Blu-ray Review: The Guardians

The Guardians is a beautiful film about a farming family in France during the World War I, showing how war affects those who remain at home as well as those who are off doing the fighting. It stars Nathalie Baye as Hortense, the matriarch who struggles to keep the family business going at a time when modernization is beginning, and Iris Bry as Francine, the young woman who is hired on for the harvest.

The film opens quietly with the camera moving over several dead soldiers on the battlefield, their faces hidden behind gas masks, smoke still present in the air. We are then taken to the farm, where Hortense works the fields. Constant, one of her sons, returns home on leave from the military, visits the school where he was employed as a teacher before the war, and spends a brief time with his family. He talks little of the war, only giving little snippets of the mood of the soldiers. The talk is more about the harvest and about modernizing the farm, getting machinery like tractors to ease Hortense’s burden. And then he is gone again. The shot of him walking away along the dirt road into the distant haze is excellent, the haze reminding us of the smoke from the first shot. He is heading back to the war, and it’s like he’s there already, as soon as his back is turned on his home, his family, and his walking into the smoke gives us the sensation that he going to his death. The shot is allowed to go on until he is out of sight, fading into a ghost-like realm. The film has many beautiful and meaningful shots like that.

When Francine, the farmhand that Hortense hires, arrives, she is accompanied by some light, innocent-sounding music from the film’s score, as if perhaps some joy has arrived to the farm. She immediately proves herself to be a diligent and conscientious worker, and we see her going about her duties on the farm, along with Hortense and Hortense’s daughter Solange (Laura Smet). The details are wonderful, and so much is shown without dialogue. But of course always in the background is the war, and thoughts of the men are in the faces of the women as they work the harvest. And suddenly Clovis (Solange’s husband) returns on leave, expressing the futility and madness of the war. It’s harsh, because every time a man is home, he knows he’ll have to soon return to the fighting. The women know it too. There is never any talk of deserting. There is a strange, quiet acceptance, as well as a fear that hangs over the home. And the longer the war goes on, the more intense that sense becomes.

Hortense’s other son, Georges (Cyril Descours), arrives from leave, and this is a moment when we see Hortense beaming with joy and pride. It soon becomes clear that Georges and Francine have taken an interest in each other, and a relationship develops. As I mentioned earlier, the film has some absolutely beautiful shots. Who thought a shot of two hands on a large rock could be so affecting? And the scene where Hortense learns that one of the men of her family has been killed is heart-rending. That entire scene is accomplished with just two short sentences. And still, the work must go on. They show resilience in the face of loss. But there is also a hardness there, which develops and ultimately affects Francine’s fate.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains several special features, including a Q&A with director Xavier Beauvois. Beauvois talks about the book the film is based on, and about dealing with war on film. This is approximately twenty minutes. There are two interviews conducted during the French Film Festival, presented in French with English subtitles. The first is with cinematographer Caroline Champetier. She talks about how this was the first movie that Xavier Beauvois shot digitally, and how he had suggested that she explore the early works of Van Gogh before beginning work on this movie. This interview is approximately twelve minutes. The second interview is with actor Nicolas Giraud, who talks about his experience working on the film, and about the scene where he goes to the classroom. He also discusses the current problem with gun violence. This interview is approximately fourteen minutes.

The special features also contain a segment with Michel Legrand on the film’s music, as well as some of the audition footage and an interview with Gilbert Bonneau, who talks about his life. An outtake with Gilbert Bonneau is also included. And we get the film’s trailer.

There is also a booklet, which contains notes from the producer and the director, as well as an interview with the director.

The Guardians was directed by Xavier Beauvois, and was released on Blu-ray on September 11, 2018 through Music Box Films. The film is presented in French, with optional English subtitles.

Blu-ray Review: Pickings

Pickings is a suspenseful tale about a female bar owner who runs afoul of some gangsters when she refuses to go along with their racket. It stars Elyse Price as Jo Lee-Hayward, who is trying to raise her three children and keep her business afloat without resorting to tactics from her past. But when the criminal element threatens not only her business, but also her children, she has little choice. This movie uses elements of westerns and film noir, along with comic book-type images.

