Zombies, zombies, zombies. Some people can’t get enough of zombies, but as anyone who writes about horror knows- there sure are a lot of crappy ones out there. When even George Romero can’t make a good one, you know we’re in some tough times.
Which is why it was so surprising to see Devin’s very positive review of American Zombie a few months ago. Looks like they’ve done a film similar to Diary of the Dead, but that actually feels like a real documentary! Imagine that!
Filmmakers Grace Lee (“The Grace Lee Project”) and John Solomon (“Nonsense Man”) team up to shoot a documentary about high-functioning zombies living in Los Angeles and their struggles to gain acceptance in human society.
Despite their wildly different working styles, Grace and John manage to chronicle the hopes and dreams of four fascinating subjects: IVAN, a convenience-store clerk who longs for a career in publishing; LISA, a florist trying to recover her lost memories; JUDY, a hopeless romantic who learns to accept her true nature; and JOEL (pronounced “Yo-El”), a committed political activist striving for zombie rights. As Grace strives to get to know the zombies “on their own terms,” John is eager to uncover their darker side and rallies to get the crew permission to shoot at a three-day, zombies-only retreat called Live Dead where the documentary takes an unexpected – and dangerous – turn. What transpires there is beyond anything the filmmakers could imagine, as they are forced to re-evaluate their ideas about tolerance, identity politics and the future of the human race.
Despite their wildly different working styles, Grace and John manage to chronicle the hopes and dreams of four fascinating subjects: IVAN, a convenience-store clerk who longs for a career in publishing; LISA, a florist trying to recover her lost memories; JUDY, a hopeless romantic who learns to accept her true nature; and JOEL (pronounced “Yo-El”), a committed political activist striving for zombie rights. As Grace strives to get to know the zombies “on their own terms,” John is eager to uncover their darker side and rallies to get the crew permission to shoot at a three-day, zombies-only retreat called Live Dead where the documentary takes an unexpected – and dangerous – turn. What transpires there is beyond anything the filmmakers could imagine, as they are forced to re-evaluate their ideas about tolerance, identity politics and the future of the human race.
Anyone who’s in the NYC area can get into a free screening this Saturday night at Two Boots. It’s being hosted by Fangoria and the always-cool Tony Timpone, and they’ve still got tickets! Check out here for info on how to go about getting in, and maybe I’ll see you there!