Zombie Flesh Eaters, 1979.
Directed by Lucio Fulci.
Starring Tisa Farrow, Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, Al Cliver, Auretta Gay, and Olga Karlatos.
SYNOPSIS:
Strangers searching for a young woman’s missing father arrive at a tropical island where a doctor desperately seeks the cause and cure of a recent epidemic of the undead.
Modern horror films like Terrifier 3 push the boundaries of acceptability, delivering graphic gore and violence. But still, there are few horror films that better embody the term “video nasty” than Lucio Fulci’s Zombie Flesh Eaters – a riotous, grisly slice of Italian exploitation that still provokes gasps and grins more than four decades on.
Released in 1979 as Zombi 2 in Italy to cash in on Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (retitled Zombi there), Fulci’s unofficial sequel is less concerned with satire and more intent on delivering unapologetic gut-munching mayhem. In its own warped way, it’s a film of real artistry, and Arrow’s lavish 4K restoration gives this grubby classic the royal treatment.
Events kick off in New York when a derelict boat drifts into the harbour carrying only a bloated, hungry corpse. Enter Anne (Tisa Farrow), the scientist’s daughter, who teams up with journalist Peter (Ian McCulloch) to uncover her father’s fate on the Caribbean island of Matul. The pair soon join a free-spirited couple, Brian (Al Cliver) and Susan (Auretta Gay), and head for the island. There they discover Dr Menard (Richard Johnson) battling an outbreak of voodoo-induced reanimation as the dead rise and overrun the tropical paradise. Cue rotting cadavers, slow-motion dirt-rising, and the now infamous scene where a zombie and a tiger shark grapple underwater – one of cinema’s great “did they really shoot that?” moments.
Fulci’s genius lies in his ability to mix the languid and the lurid. The pace is dreamlike, almost narcotic, as cinematographer Sergio Salvati drapes the island in hazy sunlight by day and creeping shadows by night. Fabio Frizzi’s score is equally hypnotic, shifting from lilting tropical motifs to pulsing synths that build a sense of creeping dread. When the horror strikes, it does so with gruesome relish. The infamous splinter-to-the-eye sequence remains one of the nastiest, most sadistically drawn-out scenes in horror history.
Unlike Romero’s socially conscious zombies, Fulci’s creatures are pure nightmare fuel. They’re festering, worm-ridden monstrosities, evoking a sense of decay so vivid you can almost smell them. This is zombie cinema stripped back to its primal roots – no science, no allegory, just the dead, the living, and an overwhelming sense of doom.
Arrow’s 4K presentation is perfect. The image, sourced from the original camera negative, retains the film’s gritty texture while delivering a level of clarity never seen before. Colours are richer, skin tones more natural, and the jungle greens of Matul pop vibrantly. The finer details such as the crusty makeup and glistening gore are gloriously, and sometimes disturbingly, crisp. Black levels are excellent, with shadowy sequences gaining depth and detail.
The extras package is typically exhaustive, with new commentaries, interviews and archival material The fascinating documentary charting the rise and fall of the Italian zombie film is the icing on the cake. This is a treasure trove for Fulci fans, and even the new purple-washed artwork is exquisite (the double-sided poster is a must-have).
As the title suggests, Zombie Flesh Eaters is not a subtle film. It’s a heady cocktail of pulp horror, tropical atmosphere, and stomach-churning practical effects. Arrow’s 4K release finally gives Fulci’s maggot-ridden masterpiece the respect it deserves. For gorehounds and collectors, this is essential viewing and a film I’d gladly see resurrected time and time again.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
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