As the film opens, we see a man who’s been tied to a chair and beaten, yet who retains something of an attitude, telling the woman in the shadows that she is going to pay for what she did. The woman, Jo (Elyse Price), is unfazed by his threat, of course, in part probably because of the joint she’s smoking. She offers the man a bit of pop psychology as she pulls a pistol from under her red dress and loads it, taunting him and calling herself a “demon queen” before shooting him. The opening credit sequence is cool, the artwork giving it a stylish flavor. That sort of artwork, however, is used throughout the film, where it feels more like a gimmick than a necessary ingredient.

We then are introduced to Linda, a bar owner who is late on her payment to the gangsters, and so soon receives a visit from them. Sam Barone, the main bad guy of the group, appears in black and white, which feels like another gimmick. Also, his name appears on screen, and his sidekicks are likewise identified. We’ve seen that sort of thing in other films, of course. And the villains seem a bit goofy, like posers rather than truly dangerous men. It is a bit of style over substance, yes, but not enough to pull me out of the story. This scene, however, is there only to establish the bad guys and their tactics, for Linda plays no further part in the story. We return to Jo’s world, seeing her having breakfast with her three children at home, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Pickings, by the way, is the name of the pub that she runs with her oldest daughter, Scarlet (Katie Vincent, who also did the music for the film), and it isn’t long before two men show up there to shake her down for money, frightening Scarlet in the process. It is after closing, and I have to wonder why Scarlet didn’t simply lock the door. Jo isn’t one to be threatened, and something within her has awakened, and, with a bit of help from her brother Boone (Joel Bernard), she eliminates the threat. This leads us back to the film’s opening scene. It also, of course, raises the ire of the crime boss, who is a stereotype, seated in the shadows, smoking a cigar. And we know Jo’s troubles are only beginning.

Elyse Price gives an excellent performance as Jo. She’s sexy and cool, but even more exciting to watch in her vulnerable moments, like, for example, when her young son tells her he was watching on the monitor when she shot one of the villains. The fear and concern on her face, and the way she just nods her head a bit before finding her voice to answer his question “They were bad guys, right?” is so effective at drawing us to her, making us care about her. The film also boasts some intriguing shots, like when Jo calls her sister, and half of each woman’s face fills the screen, her sister’s face then obscured by blurry drops of water until Jo hangs up without speaking. Another cool shot is when Scarlet is talking to her brother outside, and in the background and out of focus a figure comes rushing up behind them. The most effective and moving scenes for me are those between Jo and Scarlet.

Where the film loses me is – and forgive me, but there is no way to talk about this without giving away a key plot point – when the villains murder Jo’s son and kidnap Scarlet. If it had just been the kidnaping, it would be believable and exciting. But once a child is murdered, nothing feels right about any of the remaining characters’ behavior. I mean, this is the point where the police would become involved, regardless of Jo’s wish to keep her past a secret. In fact, for the rest of the film all I am thinking about is what Jo has done with her son’s body. Where is it? If she hasn’t called the police, what has she done with the body? And in a reverse shot, we see how close the neighbors’ houses are. Wouldn’t a murder in the front yard in the daytime have caused alarm among the neighbors? There is actually a lot of gun play in this movie, and no police ever show up. Like I said, if it had just been the kidnaping, the rest would be believable. But the movie went a step too far. I think Jo would have gone completely mad at the death of her son, and wouldn’t have been able to put a revenge plan into play as she does. Also, did the criminals really think she was going to do business with them after they killed her son? It’s completely unbelievable.

