Blu-ray Review: HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD / RATS Double Feature

HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD / RATS  Double Feature
Directed by Bruno Mattei
Distributed by Blue Underground

 Blue Underground continues to put out some of the greatest horror, cult, and exploitation flicks around.   One of their newer releases is this great double feature consisting of two of director Bruno Mattei's best films, HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD, and RATS:  NIGHT OF TERROR.   If you have not seen these films, do yourself a favor and pick up this awesome double feature blu-ray as soon as you can.  Even if you have seen these, you will want this new 1080p HD release of these films, for sure.   Here are the basic plots of each film from the Blue Underground Website:


HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD:
  An accident at a chemical plant unleashes a horrific virus, and an elite SWAT team is sent to New Guinea to investigate. But when they arrive on the hellish island, they discover a plague of flesh-eating zombies as well as a beautiful female reporter who practices nude anthropology. Can the commandos survive this cannibal rampage, uncover a shocking government secret, and still find time for the occasional cross-dressing before the ravenous hordes of the living dead infect the entire world?
  Directed by the notorious Bruno Mattei (THE OTHER HELL), this '80s Italian gut-muncher is infamous for its eye-popping gore, jaw-dropping dialogue and heart-stopping use of inappropriate stock footage. Also known as VIRUS, NIGHT OF THE ZOMBIES and even ZOMBIE CREEPING FLESH, HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD has been newly transferred in shocking High Definition from the original uncut and uncensored negative!


RATS:  NIGHT OF TERROR:
 In the year 225 A.B. (After the Bomb), a group of post-apocalyptic bikers discover an abandoned research laboratory filled with food, water... and thousands of rats. But these are no ordinary vermin; these are super-intelligent mutant rodents with a ravenous appetite for human flesh. Can a bunch of heavily armed but not-too-bright human scavengers survive a night of terror against the most hungry and horrific predators on earth?
  Directed by the notorious Bruno Mattei (WOMEN'S PRISON MASSACRE), this hilarious Italian shocker is filled with over-the-top gore, bottom-of-the-barrel dialogue and attacks by what appear to be thousands of painted guinea pigs, all capped with a twist ending that must be seen to be believed. Also known as RATS OF MANHATTAN and BLOOD KILL, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR has been newly transferred in flesh-ripping High Definition from the original uncut and uncensored negative!


  Both of these films are classics in my opinion, and perfect examples of early 80's Italian horror films.  Both feature some amazing gore, some impressive sets, and fun story lines.   I have to admit they also both contain some very cheesy dialog, but that is actually some of the character of these films and doesn't take away from the enjoyment of these films at all.

  While I love zombie films, I think between the two films I liked RATS the best.   HOTLD was very good, and reminded me of the early zombie films of George Romero such as DAWN OF THE DEAD and DAY OF THE DEAD, but RATS was the more enjoyable of the two for me.  RATS was a very unique film as it wasn't just a creature film, it was a post-apocalyptic film is well.  It was like MAD MAX meets WILLARD.  I liked the post-apocalyptic part of the story, with most people living underground and only a few groups of outsiders living up top.   The gore was very impressive with this film and since this was before CGI, the filmmakers used actual rats in the filming of the movie.

  If you are a fan of Italian horror, or just like good zombie and killer animal movies, then you will want to pick up this great double feature blu-ray from Blue Underground.  The blu-ray is available now and contains the following special features:

*  Bonded By Blood - Interviews with Co-Writer/Co-Director Claudio Fragasso and Stars Margit Evelyn Newton, Franco Garofalo, Ottaviano Dell'Acqua & Massimo Vanni
*  Hell Rats Of The Living Dead - Interview with Director Bruno Mattei
*  Theatrical Trailers
*  Poster & Still Galleries


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for RATS
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray Double Feature

DVD Review: ZOMBIES: THE BEGINNING (2007)

ZOMBIES:  THE BEGINNING
Directed by Bruno Mattei (as Vincent Dawn)
Distributed by Intervision Pictures/Severin Films

