The Blairs have just bought a new house in the woods. To get the house ready, Zoe (Roxanna Augusen) and Jeff (Rocky Duvall) move in before their parents. At their new home all alone, they discover a TV set left by the previous owners. After fiddling with it, the TV set reveals itself as a portal to another world through which zombies can enter the world of the living! It's then up to Zoe & Jeff to close the portal and send the undead creatures back where they belong.
In the 1980s, much of the horror genre took a turn in a new direction from the films of previous decades. Instead of a focus on the suspense & tension that was prevalent up through the '70s, this decade focused much more on cheesiness & fun. This was extremely noticeable within the zombie subgenre. With such classics as 'Return of the Living Dead,' 'Night of the Creeps,' etc., zombies became something more comical than scary as they were in the past. Luckily, the subgenre thrived in this type of film. While films like 'The Video Dead' won't be forever remembered as a work of art similar to 'Night of the Living Dead,' it is still a very fun installment in the subgenre that many fans have come to adore, even without a wide release of the DVD.
Like other corny 80s zombie flicks, 'The Video Dead' is tons of fun without much need for brains. The plot is ridiculous, just like with any great cheesefest, but that's something to be happy about. On the technical side, the film isn't actually too bad. The actors, while not exactly talented, seemed to be having fun, which helped to make the film itself even more fun. The pacing is pretty excellent, never slowing too much and keeping plenty of zombie action around every corner. But, what really made the film for me came from the zombies. The makeup, style, & gore were better than most one will find in this budget level. This is an important factor because, if you look at films like those of Lucio Fulci, interesting, original, or grotesque effects can really help make a film much more special.
Overall, 'The Video Dead' isn't going to be the type of zombie flick that will live down as one of the greats alongside those of George A. Romero's or Lucio Fulci's. However, it still remains as a very fun & cheesy 80s zombie romp.
Final Verdict: 6/10.
-AP3-
In the 1980s, much of the horror genre took a turn in a new direction from the films of previous decades. Instead of a focus on the suspense & tension that was prevalent up through the '70s, this decade focused much more on cheesiness & fun. This was extremely noticeable within the zombie subgenre. With such classics as 'Return of the Living Dead,' 'Night of the Creeps,' etc., zombies became something more comical than scary as they were in the past. Luckily, the subgenre thrived in this type of film. While films like 'The Video Dead' won't be forever remembered as a work of art similar to 'Night of the Living Dead,' it is still a very fun installment in the subgenre that many fans have come to adore, even without a wide release of the DVD.
Like other corny 80s zombie flicks, 'The Video Dead' is tons of fun without much need for brains. The plot is ridiculous, just like with any great cheesefest, but that's something to be happy about. On the technical side, the film isn't actually too bad. The actors, while not exactly talented, seemed to be having fun, which helped to make the film itself even more fun. The pacing is pretty excellent, never slowing too much and keeping plenty of zombie action around every corner. But, what really made the film for me came from the zombies. The makeup, style, & gore were better than most one will find in this budget level. This is an important factor because, if you look at films like those of Lucio Fulci, interesting, original, or grotesque effects can really help make a film much more special.
Overall, 'The Video Dead' isn't going to be the type of zombie flick that will live down as one of the greats alongside those of George A. Romero's or Lucio Fulci's. However, it still remains as a very fun & cheesy 80s zombie romp.
Final Verdict: 6/10.
-AP3-