But the film is still worth watching, in large part because of the performances of Elyse Price and Katie Vincent. I love watching the changes that Scarlet goes through as the film progresses.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains several bonus features, including a commentary track by writer/director/producer Usher Morgan. He talks about the locations, the look of the film, and the choices he made with regards to shots. He does explain his reasons for presenting the character of Sam in black and white, and he does talk about the influence of Kill Bill on the film. Interestingly, once he gets a shot the way he wants it, he does another take allowing the actors to improvise some dialogue. And some of that ended up in the film. The commentary track isn’t listed in the special features menu, but I accessed it by playing the film and pressing the “audio” button.

There are also two deleted scenes, the first being more with Jimmy tied to the chair, begging to be let go and also making more threats. The second deleted scene is Scarlet performing a song at the bar, while one of the villains enters. A short promotional behind-the-scenes featurette is also included, as well as the music video for Katie Vincent’s song, “The Way It Goes.” The special features also include “The Mop,” which is a scene created for the fake movie playing on the television during an early sequence in the film.

Pickings was written and directed by Usher Morgan, and was released on Blu-ray on August 10, 2018.

Blu-ray Review: Maniac 3-Disc Limited Edition

Parents should be aware that whatever happens to children can shape the rest of their lives, sometimes with disastrous results. It’s a lesson illustrated in several horror films, including the 1980 movie Maniac, which has now been re-issued as a special three-disc Blu-ray edition, with new 4K restoration. It stars Joe Spinell as Frank, a man whose childhood trauma still affects him in ways he doesn’t quite understand, in ways he cannot control, in ways that horrify him, in ways that mean death for several unsuspecting people in New York. Joe Spinell also co-wrote the screenplay.

The film begins from Frank’s perspective, as he watches a couple on an otherwise deserted beach. They are soon killed, and the man’s scream becomes Frank’s scream, as he suddenly sits up in bed. Was it all just a nightmare? Or a memory? It’s unclear at first, but what seems clear is that the corpse of a woman is next to him in bed. We then see that the corpse is actually a mannequin, just one of many dolls in Frank’s apartment, though one that is covered in blood. Frank quietly gets dressed and leaves, several keys visible in a case by the door, one of many intriguing details of his home. That’s the movie’s excellent opening sequence, turning a somewhat ordinary slasher scene into something far more disturbing and odd and unexpected. We have come to expect horror movies to go from those opening scenes of murder to tranquil daytime scenes in a town or something. This film doesn’t bother with that. It goes from that opening murder scene to a more eerie scene in the killer’s apartment. And in fact, after this sequence Frank goes out and almost immediately finds another victim.

What is also interesting and unusual about this is that the killer is actually the film’s protagonist. We are dropped into this guy’s world. And it is through his eyes and from his perspective that we experience the story, which leaves us feeling uneasy. He is not the sort of mindless monster that often populates slasher films. In fact, he is a sad and pathetic figure, particularly as he asks a prostitute to pose for him like the women in magazines. Is this the only way he can attempt to connect to women? Of course, he soon kills her, and as he strangles her he sees her as another woman. And when he is done, he is immediately horrified and upset. That, however, does not stop him from scalping her.

One day in the park he sees a beautiful photographer named Anna (Caroline Munro), who happens to snap his picture. He glances at the tag on her bag to get her address, and we assume she will be his next victim. But the film offers more surprises. When he shows up at her house, she is not startled or worried. And it seems he believes he’s found a kindred spirit. When he’s with her, we see a different side of his personality, a more normal side. It’s interesting that we get to know his violent, crazy side long before seeing anything ordinary about him, sort of the opposite of what many films do. But it is the more violent aspects of his personality that are dominant, and his past is never too far from Frank’s mind, as we learn when he pulls a photo of his mother from his jacket pocket while on a date, or from what he tells a model after tying her up.

There are some bits of odd humor in the film. For example, Frank keeps a naked doll in a bird cage, and at one point offers it a cracker. Also, another couple who have just met pull off the side of the road to fool around. The woman says, about the roadside rest stop, “This is really a nice place, isn’t it?” She then asks, “Do you come here a lot?” But the overall tone of the film is dark and serious and sad and unsettling. And there are some seriously frightening moments. The man in that scene, by the way, is played by Tom Savini, who is also responsible for the film’s special effects makeup. Some of the scenes from this film are famous, like the shotgun scene. But for me, one of the more compelling images is that of Frank in bed, handcuffing himself to a mannequin and crying, “I’m so happy.” This movie is so effective in large part because of Joe Spinell’s performance.

