Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Zombie Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 24, 2018

Italian director Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" a.k.a. "Zombie Flesh Eaters" (1979) arrives on 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 more. The release also arrives with a CD copy of Fabio Frizzi's soundtrack and 22-page illustrated booklet. 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 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Lucio Fulci's Zombie arrives on Bluray courtesy Blue Underground.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 4K restoration that is simply a thing of beauty. I think that it is the best work that the folks at Blue Underground have done to date, surpassing even the excellent 4K remasters that they prepared for Maniac Cop 2 and Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence in 2013.

Density levels are astonishing and really provide the film with an entirely new type of organic theatrical fluidity that has never been present on a home video release. This isn't an exaggeration -- if you have a projector, go big, because this new 4K remaster delivers all sorts of new nuances and tiny details that are either difficult to spot or missing on the Region-B release that we reviewed in 2012. Even more importantly, there are improvements everywhere, not just during well-lit close-ups. As expected, grain is much better exposed and distributed, so during the underwater footage for instance density and clarity are again superior. There are no traces of problematic sharpening corrections, or other annoying digital tinkering. The color scheme is terrific. All primaries have better saturation and the ranges of nuances are dramatically expanded. To get an idea what type of new nuances to expect, compare screencapture #2 with the corresponding screencapture from our review of the Region-B release. Brightness levels are rebalanced and the film looks slightly darker, but this helps the overall image balance and actually strengthens some of the new nuances. There are no stability issues to report. Finally, the entire film has been carefully cleaned up and looks spotless. All in all, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the folks at Blue-Underground have produced the definitive master and release of Zombie. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Zombie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are five standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0, English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0, Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, and French: Dolby Digital Mono. Optional English (suitable for the Italian audio only), English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Russian, Swedish, and Thai yellow subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I viewed the film with the English Mono track, but I also tested the English 7.1 track. First, I am going to see if I can confirm whether the audio was newly remastered for this release, or if there is new optimization work that has been done on it, because clarity and dynamic balance actually appear to be better. Either way, the Mono track remains my preferred option when viewing the film. This being said, I was very interested to see how the 7.1 track handles the film and there is indeed a pretty significant upgrade in dynamic intensity. However, I also feel that some of the 'enhancements' during action footage tend to stick out -- this is the best way I can explain what I hear -- and this has a bit of an awkward effect on the perception of depth. But, there is a pretty substantial difference between the two English tracks. There are no audio dropouts, distortions, or other age-related anomalies to report.

Zombie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• 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 TWO

• 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).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Soundtrack - the original motion picture soundtrack by Fabio Frizzi is presented on a separate CD. Nine tracks. (28 min).

• Booklet - 22-page illustrated booklet featuring Stephen Thrower's essay "We Are Going to Eat You! Zombie vs. The Critics" and technical credits.

• Covers - 3D lenticular slipcover, plus reversible cover with vintage poster art. Please note that Blue Underground has two more releases of Zombie with exclusive collectible 3D lenticular covers, which are listed here and here.

Zombie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The folks at Blue Underground have delivered the definitive home video release of Lucio Fulci's cult film Zombie. I viewed their new 4K restoration of the film earlier today and was floored -- it is unquestionably their best work to date. I know that they are promoting the restoration theatrically in different parts of the country, so if it comes to your area go see it on the big screen. Trust me, this will be a special theatrical experience that you will remember for a long time. If you are already planning to pick up a copy of Zombie for your Blu-ray collection, don't forger that in addition to the release we have reviewed here, there are two more with exclusive collectible 3D lenticular covers that can be seen here and here. All three releases are Region-Free. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.