DVDead Selections

Not much to go into here...four flicks, all of which have "dead" in the title. And, surprisingly, they aren't all horror movies.

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Dead and Breakfast (2004)

Expectations Going In: When you've got a terrible pun in the title of a horror movie, things do not bode well. Really just hoping it's so bad that the mockability factor make it enjoyable...I do like a cheesy flick. There will probably be a bunch of young actors I don't know...then one fairly well-known (though not recently employed) actor that makes an appearance.

What I Got: Well, this was not at all what I expected...but that's what I get when I rent a film without reading the description. I had assumed that this was a slasher flick, with a handful of young guys and gals getting bumped off one-by-one at a creepy bed and breakfast. Instead, it involved an evil Tibetan spirit getting unleashed on an unsuspecting town, turning all the locals (both the living and the dead) into a mob of possessed homicidal psychopaths. Plus, ended up being a lot more tongue-in-cheek than I had anticipated.

Familiar Faces: I was right on one count, though...this had a lot of people I didn't recognize in it. But there were also a lot of familiar faces that had brief cameos: David Carradine, Portia de Rossi, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Diedrick Bader. In addition, Jeremy Sisto had a pretty major role in the flick.

And I Quote: Lisa: "Would you mind telling me what in the Sam Hill is going on around here?" The Drifter: "I don't think you would believe me if I told you." Lisa: "Friend, after what I've seen tonight, you could tell me an evil spirit rose up from the dead and decided to possess the entire town and I would believe you." The Drifter: [Awkward silence]

Random Trivia: Thirty-four gallons of "blood" were used over the course of the shoot.

Top IMDB Keywords: Bed and Breakfast; Heart Attack; Bad Teeth; Shot in the Forehead; Blood Bath

Curt's Take: Not a Priority - Although I was taken off-guard by this, and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought it was...it stops short of getting a rating of Worth Considering. It's still not THAT great...but I was glad to see that it didn't take itself too seriously.

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Dead Alive (1992)

Expectations Going In: Well, I know this is directed by Peter Jackson...and I've had friends give me a range of opinion on it, from it being an excellent cult classic of the horror genre to it beign one of the worse movies around. So, either way, I figure it's about high time I saw it.

What I Got: Wow. Just...wow. This has to be one of the goriest, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek flicks I've ever seen. The contagious bite of a Sumatran rat-monkey wreaks all flavors of havoc on a small New Zealand town, turning many of its inhabitants into flesh-eating monsters...leaving Lionel, our hero, and Paquita, a local grocer, to save the day.

Familiar Faces: None that you'd recognize on-screen...but as I mentioned above, Peter Jackson is director.

And I Quote: Paquita: "Your mother ate my dog!" Lionel: "Not all of it..."

Random Trivia: The movie is said to be the bloodiest of all time, as measured by the amount of film blood used during production. In fact, during the final scene, 300 liters of fake blood were used.

Top IMDB Keywords: Zombie; Love; Monkey; Zoo; New Zealand

Curt's Take: Must See - If you have any affinity at all for horror movies, you have to see this one, both for Peter Jackson's involvement and for what is simply an iconic masterpiece of tongue-in-cheek horror. I honestly can't believe I'd gone this long without seeing one of the most over-the-top zombie flicks in history. I do have to say, though, if you can't stand horror flicks and/or get squeamish at the site of blood and gore, you may want to pass on this one. But if you've always wanted to plow into a bunch of zombies holding a lawnmower aloft in front of you...then this should be on your list. Well done, Mr. Jackson...well done, indeed.

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Dead Man's Shoes (2004)

Expectations Going In: I'm watching this at the recommendation of Nick, head of the creative department where I work. I really don't know much about this, except that he told me it's pretty powerful stuff. He's a Brit, though...so we'll see what that means. Nick: Told you I'd get around to watching this, mate!

What I Got: An interesting revenge film in which Richard, a soldier, returns to his small hometown to get even with the local thugs that had been brutalizing his mentally-changed brother. Definitely goes to show that you shouldn't dish it out if you can't take it.

Familiar Faces: You've got several UK actors in this, but nobody you'd likely recognize.

And I Quote: Richard: "God will forgive them. He'll forgive them and allow them into heaven. I can't live with that."

Random Trivia: When Richard breaks into the apartment and spraypaints "Cheyne Stoking" on the wall, this is a reference to the name of the breathing pattern that is a sign of impending death in very sick patients.

Top IMDB Keywords: Brother; Revenge; Anger; Punishment; Home Movie Footage

Curt's Take: Worth Considering - I like a good revenge film. And, all things considered, this was a pretty good revenge film. Although it wasn't the main thrust of the film, I found myself really drawn to the idea that, no matter how big a fish you are in your pond, odds are there are bigger fish in bigger ponds somewhere else out there...and you best not mess with them. The accents made following along tough at a couple points, but I still was able to keep up. So you if you're looking for an engaging flick and stumble upon this one, I'd say it's worth checking out.

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Dead Fish (2004)

Expectations Going In: Absolutely none. I only rented this to get a fourth film with "dead" in the title. So we'll see...

What I Got: An okay comic crime caper flick...but nothing remarkable.

Familiar Faces: A few unknowns, but you'd definitely recognize Gary Oldman and probably Billy Zane.

And I Quote: Abe: "I am Abe Klein. Today is my 21st birthday and it's the worst day of my entire life."

Top IMDB Keywords:Pregnancy; England; Dominatrix; Murder; Cell Phone

Curt's Take: Not a Priority -As you may tell by the brevity of the above commentary, this just didn't make a big impression on me. The cell phone of a young man and an assassin accidentally get swapped and hilarity supposedly ensues in the resulting confusion. It didn't completely suck, but definitely isn't something I'd go out of my way to see.