Disc 1 Special Features

This three-disc set contains a whole lot of bonus material. The first disc contains two commentary tracks. The first is by producer/director William Lustig and producer Andrew W. Carroni, and it was recorded in July of 2010. Lustig mentions that the opening shots are a nod to Jaws. They talk a lot about Joe Spinell. They tell several interesting anecdotes, such as the one about police coming into the hotel while they were shooting there, and about how a music cue from this film ended up in Saturday Night Live. They also tell some of the lessons learned from the making of this film.  The second commentary is by William Lustig, Tom Savini and editor Lorenzo Marinelli. They go over a lot of the same material, but offer different details and thoughts, and talk about Cannes.

The first disc also includes seven different trailers for the film, nine television commercials and four radio spots.

Disc 2: Special Features

The second disc includes a lot of great material. There are outtakes from the film, footage recently found in a warehouse. William Lustig provides audio commentary for this footage, which includes some great stuff shot on the streets of New York, plus other special effects makeup shots. There are some shots that Lustig says he wishes he used in the film. On the first disc’s commentary tracks, Lustig mentions how Joe Spinell would write funny things on the card in the hotel scene to make William laugh. Well, in these outtakes, we see a moment of that. We also get some shots of the details of Frank’s apartment. There are approximately nineteen minutes of outtakes.

Returning To The Scene Of The Crime has director William Lustig revisiting the locations of the film, while talking about the experience. Things certainly have changed. This is approximately eight minutes. Anna And The Killer is an interview with Caroline Munro, in which she talks about Maniac and how she got the role. She also mentions that she wanted to be an artist, not a model or actor. This is approximately thirteen minutes. There is also an interview with Tom Savini, in which he talks about the special effects makeup, particularly about the shotgun scene. That interview is approximately twelve minutes. Dark Notes is an interview with composer Jay Chattaway, in which he mentions how the music was designed to get you into the head of the main character. He talks a bit about his career leading up to Maniac. Maniac Men is an interview with songwriters Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky, in which they talk about the song “Maniac” from Flashdance. They then perform the song, with lyrics more fitting to the film Maniac.

The second disc also includes The Joe Spinell Story, a documentary by David Gregory that features interviews with friends, family and co-workers including Bill Lustig, Robert Forster, Caroline Munro and Jason Miller. The story of his Joe Spinell’s pay for The Godfather is crazy, and the footage of Spielberg is great. I need to see The Last Horror Film. There are some interesting anecdotes about it here. The documentary is approximately forty-nine minutes.

The promo reel for Mr. Robbie: Maniac 2 is included. And there is a radio interview with William Lustig, Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro, with a promotional spot for it playing first. Another cool special feature is an episode of Movie Madness from 1981 featuring William Lustig. On this program, he talks about some of the city fears the film touches upon, and about the criticism of horror films like Maniac. This is a show where people call in with questions, and not all who call in are fans of the film.

There is a very short interview with Joe Spinell at Cannes, as well as a brief interview with Caroline Munro. There is also a segment from The Joe Franklin Show on which Spinell appears. Interestingly, in that segment, they talk about Shakespeare. There is a short and goofy segment with Katie Kelly, a movie critic who talks about her new review policy in which she will give a certain number of barf bags to each film. Also included is a Q&A shot at The New Beverly here in Los Angeles, in which they talk about the shotgun scene and about the guy who designed Frank’s apartment. Of course, I’m wondering how I missed that screening of Maniac. I used to go to the New Bev all the time. Anyway, that feature is approximately twenty-two minutes. This second disc also contains a still gallery of 123 photos, including behind-the-scenes shots and poster artwork. Finally, there is a section of television reviews and reports on the film’s controversy. Yeah, this disc contains several hours of bonus material.

