Zombie 4K UHD - Tisa Farrow

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Zombie 2" or "Zombie Flesh-Eaters" or "Woodoo" or "Woodoo: Rædslernes grønne ø" )

directed by Lucio Fulci
Italy 1979

Falling into the “island terror” genre dating back to early Universal (like Horror Island) Lucio Fulci’s exploitative pulp Zombie escalated voodoo and native tropes. At least King Kong ’33 animated its racially dismal islanders – in Zombie, the pitiful villagers exist only to serve the western doctors occupying their land.

In a sense, Fulci was ahead of trends. Although Zombie tries to capitalize on Jaws a touch with an infamous zombie versus shark rumble, the vibe is similar to what came from Indiana Jones, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend or Jewel of the Nile: movies where Americans, maybe Brits, travel to unknown islands to steal, research, or discover lost paradises. Of course, Zombie isn’t privy to the often colorful camp or comic relief.

Zombie’s Dr. Menard (Richard Johnson) must know how the dead return to life. Sheltered by science and civilization’s belief systems, voodoo, to him, is an impossibility. Even on the island Matool, isolated in totality, facts must still exist. An unwillingness to accept some things defy understanding instills Zombie with an arrogance, causing Menard’s eventual downfall.

Zombie shows how and why looming dread can never lose its effectiveness.

While Fulci’s unwavering violence draws attention, it’s not entirely without purpose. Reporter Peter West (Ian McCulloch) grabs a Christian cross, splitting an undead’s face in two. Science can’t fix this, but religious symbolism still has a chance. Those rising from their graves represent a failed invasion by Spanish Conquistadors. Undoubtedly, they too were driven by self-professed superiority, until unexplained magic brought their end.

Shock value drives the memorable scenes. If Zombie were condensed to a few minutes, expect the title creatures rising from the dirt, an eye being driven into wood, and the final shots with creatures marching on the Brooklyn Bridge. Yet, that’s too shallow for what Zombie does right, especially the leering camera. It’s uncomfortably mobile, at times suggestive and perverse, if forcing viewers into a killer’s perspective. Slow-walking zombies fell out of favor in contemporary genre filmmaking; Zombie shows how and why looming dread can never lose its effectiveness.

Paired with a synth score and throbbing heartbeat, Zombie isn’t in a rush. It’s slow – too slow, really – but like its killers who take time to reach their meals, Zombie’s relentless crescendo wastes nothing. Those final stirring shots leave on the idea that interfering and invading comes with a cost. In an era of terrorism and viruses, that lesson wasn’t headed. No one noticed the message under the blood. So, so much blood..

MattPaprocki at DoBlu located HERE

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Theatrical Release: August 25th, 1979

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Guest Review from our 'sister site'; Matt Paprocki's DoBlu HERE

Blue Underground - Region FREE - 4K UHD

Big thanks to Colin Zavitz for the comparing Blu-ray Screen Captures below!

Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Blue Underground - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD
Audio	English: Dolby Atmos; English: 5.1 DTS-HD; English: 1.0 DTS-HD; Italian: 7.1 DTS-HD; Italian: 1.0 DTS-HD; French: Dolby Digital 1.0
Subtitles	English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Swedish, Russian, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, English for Italian Audio, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Blue Underground Edition Details: Disc 1 (4K Ultra HD) Feature Film + Extras: • Audio Commentary #1 with Troy Howarth, Author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci and His Films • Audio Commentary #2 with Star Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine Editor Jason J. Slater • When The Earth Spits Out The Dead – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci • Theatrical Trailers • TV Spots • Radio Spots • Poster & Still Gallery • Guillermo del Toro Intro Disc 2 (Blu-ray) Extras: • Zombie Wasteland – Interviews with Stars Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson & Al Cliver, and Actor/Stuntman Ottaviano Dell’Acqua • Flesh Eaters on Film – Interview with Co-Producer Fabrizio De Angelis • Deadtime Stories – Interviews with Co-Writers Elisa Briganti and (Uncredited) Dardano Sacchetti • World of the Dead – Interviews with Cinematographer Sergio Salvati and Production & Costume Designer Walter Patriarca Zombi Italiano – Interviews with Special Make-Up Effects Artists Gianetto De Rossi & Maurizio Trani and Special Effects Artist Gino De Rossi • Notes on a Headstone – Interview with Composer Fabio Frizzi All in the Family – Interview with Antonella Fulci • Zombie Lover – Award-Winning Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro talks about one of his favorite films * BONUS! Embossed Slipcover (First Pressing Only) 4K Ultra HD Release Date: May 26th, 2020 Black 4K Ultra HD Case inside slipcase

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the discs.

This is a 'guest review' from our good friend Matt Paprocki at DoBlu. Matt has distinguished himself as one of the best - and unjustly lesser-known - reviewers in the physical disc space. We thank him for allowing his content to be shared here.

ADDITION: Blue Underground 4K UHD (May 2020):

Video: This isn’t just sensational imagery – it’s asinine that a low-budget Italian offering from the ‘70s can look this stunning. Even understanding 35mm, scanning, and potential resolution in the film stock, Zombie still looks like a modern marvel.

Opening shots in New York show the city as it was better than just about anything else from this point in time. Total perfection is achieved in sharpness behind an incredibly precise grain structure. Facial definition conquers most current Hollywood outputs. Textural quality leaps out in droves, unimpeded by encoding. Blue Underground’s work manages utter transparency.

Dazzling color renews island waters through intense blues. Greenery is splendid. Flesh tones hit their precise mark. Over-the-top blood reaches a ridiculous yet pure red. The only hint of discoloring happens during the underwater footage, where a yellowing streak impacts the screen’s center.

Print quality suffers no faults otherwise, a stray hair notwithstanding. Blue Underground goes with Dolby Vision. Initially, the output registered as HDR before quickly turning over to DV; that lasted all of a few seconds. Overall improved contrast emboldens this vintage imagery. Sun-rich scenery helps. Black levels reach a specific density, if not all the way to pure black. ‘Tis the nature of cheaper stock.

NOTE: Full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures for Matt's Patrons are available HERE.

Audio: Atmos is undeniably overkill for Zombie. Other than overhead footsteps heard on a boat, Atmos adds nothing to the previously available DTS-HD 7.1 mix, which was also overkill. Thankfully, original uncompressed mono is yet another selection. Surround mixes deliver mild separation, yet this is audibly limited, to no surprise.

Stressing treble, age filters through the dubbed dialog. Gunshots wane in clarity, helped a touch by small low-end kick. Drums also find the sub some work, if menial in depth.

Extras: Blue Underground includes the UHD and bonus features Blu-ray. The UHD itself hosts a short intro by Guillermo Del Toro and two commentaries – one with Fulci expert Troy Howarth, the other with star Ian McCulloch and Diabolik editor Jason Slater. Author Steven Thrower gives his thoughts in an interview, that followed by promo materials en masse.

On the additional Blu-ray, it’s an interview blitz. Producers, make-up artists, co-writers, actors, costume/production designers, stuntmen, and more from Del Toro. Everything is ported from Blue Underground’s previous Zombie Blu-ray intact.