Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

The Zombie Army Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 8, 2024

1991’s “The Zombie Army” is a shot-on-video production that makes full use of its location. In this case, it’s an abandoned psychiatric hospital, with director Betty Stapleford using the facility to visualize the end of the world. Or at least the end of a handful of Army personnel ordered to establish a base where an insane young man is capable of conjuring dark magic with help from electricity. There’s no epic presented to viewers here, with Stapleford (and screenwriter Roger Searce) endeavoring to make a mess of bodies for 79 minutes, generally disregarding even a basic story to help encourage audience participation. “The Zombie Army,” which is “based upon an actual event,” plays like a highlight reel for an aspiring makeup effects team, with Stapleford more concerned about splatter than drama. For some, this will be enough. For others, seek your no-budget grotesqueries elsewhere.

At the Oak Valley Insane Asylum, Dr. Miller is looking to make a breakthrough with his most difficult patient, Jim. Labeled an “idiot savant” as a boy, Jim has grown into a dangerous man, but there’s hope his violent tendencies can be controlled. Offered an education and responsibilities around the facility, Jim makes progress, but his rage can’t be contained for long. Suddenly, without warning, Oak Valley is abandoned, with the staff working to transfer patients elsewhere, save for Jim and nymphomaniac Mary, who’ve been placed in a bomb shelter as punishment and forgotten. Years later, an Army platoon is tasked with taking over Oak Valley, turning it into a munitions storage area. For Martinez and Bell, service is no fun, inspiring the men to explore the building, on the hunt for drugs left behind. What they discover is Jim, who’s looking to conduct “therapy” with dead bodies, using electricity to reanimate corpses, turning them into an army of “patients” who feast on the living. The rest of the platoon panics, triggering a battle for survival with the living, who watch as Jim’s zombie numbers grow while a brave few hunt for a solution to this deadly situation.

“The Zombie Army” provides initial promise with its study of Jim. Unable to find proper treatment as a child, Jim has been dumped in Oak Valley, exposed to care from Dr. Miller, who hopes to rehabilitate the young man, giving him a brighter future. Such optimism is cruelly trashed when the asylum is abandoned, with Jim and Mary left behind to rot, only to achieve some sort of existence instead. Jim’s arc is quickly discarded when the Army shows up, with attention turned to the platoon and their organizational efforts as they inspect the facility. The helmer tends to use real-time touring as her directorial approach, and the writing suddenly falls in love with Martinez and Bell, two half-wits who offer deadly banter and smoke joints during breaks. “The Zombie Army” follows these characters for quite some time, watching them deal with superiors, handle night patrol, and enter the maze-like structure of Oak Valley while on the hunt for abandoned drugs. It’s pure tedium.

The wrath of Jim eventually returns to “The Zombie Army,” with the ill man capable of resurrecting the dead via electricity, which somehow turns them into flesh-eaters out to increase their numbers. The production begins to focus on the basics, staging a head explosion, displaying spilled intestines, and studying the zombies as they begin to munch on the living. “The Zombie Army” remains in this position for the rest of the feature, offering a repetitive show of danger while generally treating personalities as an afterthought (most characters aren’t even named). There’s the addition of the “Lethal Ladies,” with an all-female force sent in to stabilize the situation, which isn’t as exciting as it initially promises to be. And Stapleford looks to add even more filler with soundtrack cuts, with the movie turning into a music video on occasion, selling the rock glory of a few local bands.

The Zombie Army Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Zombie Army" handles the shot-on-video production achievements of the film with some level of age. Detail isn't going to happen here, but a general sense of frame information is mostly possible, save for a few trips to a blood- spattered hallway, where things tend to get a little muddier. Makeup offerings are passably appreciable. Color isn't defined, but some feel for primaries, including the redness of blood, is available. Greenery is acceptable, along with skin tones. Source is in decent condition, with periodic points of mild damage.

The Zombie Army Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA tracks often deals with the technical limitations of the production, with microphone placement a persistent enemy to the shoot. Volume extremes are present, but nothing sounds overly distorted, with decently intelligible dialogue exchanges. Soundtrack selections are acceptably pronounced, joined by repetitive scoring cues, which deliver percussion hits. Sound effects are blunt.

The Zombie Army Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features author Richard Mogg.

• "Incubators of Death: The Asylum in Horror Cinema" (14:56, HD) is a visual essay by Dr. Will Dodson and Ryan Verrill.

• "Analog Outlaw" (16:53, HD) is an interview with distributor/filmmaker J.R. Bookwalter, who originally brought "The Zombie Army" to VHS. The founder of Video Outlaw, Bookwalter examines his growth in the industry, learning how to manage many jobs as he worked to get titles into video stores. The interviewee goes into the details of the business, dealing with expenses and commitments. Bookwalter explores the creation of his Alternative Cinema magazine, devoted to the exploitation entertainment he was peddling. Some talk of "The Zombie Army" is offered, but not much, with the conversation offered here more about the ways of marketing and promotion, along with rise and fall of Bookwalter's own moviemaking career.

• "The Video Makers" (52:29, SD) is a vintage cable access program hosted by John Kalinowski. Included here are two episodes, with the first welcoming members of the W.A.V.E. Video team to the program. The second show discusses moviemaking with more of the W.A.V.E. squad.

• Archival Contest Video (1:41, SD) is a commercial for "The Zombie Army," challenging viewers to spot as many "continuity defects" in the picture as possible, encouraged to write down their answers on video rental receipts. The grand prize? Ownership of a jeep used in the making of the movie.

• Isolated Music Track (11:22, SD) features scenes from "The Zombie Army," with music by The Killtoys.

• And a Trailer (:36, SD) is included.

The Zombie Army Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Zombie Dead" takes a few more detours as it makes its way to a non-ending, including the tale of Kevin, a hitchhiker returning to Army service, and Sheila, his lusty driver. Stapleford treats the audience to even more real-time exploration with these two before they engage in some surprisingly softcore sex, feeding the exploitation interests of the production, but it does nothing to energize overall pace, which is rough. "The Zombie Dead" eventually concludes with confusion (Army leaders fear explaining the situation to their superiors despite ample evidence supporting the reality of a zombie war) and ridiculousness (the movie is dedicated to the bravery of armed forces, while the writing depicts them as complete idiots), making the viewing experience strictly for those interested in gore zone activity. Expecting anything more from the crude, mismanaged feature will induce a headache.