Disc 3: Soundtrack

The third disc is an audio CD containing the film’s soundtrack, which is approximately thirty-three minutes. There are some sound effects too, such as at the beginning of “Maniac’s Theme,” the first track. That theme is wonderfully creepy and sad. This is actually a really good soundtrack, surprisingly powerful and even startling at times. It is especially effective if you give it some volume. By the way, Frank’s voice over is included.

This set also includes a booklet with an article by Michael Gingold titled “Maniacs That Might Have Been” and several photos.

This special 3-disc edition of Maniac was released on December 11, 2018 through Blue Underground. Blue Underground also recently released a special limited edition of Zombie. I’m hoping they’ll be putting out a lot more of these great packages.

Blu-ray Review: Lady Street Fighter

When I expressed the opinion that Wonder Woman is an absolutely terrible film (which it is), I was accused by one guy I know of being a misogynist. His idea was that the movie was good simply because it was directed by a woman and starred a woman, and thus anyone who disliked it must logically also dislike women. (No, this guy was not the brightest person I’d ever met.) I’m glad women are getting more chances to make films, but that factor alone doesn’t necessarily make the resulting films any good. And, hey, decades before Wonder Woman was released, Renee Harmon was writing, producing and starring in her own films. Films such as Lady Street Fighter, which was recently released on Blu-ray in a new 2K transfer. I would like to hear the guy’s opinion of this one.

When the film opens, we see a woman, shirtless, tied to a table. A man is interrogating her, while another man watches, casually drinking and smoking, as if this woman’s beating were a mild form of entertainment. The woman, by the way, is played by Renee Harmon. Another surprising element is that the music playing isn’t the score, but rather comes from the radio next to the seated man, and at one point he changes the station. It’s creepy that he’s playing music while a woman is being tortured and – perhaps accidentally – killed. Odd too is the question that is put to her: “Where is the dog?” It’s a fairly jolting opening.

We then meet Linda (also played by Renee Harmon), who arrives at the airport, a plush dog visible in her bag. It’s not long before men are trying to kill her too. But Linda, who is the first woman’s twin sister, fights back. Meanwhile, an undercover agent is sent to obtain a secret master file, which is supposedly being smuggled out of the country a little bit at a time. Linda calls the undercover agent, arranges to meet him at a club, but then spies two guys outside the club getting into a car, and decides to follow them instead. And soon she is in a gun fight and then a car chase. The undercover cop, who swears he loves Linda, also vows to kill her. And at one point, Linda notices some strange stitching on the plush dog, so tears it open to find a cassette inside. She plays the cassette, which has a message from her sister in which she says she found a tape inside the dog. It’s a little confusing. Apparently, the sister found a cassette inside a plush toy, took it out, recorded a message for her sister on it, then sewed it back inside. All the while, Liz Renay is doing a strip act, and a few men are chanting “Toga, toga, toga.” There are also a couple of karate fights in this film.

The acting is uneven, the plot is clunky, there is some bad dialogue (lines like “Shut up and talk” and “I want your shoes, I want your feet” had me laughing), and occasionally Renee Harmon looks directly into the camera, but in spite of all that (or perhaps because of all that), the movie is fun. There is some strange humor, like that phone-licking bit, and the guy who is burning to death using his last bit of strength to give Linda the finger. And that is some of the stuff that makes this film worth checking out. It is certainly not the usual fare. And I love the cute girl with the leash, that whole bit during the party scene.

Special Features

This Blu-ray contains a commentary track by director James Bryan, moderated by a guy from the American Genre Film Archive. They start by talking about the actor Trace Carradine being invented for this film. James Bryan says Renee Harmon wrote the script around the actors, who essentially paid to be in the film. He also tells the story of Harmon using and smashing her husband’s car for a scene. They do talk about the timeline, the shooting schedule and release dates. It was shot in March of 1975, and released in 1977 (not 1981, as listed on various sites online). Though I do have to wonder about that, as one extra is wearing a Van Halen T-shirt. What year was that logo seen on the band’s first album created? They also talk about Revenge Of Lady Street Fighter, and how it was originally only released in South Korea.

