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Released by: Vicious Circle Films
Released on: 10/12/2010
Director: Kevin S. Tenney
Cast: Joshua Benton, Sarah Grant Brendecke, David Crane
Year: 2010
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The Movie:
From the director of Night of the Demons and Witchboard comes a new tale about alien parasites turning people into brain-eating monsters.
Three groups of two people end up together in a fishing cabin in the middle of nowhere. There's Clarence (Joshua Benton) and Bob (David Crane), two escaped jailbirds; Sherry (Sarah Grant Brendecke) and Claudia (Michelle Tomlinson), a couple of hiking med students; and Reverend Farnsworth (Andy Forrest) and his object of lust Amy (Cristina Tiberia) who's car has become immobile. Prior to arriving at the cabin, the owner had a meteorite lobotomy, resulting in his becoming a brain-eating zombie-like creature that is making his way back to his place of residence. The house comes under siege and the people inside fight to survive and dispatch the cabin's dead owner as well as those he's infected. Personalities clash, selfishness leads to death, and in the end (as usually is the case) it comes down to which character or characters survive.
Brain Dead (not to be confused with Peter Jackson's Braindead a.k.a. Dead Alive) borrows from a number of movies, much better movies (which movies is obvious), but is still pretty darn entertaining. Right from the get-go we're treated to some gooey effects done the old fashioned way that are well executed and certainly most welcome. From that point on the movie continues to deliver the wet stuff, including a particularly nasty gunshot to the head gag, right through to the end. And before too many moments have passed in the movie, boobies start popping out. And not just boobies…we get full frontal nudity with pubes no less. What a treat! Boobies, bush, and blood…what more can a pervy gorehound ask for?
The story isn't anything spectacular, the script is loaded with snide comments that don't really hit their mark, and the acting is mid-grade for the most part, but the visuals make up for it. There's some interesting edits, creative camera work, nice photography, and of course the aforementioned goodies. And for once we get an answer to the age-old question of what happens to the survivors when they have to explain to the authorities what went on after the carnage is over.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The movie is displayed here in 1.78:1 non-anamorphic widescreen. The video image is average DVD quality, nothing spectacular. Black levels are decent, colors not faded. There is a little artifact action in the darker spots, but its minor, at least on the copy used for the review. The audio is a simple 2.0 Dolby Digital track that sounds just fine. There is a good balance in levels, and then music comes through clear with no distortion. As a whole, there's nothing by way of video/audio to know your socks off, but then again there's nothing to whine about either.
There is a good platefull of extras to behold on the disc. The feature has an audio commentary with the director and many cast members. Tenney does relay some good tidbits of info, and although the track seems to be more of a rap session between the players, its interesting enough to keep listening to. There's a "Making of" (45:53) which is excellent. They take the viewer from scouting locations, to casting and table reading, to special effects and shooting, and finish up at the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors. Next is a five-minute blooper reel (skip it), followed by about six minutes of deleted scenes (more nudity...required viewing), and rounded out by the trailer for the film and other Breaking Glass releases.
The Final Word:
A fun flick made by a man who knows how to make this kind of movie, Brain Dead should make most horror/sleaze genre lovers smile. The extras are for the most part great and add serious value to the overall release. Recommended.
