Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

Zombie 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 6, 2020

Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" a.k.a. "Zombie Flesh Eaters" (1979) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Blue Underground. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by author Troy Howarth; exclusive new interview with author with Stephen Thrower; vintage promotional materials; vintage cast and crew interviews; various featurettes; and a lot more. In English or Italian, with optional English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Russian, Swedish, and Thai subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

When Hell is full, the dead will walk the Earth

A ghost yacht enters the New York City harbor and two cops are quickly dispatched to examine it. One of them is attacked and killed by a zombie. Later on, the owner (Ugo Bologna) of the yacht is officially reported missing. The authorities then contact his daughter, Anne Bowles (Tisa Farrow, Antropophagus), who reveals to them that he was last seen on the remote island of Matool, and seal the yacht.

Determined to find out what might have happened to her father, Anne returns to the yacht and meets Peter West (Ian McCulloch, Contamination, TV's The Professionals), a local journalist also looking for answers. They agree to help each other get to the bottom of the mystery, for different reasons, and then decide to travel to Matool. They also hire Brian Hull (Al Cliver, Jess Franco's Devil Hunter, The Black Cat) and Susan Barrett (Auretta Gay) to assist them during their journey.

When they reach Matool, the four travelers meet Dr. David Menard (Richard Johnson, The Night Child, The Comeback), a researcher who knew well Anne’s father and his work. He warns them to stay away from the village where the old man used to work because a strange disease has started bringing the dead back amongst the living. Soon after, the travelers are attacked by hordes of zombies and forced to run for their lives.

Completed in 1979, Zombie Flesh Eaters was cult Italian director Lucio Fulci’s first horror film. To this day, it remains the director’s most successful film. In Italy, it was released as Zombi 2 (an obvious attempt by its producers to link it to George Romero’s legendary Dawn of the Dead, which was released locally as Zombi), while in the United States it was retitled Zombie. I m

There are three key reasons why Zombie Flesh Eaters has obtained a cult status as one of the greatest European genre pictures ever filmed. First, it is the purest and best balanced of Fulci’s horror films. The film has a very good buildup and while it attempts to impress with plenty of gore it never looks kitschy (rent Marino Girolami Zombie Holocaust to see how bad these genre films could look).

Second, the atmosphere in the film is quite fantastic. Despite some rough transitions, Sergio Salvati’s lensing is surprisingly elegant. Even the truly odd material, such as the famous underwater footage, looks very good. Considering the film’s budget, what the great special effects and make-up artist Giannetto De Rossi (Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, Fellini's Casanova) and his team managed to accomplish is also impossible not to admire. Even by modern standards, the close-ups of the zombies reveal astonishing emphasis on detail.

The key ingredient that gives Zombie Flesh Eaters so much depth is Fabio Frizzi and Giorgio Tucci’s soundtrack. The music themes are simple yet incredibly lush, dark and seductive. Their roots are in classic Italian psychedelica (Franco Bixio, Berto Pisano, Piero Piccioni) but the modern edge of progressive rock can also be felt in them. Simply beautiful music, arguably some of the very best ever composed for a horror film.

*In 1981, Zombie Flesh Eaters was nominated for Saturn Award for Best Make-Up (Giannetto De Rossi) by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.

Zombie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with HEVC/H.265 and granted a 2160p transfer, Lucio Fulci's Zombie arrives on 4K Bluray courtesy Blue Underground.

The release is sourced from the label's recent 4K 16-bit restoration of the film which was introduced on Blu-ray in 2018. You can see our listing and review of this release here.

I viewed the entire 4K presentation in Dolby Vision and then chose different sequences to perform some direct comparisons with the 1080p presentation for the purpose of our review. So, here's what you should expect from the 4K presentation:

First, the bump to native 4K tightens up the visuals quite a bit, but my sense is that most viewers will see the biggest improvements in darker areas. (I will explain why below). I have the ability to view 4K releases on a larger screen and I could see an instant uptick in quality. It is why I always address fluidity as well, because the larger the screen becomes, the easier it is to begin seeing the limitations of 1080p presentations. Finer details are easier to identify as well, but the 1080p presentation still looks very good. Now, in 4K it is easier to see background nuances, especially during darker footage, often with noticeably better shadow definition. (You can test the footage from the yacht in the very beginning of the film). Furthermore, in 4K the entire color scheme of the film looks different. How different? Well, all colors appear lusher, with expanded nuances that again make a difference during darker footage. On the other hand, the daylight footage looks superior as well, with the primaries having better saturation than what you will see on the 1080p presentation. The density of the visuals is excellent, but I also really like the density levels of the 1080p presentation. Finally, I specifically tested the underwater sequence with the shark because it has always looked a bit shaky. In 4K, it is the most stable and clear -- yes, filmic clear -- that I have seen it to date. All in all, I think that this is a tremendous presentation of a first-class 4K restoration that will be the standard for all other makeovers of Lucio Fulci films that enter the home video market. It is an all-around winner.

Zombie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 4K Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos audio track that was prepared exclusively for it. The Blu-ray release that emerged a few years ago has English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono and English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1.

I found it very difficult to judge the quality of the new Dolby Atmos track because I really like the English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 (Mono) track. So, dynamic intensity on the Dolby Atmos track is different and in a way that I think most people will conclude makes it superior. What about separation? Well, it depends. If judged together with dynamic intensity then I think that it makes sense to declare the Dolby Atmos track the top choice. But on the Mono track the nature of the audio balance is simply different, and for that kind of a lossless track it is excellent. What I am trying to clarify here is that when you have two such really good tracks -- and no, I don't believe that it matters that they do different things to recreate the qualities of the original soundtrack -- everything becomes subjective. Bottom line is this: it is all about preferences, folks. You can't go wrong with these tracks, so pick the one you like the most.