The Blu-ray also includes a collection of trailers for films like Force: Five, Force Four, Zebra Force, The Muthers and Sister Street Fighter.

But the main special feature is actually a second feature film, Revenge Of Lady Street Fighter. This, of course, is the first chance most of us have had to enjoy this sequel to Lady Street Fighter. At the beginning of the movie, Linda’s niece Wanda (who goes by the name Wendy) is with a man at a diner, and Linda enters, bleeding from a stab wound. She hands Wanda her memoirs, telling her that men are after them. But Wanda herself is soon grabbed and blindfolded, and brought to a secret location where agents begin telling her Linda’s story. And that’s when we begin to get footage from the first movie, giant chunks of it. We even get the film’s opening scene, which is about Linda’s twin sister, not about Linda. One shot from the first film is even used twice in this one. Geez. “It gets boring after a while,” one of the agents says. Indeed. What is the point of this film? And what is this revenge promised in its title? Who knows?

This Blu-ray release also includes a booklet with an essay by Annie Choi titled  “Get Out Of Her Way: The Legacy Of Lady Street Fighter.”

Lady Street Fighter was directed by James Bryan, and was released on Blu-ray on August 14, 2018 through American Genre Film Archive and MVD Visual.

Blu-ray Review: Zombie 3-Disc Limited Edition

My girlfriend has occasionally remarked disparagingly on my love for horror films. But then – shockingly – she watched a full season of The Walking Dead with me. Well, I thought, if she’s okay with zombie horror, then she should watch some of the really good zombie movies. Now, with the release of the three-disc limited edition of Lucio Fulci’s Zombie, she has the perfect opportunity to watch one of the best films of the genre, and in a new 4K restoration, which looks fantastic. Also known as Zombi 2 (in Italy) and Zombie Flesh Eaters (in England), Zombie stars Tisa Farrow, Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, Al Cliver and Auretta Gay.

Right from that excellent opening moment where a gun is pointed at us, but then fires into the head of someone tied up in a sheet, this movie has me. The shooter announces that the boat can now leave. Then, after the opening credits, we see what seems to be an unmanned boat entering the New York harbor. When two harbor patrol men board the vessel, they discover someone is on the boat, just no one who is alive. After one of them is killed by the zombie, the other shoots the zombie several times until it falls overboard. There is a great shot when the zombie falls into the water: the camera pans up from the water to the city, indicating that the trouble is only beginning, that now everyone there is in danger. That’s something about this horror film. It is thoughtfully and beautifully photographed.

Anne Bowles (Tisa Farrow) is the daughter of the man who owned the boat, and she is determined to learn what became of her father. She begins sneaking around, trying to gather information. Peter West (Ian McCulloch) is a reporter who is also interested in the story, and the two join forces. There is another excellent shot when Peter is on the phone with his boss, reading the letter he found on the boat. The letter was written to Anne from her father, and while he reads it, Anne stands next to him. The camera starts on Peter, pulls back wider to include Anne, then pushes in on her, focusing on her reaction to her father’s last words to her, words about contracting a mysterious disease. What’s also interesting is that this horror film begins as if it were a crime drama. And as the two travel to the island where Anne’s father was working, we get the sense that trouble is brewing in New York, since the coast guard officer who was bitten by the zombie won’t remain still during his own autopsy.

Peter and Anne convince a couple on vacation to take them to the island on their boat. The movie has some awesome underwater photography, with sharks and nude scuba diving. And the sharks aren’t the only dangerous creatures down there. This whole sequence is fantastic and surprising. Meanwhile, the natives on the island are not doing well. Dr. Menard (Richard Johnson) is trying to learn the scientific cause of the troubles, but his wife is eager to just leave. Soon, of course, Peter, Anne, and the others arrive. And that’s when the real excitement begins. One unusual aspect of this film is that it is a horror movie that takes place mostly in daylight. The movie not only has plenty of excellent horror, such as that famous bit with the eye, but also quite a bit of suspense, helping to make it a favorite of the genre.

