Edinburgh Zombie Club

SAVE THE GREEN PLANET (2003, dir. Jang Jun-Hwan)

This is a jaw-droppingly bizarre movie from Korea that mixes scenes of gruesome torture and violence with comedy and heartbreaking profundity.

Perhaps as a result of too many amphetamines and violent incidents in his past, beekeeper Lee Byeong Gu (Sin Ha-Gyun) has become convinced that an unscrupulous business tycoon (Kan Man-Shik) is actually an alien from the planet Andromeda. Lee’s frumpy acrobat girlfriend (Hwang Jung-Min) helps him abduct the ‘alien’ and torture him into confessing. Meanwhile, a hangdog detective is following a trail leading to Lee’s hideout high in the mountains.

Let the timid be warned: this is not the antipollution comedy that the title might indicate. Man’s inhumanity to man is certainly depicted–as in events like Korea’s 1980 Kwangju riots–but there’s more going on here than any one summation could describe: bees attack, a pet dog named Earth dines on human remains, alternate theories of evolution are posited (ie Noah’s Ark was a deep submarine carrying DNA samples); an entire lifetime of films, political turmoil, anime and manga are boiled down and distilled into one profound, multi-textual allegory.

Adventurous viewers will be in for one hell of a ride, as this film dares go where few have gone before, yet it does so with heart and intellect to match its wicked humor and headlong momentum.

RUNAWAY(1984, dir. Michael Crichton)

A police sergeant goes up against an evil electronics whiz in this fast-paced, futuristic thriller.

Ramsey is a widowed cop trying to raise his young son, Bobby. Although he suffers from a fear of heights, this condition hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the best officers on the force. His specialty is tracking down robots that have gone bad, rebelling against their owners. And because machines have taken over many regular tasks — even cooking — in this futuristic society, there’s always a need for Ramsey’s services. Now, however, he has his toughest assignment yet. Luther, a master criminal, is terrorizing the city by controlling robots everywhere to do his bidding. And, with the help of new, diabolical creations that include electronic spiders and heat-seeking, programmable bullets, Luther seems unstoppable. Will Ramsey and Thompson, his new, female partner, be able to stop the villain?

WEDNESDAY 28th JULY
THE BANSHEE LABYRINTH
NIDDRIE STREET
EDINBURGH
7.00PM, FREE!

An extra podcast for you lovely people.

This is the Q&A session that we had with Norman J. Warren after we’d watched Terror at the recent British Horror event. Thanks again to Norman and everyone who helped put on the event.

Enjoy the Q&A!

 

 Q&A with Norman J. Warren [41:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I hope you all enjoyed Sunday’s event as much as we did. A good collection of films, a good crowd and a great director. Thanks to everyone for making Mr Warren feel so welcome, he sent us this message to let us know he’d had a good time.

Hi Pat,

Thanks again for inviting me to the Edinburgh Zombie Club and for making it all so easy for me. I really enjoyed every moment and its just a pity the time always goes by so fast. The members are great and I’m sure there could be interesting conversations (and a few drinks of course) going well into the evening.

Thanks again for inviting me and I hope to see you again sometime in the near future.

All the very best,
Norman

So there you have it. I’ll get that Q&A session up very soon.

The Norman J. Warren event is now sold out! Thanks to everyone who has bought tickets, if you’ve paid over PayPal then they’ll be on the door for you on Sunday.

The provisional running times are as follows;

12:45 – 14:20 – Night of the Demon

14:40 – 16:10 – Terror

16:10 – 16:40 – Q&A with Mr Warren

16:40 – 18:20 – Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly

19:30 – 21:00 – Frightmare

21:30 – 23:00 – The Devil Rides Out

And there you have it. I seem to have missed out on putting up more information about the films and so, without further ado, here it is;

Night Of The Demon (1957, dir. Jacques Tourneur)

Dr. John Holden ventures to London to attend a paranormal psychology symposium with the intention to expose devil cult leader, Julian Karswell. Holden is a skeptic and does not believe in Karswell’s power. Nonetheless, he accepts an invitation to stay at Karswell’s estate, along with Joanna Harrington, niece of Holden’s confidant who was electrocuted in a bizarre automobile accident. Karswell secretly slips a parchment into Holden’s papers that might possibly be a death curse. Recurring strange events finally strike fear into Holden, who believes that his only hope is to pass the parchment back to Karswell to break the demonic curse

Based on a MR James short short, Night Of The Demon is a bona fide classic atmospheric horror film.

Terror (1978, dir. Norman J. Warren)

A curse place spewed forth by an executed witch wreaks havoc among the descendants of her killers in 1970s London, who meet their ends in a variety of graphically brutal ways. Infamous for it’s death by celluloid scene, this giallo inspired shocker is generally regarded as one of the director’s best.

Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly (1970, dir Freddy Francis)

A wealthy, fatherless British clan kidnaps bums and hippies and forces them to participate in an elaborate role-playing game in which they are the perfect family; those who refuse or attempt escape are ritualistically murdered.

Overshadowed by the director’s better known Hammer & Amicus output, this is a lost gem of black comedy.

