Translation of an original Italian newspaper ad: “An overwhelming threat to all humanity.”
During the ’Eighties, Bruno Mattei’s HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD (1980) was readily available as shelf-filler in the “horror” sections of virtually every video store in North America thanks to Vestron Video’s VHS and Beta videocassettes. While initially conceived as a cash-in on George A. Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD, this film’s U.S. theatrical and home video release as NIGHT OF THE ZOMBIES was promoted as a highly-ostensible companion-piece to Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBIE (1979), whose marketing campaign even promised “They Eat the Living!”, a cheeky tribute to Jerry Gross’ original “We Are Going to Eat You!” ad copy. Bearing some rudimentary - if key – similarities to Romero’s then-recent smash-hit, including that film’s Goblin score, which is brazenly pilfered here, HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD’s dark vision shall arguably stand as one of Mattei’s finest moments within the sphere of Italian horror.
Commencing the film in fine gloomy style, no sooner have the opening titles ended than several scientists and workers at Hope Center One have been contaminated by a mysterious green vapour and turned into flesh-eating zombies, a gruesome side-effect of ‘Operation Sweet Death.’ Developed by Professor Barrett (Joaquín Blanco), this experimental project is quickly deemed a “complete failure” when he reveals that “some kind of degenerative process has begun, which may by catastrophic for everybody!” This contamination also results in another violent altercation at the U.S. consulate in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea where a gang of terrorists have taken one of “the highest-ranking magistrate in the city” hostage in the hopes of shutting down the Hope Centers, which, much like Romero’s film, also introduces our quartet of S.W.A.T. team members who successfully overpower the terrorists. Led by Lt. Mike London (“Robert O’Neill”/ José Gras), this tightly-knit foursome soon finds themselves in a jungle hell on a top-secret mission, but when their rendezvous at a native graveyard fails to materialize, they reluctantly team up with famed French journalist Lia Rousseau (Margit Evelyn Newton) and her cameraman Max (Gaby Renom). Amidst the usual strained psychological warfare and in-fighting, the group encounters hordes of the living dead as they venture to Hope Center One, only to learn the highly ironic truth behind the apocalypse…
Unlike its inspiration, HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD accents pulpy action and lots of gore over credible human drama with Mattei wasting no time getting down to the nitty-gritty, which includes zombie attacks, gut-spilling, and a lengthy shootout within the film’s first 15 minutes. Despite several potent ideas interspersed within Claudio Fragasso’s and Rossella Drudi’s script (who goes uncredited here), their original and much-grander treatment (which has finally been revealed in Brad Carter’s novelisation of the “mega-budget screenplay edition” of said film) was unfortunately never realized due to budgetary constraints. Behind Goblin’s dynamic orchestrations (which even includes tracks from Luigi Cozzi’s CONTAMINATION [1980] and Joe D’Amato’s BEYOND THE DARKNESS [1979]), and its generally grim outlook, Mattei attempts some pointed and pertinent commentary about world politics and societal malaise (“The apocalypse is bearing down upon us!” Exclaims Lia), but he never takes the time to fully develop these ideas and soon slips back into more familiar territory with lots of killing and lots of blood spilled, but not before he and his scriptwriters deliver the film’s exceedingly cynical development.
Considering the picture’s obvious limitations and strictly Spanish locales, Mattei and his crew also manage to come up with some decent tropical settings (the lush Vallvidrera woods near Barcelona filling in nicely for Papua New Guinea), which are chock-full of zombie extras, some of which are decked-out in undeniably gruesome zombie make-up. However, the whole careful illusion is immediately shattered by the inclusion of painfully obvious stock footage, most of which usually includes innocuous shots of various wild animals, but in a possible nod to Italian cannibal films (which were also popular at the time), Mattei even includes long stretches of solemn, real-life tribal funerals, which are easily the most harrowing, stomach-churning moments in the entire film. Of course, this cut-and-paste technique was nothing new to signor Mattei who also employed this highly-dubious practice for his various surrealistically ‘authentic’ sex-themed mondo films such as PORNO NIGHTS OF THE WORLD (1977).
As Lt. Mike London, tough-talking José Gras exhibits less sanctity for human life than the zombies themselves, and is only interested in completing his mission no matter the cost. Initially galaxies apart from Margit Newton’s character Lia in both profession and personality, his hatred for his purely coincidental ‘enemy’ accounts for most of the film’s dramatic conflict, but like most of Mattei’s filmography, much of the film’s interesting ideas are also drowned in over-the-top histrionics and hilarious English dubbing. While not without its share of decent lines (“Why should nature begin breaking its own rules?”), dialogue also incorporates several – um – jewels (e.g., “You shit-faced bastards!”) to keep trash movie fans suitably entertained. As the wide-eyed perspirant Zantoro, frequent character actor Franco Garofalo (who also appeared in Mattei’s and Fragasso’s nunsploitation two-fer THE TRUE STORY OF THE NUN OF MONZA [1980] and THE OTHER HELL [1980] the same year) chews the scenery and swallows it whole without passing for breath, so logically he gets most of the best lines (“Whoa! These mothers have got more lives than a cat!”), but even he admits (in an interview located elsewhere on the disc) that Mattei allowed the actors to “ham it up” a little too much.
