Reel Zombies

Last updated
Reel Zombies
Reel Zombies.jpg
DVD Cover
Directed by
Written byMike Masters
Produced by
  • David J. Francis
  • Mike Masters
  • Stephen Papadimitriou
Starring
Cinematography
  • Chris Bellio
  • Chris Matthews
Edited byDavid J. Francis
Release date
  • 7 September 2008 (2008-09-07) [1]
Running time
89 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Reel Zombies is a 2008 Canadian zombie film directed by David J. Francis and Mike Masters. [2] It is the third film in a loose trilogy that includes Zombie Night and Zombie Night 2: Awakening . Shot in documentary style, it depicts a film crew that attempts to follow up on their low budget zombie films during an outbreak of a real zombie apocalypse.

Contents

Synopsis

When a zombie outbreak erupts, zombie films are made illegal. Undeterred, a low budget film crew set out to create the sequel to their two previous, unsuccessful zombie films, reasoning that once the zombie plague ends, there will once again be a market. The filmmakers attempt to film around the hostile zombies, while also using them as extras in their film.

Cast

Release

Reel Zombies premiered at the 2008 Lisbon International Horror Film Festival. [1] Synapse Films released it on DVD on 11 February 2014. [3]

Reception

Michael Gingold of Fangoria wrote, "Reel Zombies is a mix of big laughs and smiles of recognition, and will likely be most appreciated by anyone who’s spent time in the indie filmmaking trenches themselves." [4] Dave Murray of JoBlo.com rated it 3/4 stars and wrote that it "couldn't be funnier". [5] HorrorNews.Net wrote that the film is very funny and offers many surprises. [6] Geoff Bough of Revenant Magazine wrote that the film "is honestly one of my favorite films of the year and provides an explosive dose of hilarity to the zombie subgenre." [7] Olie Coen of DVD Talk rated it 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "If you like the genre check this out; it's a refreshing take on an old storyline that's surprisingly entertaining and smart." [3] Gordon Sullivan of DVD Verdict wrote, "Though it has some good ideas—having actors play themselves, tying the film into the real world, making zombies slightly less threatening, and making a zombie film with "real" zombies—these additions to the formula aren't utilized effectively." [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Fangoria</i> American horror film fan magazine

Fangoria is an internationally distributed American horror film fan magazine, in publication since 1979. It is published four times a year by Fangoria Publishing, LLC and is edited by Phil Nobile Jr.

<i>Night of the Creeps</i> 1986 American comedy horror film directed by Fred Dekker

Night of the Creeps is a 1986 American science fiction horror comedy film written and directed by Fred Dekker in his feature directorial debut, starring Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow, and Tom Atkins. The film is an earnest attempt at a B movie and an homage to the genre. While the main plot of the film is related to zombies, the film also mixes in takes on slashers and alien invasion films. Night of the Creeps did not perform well at the box office, but it developed a cult following.

<i>Gallowwalkers</i> 2012 film

Gallowwalkers is a 2012 American Western horror film written and directed by Andrew Goth, and starring Wesley Snipes, Kevin Howarth, Riley Smith, Tanit Phoenix, Patrick Bergin, and Diamond Dallas Page. Due to Wesley Snipes' tax problems the film went through many changes and delays, and was completed in 2010. It still had no official release until a 2012 screening at the "Film4 FrightFest" festival in the United Kingdom. In 2013 it was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States, nearly eight years after the film started production in 2006.

<i>Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield</i> 2007 American film

Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield is a 2007 American crime horror film written and directed by Michael Feifer. A direct-to-video release, it is based on the crimes of Ed Gein, an American murderer who killed at least two women in Plainfield, Wisconsin during the 1950s. It stars Kane Hodder as Gein, and co-stars Adrienne Frantz, Priscilla Barnes, and Michael Berryman.

<i>The Zombie Diaries</i> 2006 British film

The Zombie Diaries is a 2006 British independent found footage horror film written, produced and directed by Kevin Gates and first-time feature-filmmaker Michael Bartlett. It stars Russell Jones, Sophia Ellis, and James Fisher.

Fangoria Films is a film production and distribution company based out of New York City, New York. It is a subsidiary of Fangoria Entertainment, which encompasses various branches of Starlog's Fangoria brand.

<i>A Virgin Among the Living Dead</i> 1973 film

A Virgin Among the Living Dead is a 1973 European erotic horror film directed by Jesús Franco. Franco shot the film in 1971, but it was only released in 1973 after some additional erotic footage was added to the film without Franco's involvement. It was later re-cut with some extra zombie footage and redistributed to theaters again in 1981 as a zombie film. It has since been restored on DVD to Franco's original director's cut.

Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation is a 2012 horror film prequel to the 2006 film, Night of the Living Dead 3D. It stars Andrew Divoff, who also served as co-producer, Jeffrey Combs, Sarah Lieving and Denice Duff.

<i>Battle of the Damned</i> 2013 American film

Battle of the Damned is a 2013 American science fiction action horror film written, produced and directed by Christopher Hatton. The film stars Dolph Lundgren, Melanie Zanetti, Matt Doran and David Field. Following a deadly viral outbreak, private soldier Max Gatling (Lundgren) leads a handful of survivors and a team of robots in a fight against an army of the dead.

<i>Bath Salt Zombies</i> 2013 American film

Bath Salt Zombies is a 2013 American horror comedy directed by Dustin Mills, written by Mills and Clint Weller, and starring Josh Eal, Ethan Holey, Jackie McKown, Dave Parker, and Brandon Salkil. It is about zombie attacks brought on by concentrated bath salts.

<i>Zombie Wars</i> 2007 American film

Zombie Wars is a 2007 American war horror film written and directed by David A. Prior. It stars Adam Mayfield, Alissa Koenig, Jim Marlow, and Kristi Renee Pearce as humans struggling against zombie overlords.

<i>Chastity Bites</i> 2013 American film

Chastity Bites is a 2013 comedy-horror film written by Lotti Pharriss Knowles and directed by John V. Knowles.

<i>Treehouse</i> (film) 2014 American film

Treehouse is a 2014 American horror film directed by Michael Bartlett, written by Alex Child and Miles Harrington, and starring J. Michael Trautmann, Dana Melanie, Daniel Fredrick, and Clint James. Teens attempt to escape a treehouse back to the safety of their town after going out after a curfew.

<i>The Dead Inside</i> (2013 film) 2013 British film

The Dead Inside is a 2013 British independent horror film directed by Andrew Gilbert. It was written and produced by Gilbert in collaboration with Julian Hundy. It was Hundy Gilbert Media's first feature film. In the film, a phenomenon of unidentified origin has caused the reanimation of the dead, who prey on human flesh, which subsequently causes mass hysteria. The large ensemble cast features David Wayman, Simon Nader, and Luke Hobson as survivors of the outbreak who barricade themselves inside a village high school.

Lake Eerie is a 2016 horror film, directed by Chris Majors, starring Lance Henriksen, Betsy Baker, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Tavares Jamal Cherry, Anne Leigh Cooper, Meredith Majors and Al Snow.

A Night of Nightmares is a 2012 American horror thriller film directed by Buddy Giovinazzo, starring Marc Senter, Elissa Dowling and Jason London.

James L. Edwards is an American actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for his acting roles in independent shot on video horror films from the 90's including Bloodletting, Polymorph, Ozone, and The Dead Next Door as well as writing, directing, and starring in Her Name Was Christa, Brimstone Incorporated, and the forthcoming Trivial.

<i>Her Name Was Christa</i> American horror film

Her Name Was Christa is an American horror film written by, directed by, and starring James L. Edwards. The plot of the film follows a lonely middle aged man who falls in love with a prostitute and is faced with a horrific choice after their arrangement takes a turn for the worse. The film stars Shianne Daye, James L. Edwards, and Drew Fortier.

J.R. Bookwalter is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for directing The Dead Next Door as well as a string of low budget cult horror, action, and sci-fi films in the 90's including Robot Ninja, Ozone, and Polymorph. He is the founder of Tempe Entertainment which ran from 1988 until 2019 when the company's name changed to Makeflix.

References

  1. 1 2 "Reel Zombies Trailer". Horror-Movies.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  2. Nevermore Film Festival - February 20-22, 2009
  3. 1 2 Coen, Olie (2014-03-20). "Reel Zombies". DVD Talk . Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  4. Gingold, Michael (2009-07-24). "FANTASIA '09: REEL ZOMBIES (Film Review)". Fangoria . Archived from the original on 2009-07-26. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  5. Murray, Dave. "Reel Zombies". JoBlo.com . Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  6. "Reel Zombies (2008)". HorrorNews.Net. Archived from the original on 2009-07-31. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  7. Bough, Geoff. "Reel Zombies". Revenant Magazine. Archived from the original on 2009-02-23. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  8. Sullivan, Gordon (2014-02-07). "Reel Zombies". DVD Verdict . Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2015-02-26.