review by Owen Hughes Patron
Zombie 1980
Rewatched Jun 29, 2012
Owen Hughes’s review:
Gave it a re-watch as I couldn't really remember much about it and had recommended it to someone recently.
I still love the opening scene with the boat and the cops, it then gets a little stale for a while, but probably its 2nd most famous scene is the turning point in the film; the shark/zombie bit! The most famous, at a guess, is probably the eye gag..? Either way, it kicks the film back into life (pun intended) and from then on in it's just over-the-top levels of gore and action as they fight off the living dead.
I first saw the film on TV when it was on the Horror Channel (I think) and quite enjoyed most of it, but got a little bored. This time, I didn't. I really quite enjoyed it. The main problem was that this time, I watched it in Italian without subtitles! Didn't matter that much, I already knew the plot and, for most scenes, the dialogue is irrelevant, but I'd be lying if it didn't detract from the story not being able to understand what they were saying!! Serves me right for watching it on YouTube I guess. You can quite clearly tell what's happening anyway...
Good film, though. Probably my favourite Fulci film that I've seen, although I haven't seen a lot of them. Cat In The Brain, I'm told, is his best film..?
I love Zombie Flesh Eaters! If you want more Fulci then check out The Beyond for some really bizarre gory weirdness.
I'll look into it! In fact, it might already be on my watch list...
Going for the obvious, also try City of the Living Dead and The House By the Cemetery - www.onemetal.com/2012/05/07/the-house-by-the-cemetery/
Cheers - seen both of those. Preferred City of.. to House By.. but both were rather decent indeed.
For a bit of a giggle try The New York Ripper.
Cat in the Brain was alright, I found it a bit pretentious to be honest.
I think Zombie 2 would be my favorite Fulci, but he brought some interesting things to the spaghetti western genre in the for of Massacre Time which is worth a watch.
As for Zombie 2, the thing that stands out more than the eye scene and the zombie v shark scene is the scene near the end when the house is on fire and about half a million support beams fall from the roof, and the the house never caves in.
Haha I didn't even pick up on that, but you're right. Why didn't it collapse?!
I'm sure it all makes sense to Fulci.
If you like Fulci films then check out what I think is his best which is "house by the cemetery".. It's good!
Thanks! I've seen it already but it was quite a long time ago, it deserves a rewatch! Although I think Zombie Flesh Eaters was better...