While most critics were generally unkind to this shameless, cobbled together rip-off of DAWN OF THE DEAD, it has nonetheless remained in print throughout the history of home video, and in the UK as ZOMBIE CREEPING FLESH, the film was also caught up in the video nasties furor where it was classified as a Section 2 video nasty. Although never released on Laserdisc, it did receive a nice widescreen videocassette release in Japan courtesy of TDK Super Video, which remained the optimal release for English-speaking fans of the film until it hit DVD in 2002 via Anchor Bay. Given this was the early days of the format, this turned out to be a one hell of an upgrade over its analogue brethren, which also included an interview with Mattei entitled Hell Rats of the Living Dead (8m38s), a poster and still gallery, cast and crew biographies, filmographies, the film’s English-language export trailer (3m48s), and a 4-page liner notes booklet, which included a conversation with director Scooter McCrae and former Fangoria editor Michael Gingold. Of course, other DVDs from around the world soon followed including a Blue Underground re-release in 2007, and later in 2014, a BU Blu-ray double feature paired up with Mattei’s RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR (1984).
Taken from the film’s original camera negative, BU’s new HD transfer was another huge leap forward in terms of picture quality and the DTS-HD master audio 2.0 mono track was likewise nice and clear, which allowed viewers to better to appreciate the off-the-wall English dubbing, which includes such voice talent stalwarts as Edward Mannix voicing José Gras, and a truly manic Frank Von Kuegelgen having loads of fun as the voice of Zantoro. However, it should be noted this Blu-ray was very slightly – almost imperceptibly – edited due to some unorthodox splices in the OCN, which required the removal of some frames, a fact which was revealed on numerous forums. Extras included the previously-seen Hell Rats of the Living Dead featurette, the English export trailer, and the film’s Italian trailer (3m47s) as well. The disc also included Bonded by Blood (50m14s), one of the very best and entirely unique making-of documentaries, which has Severin’s David Gregory casually interviewing Fragasso and Drudi at an Italian restaurant as they prepare dinner while Fragasso discusses his career, the film’s in question, his directing work, and even the subtleties of Italian cooking. Other turnouts in the doc also include Margit Evelyn Newton, Franco Garofalo, and actors / stunt performers Ottaviano Dell’Acqua and Massimo Vanni as they visit an aging De Paolis Studios where Rats was shot. Great stuff!
In the UK, 88 Films released this former video nasty on both Blu-ray and 4K UHD in 2017 and 2023, respectively, and while the 2017 Blu looked virtually identical in terms of picture quality to BU’s earlier release (including the subtle edits), 88 Films did include both the English and Italian audio tracks in LPCM 2.0 mono audio (with optional English subtitles on the latter) alongside a set of new special features including an interview with Margie Newton entitled Margie Among the Living Dead (22m06s), and Welcome to Hell (26m11s), yet another conversation with Fragasso wherein he talks about his entire career including his working period with Mattei. The film’s English-language export trailer was also present as was an 8-page liner notes booklet with writing from Marek Zarcharkiw. Unfortunately, 88 Films’ initial print run of their 4K UHD/BD combo was met with a good deal of controversy, but after loads of online grumbling, a replacement program was eventually put in place, and while not having the time to check these corrected discs, it has since been confirmed that not only do they look terrific, these new transfers also reinstated many of the cuts which plagued both the earlier BU and 88 Films Blu-rays. For the record, the 2023 edition also included a newly-recorded audio commentary with authors and film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth, further interviews with Newton (26m36s), Fragasso (39m02s) and Drudi (22m56s), Attack of the VHS Zombies: Zombie Creeping Flesh and the Video Era (27m52s), the film’s trailer, a fold-out poster featuring newly-commissioned art from Graham Humphreys (which also adorns the slipcover) and a 12-page liner notes booklet with writing from Francesco Massaccesi.
Given the film’s on-going popularity on the home video market, it was inevitable that a 4K UHD would eventually hit North American shores, and who better to release this beloved Italian horror film and former Section 2 video nasty but Severin Films. “Scanned in 4K from the original camera negative,” their new 4K UHD (with Dolby Vision) looks and sounds outstanding, which has superior detail that accents plenty of luminous highlights like glistening gore, and an overall richness (especially in terms of the film’s colour palette) missing from previous editions. While the numerous instances of stock footage still stick out like a sore thumb, even these haphazardly inserted scenes also seem improved with Severin’s superb transfer, and like the 88 Films disc, this new printing also includes the full uncut version with all of the previously-mentioned edits restored. The DTS-HD master audio 2.0 mono tracks, which include both English and Italian (with optional English subtitles on the latter) likewise sound nice and crisp with most of the aggression centred around the film’s many bursts of machine gun fire and Goblin’s pounding score. Closed captions are also included.
As expected, Severin have loaded their 2-disc set with several fabulous special features not seen on previous editions beginning with Go To Hell – A Talk with Bruno Mattei(12m29s), an archival interview with the late director where he talks about his love for horror movies, how this project came to fruition, his love of improvisation, Fragasso’s patience with actors, and how the two men formed a “perfect symbiosis.” In The Beauty and the Zombies – A Talk with Margie Newton (11m21s), she goes over her surprise of getting the lead role (“It was a mix of joy and fear!”) who was chosen because the directors wanted an “international face” and not Italian. She also goes on to talk about the production and the “open-ended hours” of the shoot, which allowed her to do plenty of sightseeing around Barcelona, her shyness about the nudity in the film, Fragasso’s and Mattei’s working relationship, and the arduous make-up required for the film. Next up, Franco Garofalo is interviewed in My Big Chance (21m40s), a lengthy sit down with the charismatic actor who reminisces about his many early roles and his time on said film, which was “an adventure inside an adventure” due to the production’s limited means. Despite feeling “a bit uncomfortable” within this genre of film, Fragasso gave him a lot a space, which allowed for a lot of improvisation whereas Mattei “brought a lot of energy” to the set. In what turns out to be a nice surprise, the once elusive José Gras appears for an on-camera interview in the aptly-titled Lt. Mike London is Back (26m35s) wherein he discusses how he obtained the role, Fragasso’s involvement in the picture, the production itself and his many co-stars including Victor Isreal and Franco Garofalo (“He had a quality. I liked him.”), the film’s premiere in Stiges, the origin of his ‘Robert O’Neill’ pseudonym, and how he eventually fell out of acting as roles began to dry up. Spanish character actor Bernard Seray is up next in I Will Never Be A Zombie (10m55s) in which he also talks about his early career as a fashion model, which led to his meeting with Spanish director Ignacio F. Iquino and his subsequent role in the director’s LOS VIOLADORES DEL AMANECER (1978). As for HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD, he signed on for the role with the clear intention of “not going to be a zombie” because he was a staunch vegetarian and didn’t want to eat raw meat, and despite his small role, he enjoyed his time on the picture, which he regards as a “real cinematographic feat.” And for those interested in such trivia, he reveals the zombie child in the film is the grandson of Spanish director José Antonio de la Loma! Lastly, Pep Ballester is interviewed in My Son Is A Zombie (8m05s) who also goes over his early start and how his career changed after the death of dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco, and in an interesting bit of minutiae, he alludes to some possibly alternate scenes, which were shot for his death scene at the hands of his zombified son.
Taking a break from the many actors who appear in the film, producer José María Cunilles steps in front of the camera next in Producing the Apocalypse (5m39s), where he reveals this was a project initiated by Italian producer Roberto Di Girolamo, the film’s “complicated shoot” due to the many locations used throughout the production, and the film’s distribution. Even though the picture “sold well in many countries” at a “fixed price” and went mostly straight to video, the shifty U.S. distributors at Motion Picture Marketing released it to theatres without his knowledge. Next up, Xavi Sánchez Pons and José Gras guide us through the many locations used in the film in Papua New Guinea in Barcelona (42m24s) beginning with the Teknon Clinic, which doubled for the U.S. consulate in the film, the aforementioned – and still operational - power plant at the end of the fast-flowing Besembocadura del Besòs river, the Merendero Font de las Planes in Collserola, a now popular camping destination, which has changed significantly over the last 40 years since it was seen in the film as the abandoned mission, and of course, they also visit the lush forests of Vallvidrera. Last but not least, in Peter and the Test Tube Babies – Zombie Creeping Flesh (17m40s), frontman Peter Bywaters of the British punk rock band is interviewed wherein he talks about his how and why he got involved in punk music, which allowed him a greater focus to “release his anger,” his early gigs (including lots of footage of them performing), some of their wonderfully absurd lyrics, his numerous albums such as “Pissed and Proud,” and of course their 1983 single Zombie Creeping Flesh is discussed at length. Finally, the film’s English-language export trailer (3m45s) concludes the extras. And for anyone that orders directly from Severin Films, their limited edition 3-disc 4K UHD/BD also includes the film’s soundtrack CD (13 tracks, 39m11s) and an exclusive slipcover.
Despite some momentary flashes of ingenuity and an energetic, gore-filled narrative, Bruno Mattei’s HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD shall, if nothing else, forever remain noteworthy for its sheer, lowbrow audacity, and now more than ever, there’s no better way to watch this fan-favourite than via Severin Films' stunning must-own 4K UHD.
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