 I am loving these releases that Intervision Picture Corp. has been putting out lately!  Their latest releases are Brunto Mattei's  ISLAND OF THE LIVING DEAD, and the subject of tonight's review, ZOMBIES:  THE BEGINNING.   Here is some info about the film from the Intervision website:

  For his final film, the late sleaze maestro Bruno Mattei – notorious director of MONDO CANNIBAL, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR and HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD – delivers his ultimate over-the-top masterpiece: In this insane rip-off of ALIENS, Mattei (aka ‘Vincent Dawn’) packs the screen with shredding flesh, munching guts, exploding heads, undead births, borrowed footage, stolen plots, zombie midgets and more. Yvette Yzon (ISLAND OF THE LIVING DEAD), Alvin Anson (THE GREAT RAID) and Diana Croyston (THE JAIL: THE WOMEN’S HELL) star in this mind-blowing mash-up from the producer of IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS, now presented uncut and uncensored for the first time ever in America!

  If you have seen any of Bruno Mattei's films, at least his later films, you know what to expect going into this. The films are dubbed in English and the dubbing is just awful.  I don't know how they choose these voice actors to read the parts but some of them have a completely different voice than what it looks like they should have! Also, the dialog is pretty awful, and actually laughable at times.  Now don't get me wrong, while there are a lot of things wrong with this film, just like any Bruno Mattei film, it entertains for sure, and that is really all we are asking for as horror fans, isn't it?  In fact, some might put this in the "so-bad-it's-good" category.

  While the acting and dubbing might not be that great, the movie itself is full of some great gore and zombie carnage, including a midget zombie and a zombie baby popping out of it's mother's stomach!  One thing you have to say about Mattei's films is that they are fun, and this one is no exception.  This is a fun film that I would highly recommend to fans of B-movies and low budget horror films.

  ZOMBIES:  THE BEGINNING is available now from Intervision Pictures and contains the following Special Features:

*  Zombie Genisys - featurette with screenwriter Anonio Tentori
*  Original Trailer
*  Widescreen version of the film


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

DVD Review: MONDO CANNIBAL

MONDO CANNIBAL
Directed by Bruno Mattei (as Vincent Dawn)
Distributed by Intervision Pictures/Severin Films

  Intervision Picture Group has become my favorite DVD label this year by far!  They are putting out some of the greatest retro releases lately.   The last round of DVD's was some good Nazisploitation flicks, and now they have released some great Cannibal films!!   First up is Bruno Mattei's MONDO CANNIBAL.   This is also known as CANNIBAL WOLRD and CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST:  THE BEGINNING.   Here is the basic plot synopsis of the film from the Severin Films website:

You may think you’ve witnessed the most extreme examples of the Italian cannibal genre, but leave it to late Italian sleaze master Bruno Mattei – notorious director of HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR, SS GIRLS and CALIGULA’S PERVERSIONS – to lower the bar to depraved new heights. In this shameless rip-off of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, Mattei (under the name ‘Vincent Dawn’) unleashes the sleazy saga of a ratings-hungry American TV crew whose Amazon jungle report becomes a nightmare of gut munching, brain-scarfing, sexual atrocities, insane moralizing and much more. Claudio Morales and Cindy Matic (IN THE LAND OF THE CANNIBALS) star in this jaw-dropper – also known as CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST: THE BEGINNING – now presented uncut and uncensored for the first time ever in America!

  Like most of the Italian Cannibal movies, we witness a group of American journalists who go to the Amazon jungle to do a report on the locals.  Here we witness all the carnage of the Amazon tribes, including sacrifices, beheadings, etc.   Some of the gore in this film is extremely well done, and looks very realistic, while other times it is pretty fake looking.   Either way, though, it is very enjoyable and there was definitely more good gore than bad. 

  What sets this cannibal film apart from others, is that in this film it's not the Amazon tribes that are the "bad" people doing all the killings.   This film presents a interesting twist where the American film crew actually attacks a village and kills some of the villagers, to make it look like a neighboring tribe did it, all in the name of getting good ratings for their TV network.   This film shows you that "normal" Americans can be the true savages.

  I have to admit this film was slow at times, and some of the dialog is just laughable, but overall this was a very enjoyable cannibal film, for those of you into these films.    The DVD is available now.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD