staying true to the source material.

Night of the Living Dead is a retread of a classic film that defies the impossible in the fact that it delivers all the goods while adding its own twist to the formula. The ensemble cast is outstanding and each actor takes on their perspective character with a heightened sense of composure and adamant spirit. Patricia Tallman, Tony Todd, and Tom Towles especially bring the thunder, making for a collection of fully realized characters that really inject a shot of life into the production.

Toppled onto that, the film is filled to the brim with horrifically imagined zombies, grotesque special effects work, and a violent temperament that skyrockets the visceral nature of the story to unparalleled levels. Obstinate in its delivery and confident in its execution, Night of the Living Dead is a retelling that truly goes above and beyond the call of duty in bringing to light a zombie film that replicates the success of the original while at the same time allowing itself to branch out in new and uncharted territories. The fact that the tone and feel of the film matches that of Romero’s last two entries in the trilogy is just an added bonus and a cherry on this deliciously grotesque cake. If you love zombies and you’re equally fond of the universe that Romero has set up, then you owe it to yourself to get lost in this horrific epic. Night of the Living Dead is a…..

Screw the zombies! I'm gonna get your ass Barbara!

Now this is why it's not a good idea to give zombies piggy back rides.

Thanks for the ride lady!

Damn I hate bald zombies! Shit! There's one right behind me isn't there?

What's the matter Candyman?

Get off your lazy zombie ass and get a job!

Damn you! You blew it up! God damn you all to HELL!

Someone give this guy a hand.

I'm watching you.... you bunch of Yo Yo's!

Don't mess with Barbara.

These zombies just don't know when to take a hint.

Who the hell invited zombie Ghandi?!?!?!

Someone should tell this guy that you can't get reception in a basement.
DICKHEAD!!!!!!!

Light em up! Smoke if you got em.

The perfect example on how not to pump gas.

It's dinner time!

Get that shit out of my face!

Look! It's the County Fair!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

REVIEW: Exit Humanity

Exit Humanity
Director: John Geddes
Year 2011

Exit Humanity is a fantastic zombie film that takes a more personal approach to the outbreak of rising corpses as it shows what happens to a man after he loses everything that is important to him. Set in the brutal past and juxtaposed against the tension-filled moments that followed the American Civil War, the film relishes in the parallels of human regression with the loss of morality during wartime and the prejudice that is born when man doesn’t see eye to eye. With a tone and approach that is as serious as a heart attack, the film relies on its overwhelming atmosphere and excruciatingly emotional story to paint a horrific and bloody painting of survival and redemption amongst the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse. Lovers of thought-provoking zombie tales take notice, because this one is a winner.

The film is culled from the writings of a man named Edward Young, an ex soldier who after surviving the harsh and visceral battlefields of the Civil War, is faced with a new and more frightening situation in the form of the walking dead. After his family succumbs to the zombie plague, Edward sets out on his own in order to cast his son’s ashes, but gets unexpectedly swept up in a twisted set of situations that awaken his true calling and destiny in life. Like a cold and calculating bringer of death, Edward destroys any zombie he sets his eyes on, that is until he runs into a few survivors that begin to instill in him a new sense of hope and meaning, which could possibly bring him back from the brink and into a new world of promise. Exit Humanity is a story of love and humanity lost, but within the ashes of this broken world there is a glimmer of hope that begs the question, can we start over and not make the same mistakes?

Mark Gibson plays the role of Edward Young, the emotionally battered and broken young man who finds himself all alone in a world overrun by the undead. With this demanding character, Gibson was issued a great challenge in carrying much of the first half of the film’s weight, seeing that it focuses solely on his struggles in coming to terms with losing his wife and son. Gibson does a tremendous job with the material and you can see the sense of loss in his eyes as he struggles with all that is happening around him. The beginning portions of the film have him emotionally irate and devastated as he tackles the death of his family, while the middle portions of the film have him interacting with fellow survivors, giving his character a much needed sense of life and purpose, which was lacking in the opening sections of the movie. Once the third act sets in, he drastically changes back to the savage and emotionally strained man that we are first introduced to, but this time the portrayal that Gibson has on display is much more at peace with himself, making for an unsettling character turn that truly seems void of compassion and sympathy. This of course happens with good reason, and the savage act that sets him into this hate-filled stupor is the catalyst that brings this film to a climactic end. Gibson does remarkable work with this character and he handles the ups and downs that the role demands with immense skill and heralded compassion.

As with most well developed zombie films, the cast for this film is both diverse and saturated with interesting characters, giving a tasty variety for the flesh eating ghouls to possibly feast on. First off we have Adam Seybold who plays Isaac, a random stranger that Edward comes into contact with early on in the film and becomes trusted friends with. As a fairly unknown actor, Seybold does a great job with the role and makes his character quite endearing and memorable. Jordan Hayes plays the role of Isaac’s sister, Emma, who harbors a secret that could turn the tide in this zombie uprising. Hayes takes on her role in a wonderfully underplayed way, allowing the softness of her character to shine as she shows a great deal of compassion throughout the film. The last three main hitters of the film are veterans of the genre and each one of them brings a sense of prestige to the proceedings. Dee Wallace plays the role of Eve, an eccentric witch who is an outcast from the rest of the surrounding community. As always Dee is exceptionally good in the role and her story is a sympathetic one which helps to flesh out the history of all that is happening within the story. Stephen McHattie plays the role of Medic Johnson, a man desperately trying to find a cure to the zombie outbreak. McHattie flourishes as the obscure doctor who tirelessly searches for the answers to this horrible nightmare, even if he is forced to do it at the expense of his life. Last but definitely not least is Bill Moseley who takes on the viscous role of General Williams, a confederate leader who believes that the zombie plague can be controlled and used for his own personal gain. Moseley is known for his wild characters and explosive cinematic portrayals, but in this film he plays a rather laid back sort of madman, who though completely out of his mind, is rather relatable and sympathetic considering the circumstances. All in all, the cast is impressive for such a low budget production.

With Exit Humanity having a good portion of its heritage stemming from zombie lore, the film does a great service to the genre by including a story that is both dead serious and multifaceted. Much like George A. Romero’s body of work, the film has a duel meaning that can be viewed as metaphorical as well as a straight forwarded horror yarn. In Exit Humanity, director John Geddes establishes a cinematic world that is divided in two senses. In one aspect, the people of this film are separated by a Civil War that has torn their country in half, and in another sense the zombie uprising has placed them on opposing sides of a new war which places them on the lower portion of the food chain, pitting the living against the dead. The thematic notion that the dead are coming back to life and trying to devour the living, makes for a great comparison to the brother against brother mentality that the Civil War brought about when it erupted into the lives of all who were involved. It’s this perfect setting and conflicted time period that makes Exit Humanity so believable in conception and execution. The zombie uprising seems fitting in this place in time, and I for one really appreciated the added depth that combining these two separate, yet ridiculously similar beasts, together for an extremely gut wrenching spectacle that rises far above its meager budget.

The inclusion of a heavy-handed and emotional story-arc is also another one of the film’s shining aspects, and the implementing of this serious tone forces the audience to stop and take notice, reflecting on who and what they would lose if placed in the same situation. Some of the moments in this film are truly heartbreaking, giving the film a visceral feel that has been sadly missing in zombie film as of late. The harshness of this cinematic world is also rather potent and by taking this hardened route, the movie comes out better for it. When a horror film has you pondering on what you would do and how you would react with all that is going on in the story, then you know you are doing something right, especially if it unsettles you enough to make you cringe in personal reflection. This film does that and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

One other notable positive about the film is that it looks absolutely spectacular. From the rustic setting of the Civil War era, to the ghastly look of the plethora of walking corpses that litter this film, the movie’s visuals are exceptional in that creepy decaying sort of way. Thankfully when it comes to the zombies, the emphasis is on the classic, slow moving variety, and these creatures are admirably respectable to the genre and never try to overshadow the fact that these are rotting corpses and nothing more. The make-up work in this film is frighteningly simplistic, yet perfectly measured in delivering the spine tingling chills that come from witnessing a soulless embodiment of a human being as it closes in to satisfy its insatiable hunger for flesh. There may not be too much to talk about on the gore side of things, but the film generates enough doom-filled atmosphere to satisfy any fan of the zombie genre.

Exit Humanity is an accomplished zombie film that lovingly introduces us to a time period in history that never was, but truly feels like it has existed in some plain of existence. By combining the turbulent times that the Civil War brought about with the turmoil that occurs when the dead walk the earth, the film balances these two separate entities and perfectly melds them into one cohesive union that simply feels just right. The earth shattering revelation of brother against brother that bombarded the American Civil War is mirrored skillfully into the fabrics of the zombie film formula making it seem like a perfect fit, and truthfully, the two concepts bond into a flawless union.

Rarely do zombie films opt to go the serious route, but Exit Humanity delivers a story that is both engaging and emotionally rewarding as it delves into the human condition and the moral and philosophical pitfalls that befall the main characters of the piece. With a stellar cast across the board and a look and feel that truly captures the decaying nature of a world turned to shit, the film is exquisitely showcased and tonally sound, making for a horror entry that is both thought provoking and frightening. I thoroughly enjoyed my zombie romp with this film and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes their zombie stories to be serious and meaningful. Check it out! Exit Humanity is an…..