Zombie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Introduction - exclusive new video introduction to Zombie by acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080p).

• When the Earth Spits Out the Dead: Interview with Stephen Thrower - in this new video interview, Stephen Thrower, author of Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci, discusses the evolution of Lucio Fulci's career, the fascinating production history of Zombie (with interesting observations about some of the other directors that were considered for the project before Fulci), the stylistic identity of the film, the notorious underwater sequence, the promotion campaign, certain trends in Italian cinema at the time, etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Blue Underground in 2018. In English, not subtitled. (33 min, 1080p).

• Promotional Materials -
  
  1. International Trailer - remastered vintage international theatrical trailer for Zombie. In English, not subtitled. (4 min, 1080p).
  
  2. U.S. Trailer - remastered domestic U.S. theatrical trailer for Zombie. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).
  
  3. TV Spot One - in English, not subtitled. (1 min, 480/60i).
  
  4. TV Spot Two - In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 480/60i).
  
  5. Radio Spots - Four vintage radio spots. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Poster & Still Gallery - a massive collection of vintage promotional materials for Zombie from around the world. The collection also includes a fascinating selection of domestic and international VHS, DVD, and CD covers. Presented with music. Created by Jim Kunz. (10 min, 1080i).

• Audio Commentary One - in this brand new audio commentary, Troy Howarth, author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci and His Films, does a terrific job of explaining how and where various parts of Zombie were shot, and discusses some of the creative ideas that were used to promote the film, Fulci's cameo in it, the casting choices, the blending of different genre elements and the film's special atmosphere, the film's legendary score, etc. There are also some very interesting comments about the evolution of Italian genre films and some bigger trends during the '80s. The commentary was recorded exclusively Blue Underground.

• Audio Commentary Two - this vintage audio commentary features star Ian McCulloch and Diabolik Magazine editor Jason J. Slater. McCulloch's comments are illuminating but also quite hilarious. From his detailed descriptions of his first encounter with Lucio Fulci and then the shoot in New York City, it is pretty obvious that at least in the beginning he had no idea -- or at least not a perfectly clear idea -- what type of film he was hired to do, so his work was full of genuine surprises. The surprises continued after the film was banned in the United Kingdom but became a cult classic. There are some particularly good comments about the dubbing of the films as well.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Zombie Wasteland - in this archival program, stars Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, and Al Cliver, and stuntman/actor Ottaviano Dell'acqua share their thoughts on why Zombie has stood the test of the time, and discuss its production and Lucio Fulci's working methods as well as the impact that his film had on their careers. There are also additional comments by fans of the film that were delighted to meet the cast members during a convention that celebrated the film's thirtieth anniversary. In English and Italian, with imposed English subtitles where necessary. (23 min, 1080p).

• Flesh Eaters on Film - in this archival interview, co-producer Fabrizio De Angelis explains why he is scared of horror films and how he contracted Lucio Fulci, who was not his first choice, to do Zombie. There are additional very interesting comments about the director's working methods and unique sense of humor, the various professionals that assisted him and the shooting of the notorious Brooklyn Bridge sequence, and the film's promotional campaign. In Italian, with imposed English subtitles. (10 min, 1080p).

• Deadtime Stories - in this archival interview, co-writers Elisa Briganti and Dardano Sacchetti discuss the conception of Zombie and how the project evolved once Lucio Fulci became involved with it. The interviewees also explain why the film had such a profound impact on Italian horror cinema. In Italian, with imposed English subtitles. (15 min, 1080p).

• World of the Dead - in this archival interview, cinematographer Sergio Salvati and production & costume designer Walter Patriarca discuss the genesis of Zombie and the very particular stylistic appearance of the film. The important role that color has throughout the film is also addressed. In Italian, with imposed English subtitles. (17 min, 1080p).

• Zombi Italiano - in this archival program, special make-up effects artists Gianetto de Rossi & Maurizio Trani and Special Effects Artist Gino de Rossi discuss the range of special effects that were done for Zombie -- frequently only with clay and latex -- despite the fact that they did not have a lavish budget to work with. The notorious underwater sequence with the shark is also discussed in great detail. In Italian, with imposed English subtitles. (17 min, 1080p).

• Notes on a Headstone - in this archival program, composer Fabio Frizzi discusses the soundtrack that he created for Zombie and some of the key qualities that he wanted it to have so that it properly complements the film's special atmosphere. In Italian, with imposed English subtitles. (8 min, 1080p).

• All in the Family - in this archival program, Antonella Fulci, daughter of Lucio Fulci, discusses her father's relationship with the horror genre as well as his working methods. In Italian, with imposed English subtitles. (7 min, 1080p).

• Zombie Lover - in this archival program, Guillermo del Toro recalls his first viewing of Zombie in Mexico City and explains how it altered his appreciation of horror cinema and why it remains one of his all-time favorite horror films. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080p).

Zombie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Blue Underground's first 4K Blu-ray release is an incredible home run. To be honest, I am not at all surprised because it comes from the same pros that were producing all kinds of different definitive editions of genre films during the DVD era. They are doing it again, only this time they will be closing the home video cycle for these films. My prediction is that in the U.S. the 4K Blu-ray release of Lucio Fuilci's Zombie will become the gold standard that all future 4K Blu-ray releases of genre films will try to match. Buy with confidence, folks. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.