Zombie 4
A group of scientists hole up in the jungle and start researching cures for terminal illnesses. Local voodoo cultists who believe the groups failed experiments have caused the deaths of their loved ones unleash a curse of the living dead. Some years later a group of explorers stumble across the zombie infested jungle and a desperate battle for survival begins.
Zombie 4 is a surprisingly entertaining and action filled sequel to the bonkers Zombie 3. Here the zombies can run, jump and use guns and end up being very dangerous indeed. The films no oscar material but honestly what were you expecting? As 90 minutes of daft entertainment its terrific however.
Zombie 5: killing birds
After the extremely entertaining Zombie 4, this ones something of an anti-climax. More a baffling ghost story about some kids stuck overnight in a haunted house, this isn't really a zombie film at all. Directed by Joe D'amato its languid pacing and lack of thrills make it difficult to sit through. Perhaps dirty Joe has form with Anthropophagus but that one at least had great atmosphere to keep me watching, this ones just a bit of a mess. Robert Vaughn appears to have been hired as marquee value and honestly hasn't got anything to do but wander about. The film gets interesting near the end but thats about the only nice thing I can say about it. My fondness for later era Italian Junk is the only reason I own it.
Black Demons
A group of people researching the occult are in Brazil when the leader of the group attends a late night ritual. Falling afoul of the cultists much in a similar way to Roy Castle in Dr Terror, he ends up being possessed. The group move on and end up crashing at a remote villa and the curse kicks in resurrecting the dead slaves that used to work at their. Intend on getting revenge for being cruelly murdered the undead slaves target the group and dispatch them one by one with a penchant for gouging out eyes.
The thing with umberto Lenzi is that while he rarely makes anything that could classify as great art his films are usually well contructed and he has an ability to make the most from a limited budget. Here he directs a fun 90 minute gore fest. There's the usual mixed bag of dodgy acting and even dodgier script but if you sought the film out then its nothing you were not expecting.
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