"Zombie Undead" DVD (director: Rhys Davies)

It must be said. Zombie flicks are a dime a dozen. With the success of "28 Days Later", "The Walking Dead", and "Shaun Of The Dead", there's been an alarming trend of zombie this and zombie that. Enough! This 2010 UK indie film is a prime suspect, being as generic, aimless, and pedestrian as they come.

You already know what to expect -- a terrorist attack leaves a wake of zombie plague in downtown Leicester, England. It quickly spreads to the countryside, where our heroine, Sarah (played by the positively dull Ruth King) meets up with Jay (played by writer/co-editor Kris Tearse). They walk themselves in circles, being accosted by zombies, with little to say. Bad dialogue, droll characters, no direction...I could go on. On a more positive note, there are some neat and gory corpse-munching scenes, but they are too few. Avoid this one, as it's just plain bad. (Hive Films via MVD Visual)

Hive Films site

Dan O'Bannon - "Return Of The Living Dead"

This 1985 movie was an important part of my teens...I mean, 'More brains!', split dog - this is some crazy and unforgettable stuff! Filmed in Louisville, KY, this low-budget, high-splatter remake of Romero's classic is lightweight fun, with lots of dark humor and a silly comic side. It's also known for a notable topless appearance by scream-queen Linnea Quigley (as freaky punk rock chick 'Trash').

The tale begins with a new hire at a medical supply warehouse who is informed (in confidence) that there are sealed government containers stored downstairs that contain the undead remains of the original zombies from 'Night Of The Living Dead'. As it turns out, this wasn't fiction at all. Well, accidents happen and the containers are leaked, causing the toxic re-animation gas to leak into a nearby cemetery. The undead are awakened, and their hunger for brains is insatiable. Enter fun!

The soundtrack is thoroughly 80's, but does include some righteous punk tunes by the Cramps ('Surfin' Dead'), 45 Grave, The Damned, TSOL, the Flesheaters, and Roky Erickson. Can't fault that, now can we?

Check this one out if you liked 80's splatter classics like 'Evil Dead, 'Re-Animator', or zombie flicks in general. There are some really well-done gore effects, and the campy, B-movie feel proves that this is one horror film without pretension. A superb cult classic and one that deserves it's due.