Frightmare (1974, dir. Pete Walker)

After spending nearly twenty years in jail for a series of cannibalistic murders, Dorothy Yates and her husband Edmund, who was jailed for his attempted cover-up of his wife’s ghoulish tastes, are apparently cured and released back into society. Their two daughters are haunted by the fiendish deeds of their ghastly parents, and soon the killings begin again. But is it Dorothy this time, or someone else?

A tale of Home Counties cannibalism often compared to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The Devil Rides Out (1968, dir. Terence Fisher)

The Duc de Richeleau and his friend Rex discover their young charge Simon has fallen in with the powers of Darkness and is about to be baptized into the service of evil. The Duc is fortunately versed in such matters and finds himself locked in a duel with the deadly Mocata, disciple of the left-hand path.

What better way to end the day as we approach the witching hour with this classic slice of Satansplotation?

To celebrate getting more downloads than ever last month, we’ve turned in our most rambling nonsense yet. Listen as we amuse ourselves on a number of topics including backwoods horror, the upcoming all-dayer event, the scientific name for having your penis forcibly removed by a Bigfoot and stuffed monkeys in the Chambers Street museum. Happy days.

 

 Standard Podcast [56:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981, dir Jeff Lieberman)

1981′s Just Before Dawn is one of the best tales of wilderness horror out there. It’s one of the finest-made slashers of the 80′s and it easily blows movies like The Final Terror, Don’t Go in the Woods, or The Prey out of the water.

A group of young adults come to check out the mountain property that one of the group has just bought. However they are not alone in the wild. A hulking in-bred murderer, who seems to be in two places at once, is lurking and apparently hates trespassers.
Director Lieberman, who gave us such great B films as Squirm (1976) and Blue Sunshine (1977), does an excellent job with this smart thriller as well. The movie is nicely atmospheric, with a creeping sense of tension and some strong suspense. This film makes even the open wilderness seem frighteningly claustrophobic. The Oregon locations are beautiful and well captured by the crafty cinematography. The music score is a true original and awesome in contrast with the scenic visuals.

Deborah Benson makes for a great lead, her presence was captivating. Gregg Henry delivers a good performance as Benson’s lover and Chris Lemon provides some occasional charisma. The supporting cast, especially veteran actor Kennedy, also does quite well.
A true gem of the slasher genre, that needs no gore to thrill

NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1980, dir James C Wasson)
An anthropology professer takes his class into the woods to seek the legendary Bigfoot, and boy, do they find him! This is one pissed off mystery primate, who proceeds to off a succession of campers in a variety of gruesome ways.

Not to be confused with the classic 1950s British film with the same name, this is possibly THE greatest killer Bigfoot film ever made, delivering on what The Legend Of Boggy Creek II promised on its cover but failed to deliver on celluoid. Banned in the UK on its inital release, crammed full of all the usual EZC staples; bad acting, over the top gore and a truly bizarre plot twist, plus a creature costume that would shame 1970s Doctor Who.

This film will make you scared to pee in the woods ever again.

WEDNESDAY 30TH JUNE
BANSHEE LABYRINTH
29-35 NIDDRY ST
EDINBURGH
7.00PM, FREE!

This will also be EZC’s second birthday, so I dare say some of us will be hanging back for a drink after the films to celebrate, so feel free to join us.

Don’t forget to get your tickets for the all day event as well.

EZC Presents - Norman J. Warren

That’s right, folks, if you’ve listened to our latest podcast you’ll have heard that we’re bringing legendary director Norman J. Warren to our little club for an all day events of cult cinema. For your measly five pounds you’ll get the following;

• Night of the Demon
• Terror
• Q&A with Norman J. Warren
• Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly
• Frightmare
• The Devil Rides Out

As the poster says, just email tickets@edinburghzombieclub.com to book yourself a place.

Leith Short Film Festival

Many apologies for the very late notice on this one. While I was shambling my zombie way through Elvis Shakespeare this evening I noticed a poster for the Leith Short Film Festival. Maybe you live around the corner and get can there now, or maybe, like me, you’ll try and make it along tomorrow night.

A bit late with this one but I hope you’ll forgive us. This month we cover two EZC evenings, Eurocrime and 1974 as well as announcing our upcoming all day event. There’s even going to be a special guest there. More info in the podcast and here as well, once I get around to typing it up. For now, enjoy the melodious sound of our voices.

 

 Standard Podcast [72:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

How many zombies does it take to write an e-zine? Erm, we’re not sure, but some of them have done it! This just dropped into the inbox at Eidnburgh Zombie Club Headquarters.

Hi Zombie Lovers…

Welcome to another Zombie Times E-zine, packed with more zombie news, competitions and events than ever before, and once again being sent out to over 10,000 of you…. This issue contains our updated Make-Up artist Directory, recommended short films, the Horror Channels Zombie Films and lots of zombie news, reviews, competitions and events…

We hope you enjoy this issue and once again, tell us all about your zombie events, films or products as our next Zombie Times is out in a couple of months, so let us know ASAP all of the details and we will get this info in front of our subscribers..

Have fun, let us know what you think of this latest issue and keep zomming,

Keep on rotting in the Free World,

Zombie Ed and the Terror4fun Team
www.terror4fun.com