By 1989 the first wave zombie films had pretty much run its course…the Italians proved they had mastered the mindless meandering beings and outside of the Romero camp in Pittsburgh, the U.S market was pretty passé. One exception was J.R. Bookwalter and his film The Dead Next Door. Shot on Super-8 film (yes..this film is very low-budget) in Akron, Ohio, we follow a black-ops team nicknamed the “Zombie Squad” who set out to control the growing epidemic. Never taking itself too seriously, we get outlandish gore, a zombie enabling religious cult, and tons of homages to all the genre greats. It reminds me of another mico budget great, Bad Taste as well as Return of the Living Dead. Putting the obvious budget restrictions aside, Bookwalter’s debut film was a refreshing take on a tired premise.
POS
By 1989 the first wave zombie films had pretty much run its course...the Italians proved they had mastered the mindless meandering beings and outside of the Romero camp in Pittsburgh, the U.S market was pretty passé. One exception was J.R. Bookwalter and his film The Dead Next Door. Shot on Super-8 film (yes..this film is very low-budget) in Akron, Ohio, we follow a black-ops team nicknamed the “Zombie Squad” who set out to control the growing epidemic. Never taking itself too seriously, we get outlandish gore, a zombie enabling religious cult, and tons of homages to all the genre greats. It reminds me of another mico budget great, Bad Taste as well as Return of the Living Dead. Putting the obvious budget restrictions aside, Bookwalter’s debut film was a refreshing take on a tired premise.
Bruce Campbell cameo...well actually just his voice
Great gore effects to go along with a solid story
NEG
The budget...it’s rough, but after 20 minutes or so you get used to the quality
Some of the homages are forced and took me out of the film a little
