A group of scientists researching cancer treatments unintentionally kills the daughter of a voodoo priest. The priest hopes to get his daughter back by opening the third gate of Hell. Fast paced, fun action ensues as demonic zombies are unleashed. A group of mercenaries arrive to add to the fun, which leads to a downbeat ending. Why? Because there is a Zombie 5! Hmmm, an Italian zombie flick directed by a white guy with a white cast. How are the results you ask? Pretty good, but let's clear some things up. The director is listed as Clyde Anderson, which is a pseudonym for Claudio Fragasso. He uses the English name for his B & Z movies, so he still has the respect of Italians. He also worked on Zombi 3, which is famous for Lucio Fulci walking off production and the rest being shot uncredited by Bruno Mattei and Fragasso himself. This is the third in the Italian Zombi series.
And so goes another take of Nature vs Science vs Military. This is pure 80s flick right down to the "Eye of the Tiger"-type inspirational music, the guys with open shirts, girls with puffy hair, and a token black guy with a boom box. Story wise, this doesn't break new ground. The plot is similar to other stuck-on-an-island-with-zombies flicks, but this features voodoo elements, running zombies, and zombie friends that taunt the would-be victims. Hell, these zombies karate chop their way to the next meal.
There are of course plot holes. The chick says that she is cursed and the zombies want her after she escaped the fate of her family's death 20 years ago, so Why did she return to the island? She mentioned something about just now realizing she watched her parents get eaten when she was little. Yeah, like that would be difficult to forget. And if the magical circle of candles stops the zombies, Why don't they relight them when they go out and they get hit with another wave of zombies? The movie starts to slow down right about when the chick starts explaining why things are happening. I am pretty sure this part was improvised and she completely made up the weird story on the spot. The other characters die pretty quickly and we are stuck with the two bumbleheads. The acting is pretty laughable, as it always seems to be in this sort of flick. Chuck Peyton and Candice Daly seem pretty enough to look at, but do not sound very bright. Daly did the movie to be near her boyfriend in the Philippines and Peyton is really porn star Jeff Stryker. Really important side note: he has a 10 inch penis. For reals.
The camera shots are very clever and engaging with the director's predilection for extreme close ups whether to bulging eyes, chanting mouths, military boots stomping. The lighting was quite effective with flashlights in dark tunnels or candles lighting a room. The cinematography was well done with much attention lavished upon the lush forests to paint them falsely as inviting, instead of as an indicator of impending doom. The SFX kicked some ass and includes exploding heads, scissor stabbings, ripped off faces, a hand through a chest, and a pulsating eyeball. I have read some negative reviews, but I thought the film was pretty entertaining. I honestly believe the negativity stems from the ballyhoo surrounding the Zombie series.
For some reason, the Shriek Show version I watched was listed at only 85mins long. The Shriek Show (subdivision of Media Blasters) US DVD release in 2002 has a running time of 90mins. I also read one description stating there was gratuitous nudity, but there was no sex at all in this. Not sure where the differences come into play, but I know After Death was the original title, but when Shriek Show picked it up, they changed it to Zombie 4 to tie in with the series. Possibly a simple misprint on some sites are to blame.
DVD Extras: Fragasso's Bio, Interviews with Daly, Guy, & Fragasso, and Trailers for Eaten Alive, House on the Edge of the Park, Zombie 3, and Zombi (Hidden).
Favorite Quote: Machismo man, "Those are the times when it really counts in a mans life. When you discover if you've got any balls. When a man is afraid he's going to die, there's nothing he wants more than a woman by his side. And I want you." (She turns him down) Bottom Line: One of the better cheesy 80s zombie flicks with some fast paced action and good gore shots.
Rating: 6.5/10
by Molly Celaschi www.HorrorYearbook.com
And so goes another take of Nature vs Science vs Military. This is pure 80s flick right down to the "Eye of the Tiger"-type inspirational music, the guys with open shirts, girls with puffy hair, and a token black guy with a boom box. Story wise, this doesn't break new ground. The plot is similar to other stuck-on-an-island-with-zombies flicks, but this features voodoo elements, running zombies, and zombie friends that taunt the would-be victims. Hell, these zombies karate chop their way to the next meal.
There are of course plot holes. The chick says that she is cursed and the zombies want her after she escaped the fate of her family's death 20 years ago, so Why did she return to the island? She mentioned something about just now realizing she watched her parents get eaten when she was little. Yeah, like that would be difficult to forget. And if the magical circle of candles stops the zombies, Why don't they relight them when they go out and they get hit with another wave of zombies? The movie starts to slow down right about when the chick starts explaining why things are happening. I am pretty sure this part was improvised and she completely made up the weird story on the spot. The other characters die pretty quickly and we are stuck with the two bumbleheads. The acting is pretty laughable, as it always seems to be in this sort of flick. Chuck Peyton and Candice Daly seem pretty enough to look at, but do not sound very bright. Daly did the movie to be near her boyfriend in the Philippines and Peyton is really porn star Jeff Stryker. Really important side note: he has a 10 inch penis. For reals.
The camera shots are very clever and engaging with the director's predilection for extreme close ups whether to bulging eyes, chanting mouths, military boots stomping. The lighting was quite effective with flashlights in dark tunnels or candles lighting a room. The cinematography was well done with much attention lavished upon the lush forests to paint them falsely as inviting, instead of as an indicator of impending doom. The SFX kicked some ass and includes exploding heads, scissor stabbings, ripped off faces, a hand through a chest, and a pulsating eyeball. I have read some negative reviews, but I thought the film was pretty entertaining. I honestly believe the negativity stems from the ballyhoo surrounding the Zombie series.
For some reason, the Shriek Show version I watched was listed at only 85mins long. The Shriek Show (subdivision of Media Blasters) US DVD release in 2002 has a running time of 90mins. I also read one description stating there was gratuitous nudity, but there was no sex at all in this. Not sure where the differences come into play, but I know After Death was the original title, but when Shriek Show picked it up, they changed it to Zombie 4 to tie in with the series. Possibly a simple misprint on some sites are to blame.
DVD Extras: Fragasso's Bio, Interviews with Daly, Guy, & Fragasso, and Trailers for Eaten Alive, House on the Edge of the Park, Zombie 3, and Zombi (Hidden).
Favorite Quote: Machismo man, "Those are the times when it really counts in a mans life. When you discover if you've got any balls. When a man is afraid he's going to die, there's nothing he wants more than a woman by his side. And I want you." (She turns him down) Bottom Line: One of the better cheesy 80s zombie flicks with some fast paced action and good gore shots.
Rating: 6.5/10
by Molly Celaschi www.HorrorYearbook.com