Disc 1 Special Features

This three-disc set contains a whole lot of special features. The first disc includes a brief introduction by Guillermo del Toro, and two separate commentary tracks. The first is by Troy Howarth, author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci And His Films. He talks a bit about the fact that the shark was trained and drugged. Actually more interesting are the anecdotes about the actor who couldn’t swim although she’d sworn she could. He also goes into the reasons why in Italy the film was titled Zombi 2. The second commentary track is by actor Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine editor Jason J. Slater. Ian tells an interesting anecdote about how they filmed illegally in New York, without permits. Weirdly, doing this commentary track offered him his first opportunity to see the film in its entirety.

The first disc also includes When The Earth Spits Out The Dead…, an interview with Stephen Thrower about Lucio Fulci and the film. Interestingly, Enzo Castellari turned down the project before Fulci came on board. Stephen talks about that great underwater sequence and of course that fantastic eye shot. This disc also contains two trailers, two television commercials and four radio spots. And there is a still photo gallery, including posters and lobby cards.

Disc 2 Special Features

The second disc contains a series of interviews with several people who worked on the film. Zombie Wasteland is a featurette with interviews with Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, Al Cliver and Ottaviano Dell’acqua. They talk about the film being banned, and about the effect the fans have had on them. It includes footage from a convention, and thoughts from some fans. This is approximately twenty-two minutes. Then Flesh Eaters On Film is an interview with co-producer Fabrizio De Angelis. Interestingly, he starts by saying that as an audience member, he’s not a fan of horror films because he gets too frightened. This interview is approximately ten minutes. Deadtime Stories contains interviews with co-writers Elisa Briganti and Dardano Sacchetti, who talk about how the project came about. This is approximately fourteen minutes.

World Of The Dead contains interviews with cinematographer Sergio Salvati and production designer Walter Patriarca. Salvati talks about the eye scene, and the use of several different shots, as well as about the footage from the helicopter, and how that was accomplished. Patriarca talks about the church set, and the use of a bulldozer to make it tilt. This is approximately sixteen minutes. Zombi Italiano has interviews with special effects artists Gianetto De Rossi, Maurizio Train and Gino De Rossi. They talk about the need to give the zombies a look they hadn’t had before, and about the use of worms in the makeup. They talk about the shark/zombie scene and of course the eyeball scene, and also about the bridge scene, having to create the zombies quickly for it. This is approximately seventeen minutes.

Notes On A Headstone is an interview with composer Fabio Frizzi, and is approximately seven minutes. That’s followed by All In The Family, an interview with Antonella Fulci, who talks about her father and his work. That is approximately six minutes. Zombie Love is an interview with Guillermo Del Toro in which he talks about Zombie, which he calls one of his favorite movies.

Disc 3: Soundtrack

The third disc is an audio CD containing the film’s soundtrack, approximately twenty-eight minutes of music. The first track has a pleasant, bright, cheerful island vibe. Then beginning with the second track we start getting into the creepier, more intense themes. The third track is percussion, giving the sense of impending danger, the impression of being stalked on an island. The fourth track is also percussion, but faster now, louder, like everything is closer to you. The fifth track has a more electronic, eerie sound. Then we get back into tense territory with the sixth track, which builds in intensity. The seventh track is more cool percussion. The eighth track contains the familiar theme. The CD’s final track is titled “There’s No Matter,” and is a disco song with vocals. This song quickly grew on me.

This set also includes a booklet with an article by Stephen Thrower titled “We Are Going to Eat You! Zombies Vs. The Critics.”

This special 3-disc edition of Zombie was released on November 27, 2018 through Blue Underground.