Scorned…, Ridiculed…, and loved by millions…, well a few of us anyway. Bruno Mattei’s gut busting gorefest about a toxic chemical turning a Third World population into fleshing eating undead is a must have for Italian ZOMBI enthusiasts and classic zombie film fans alike. Originally titled “Virus” it saw a number of fun to say titles like “Zombie Creeping Flesh”, “Cannibal Virus” and the all impressive “Zombie Inferno”. I guess this is a good time to point out that I am a HUGE fan of Italian Horror. My first run in with it was on Vestron Video as “Night of the Zombies” on Vestron Video cut by a couple of minutes. Now behold--- as its all done up right re-mastered in proper widescreen [1.85:1] and UNCUT with a very watchable print on Anchor Bay DVD.

Oh horror and doom. A infectious leak at a chemical plant in New Guinea turns the local population into undead flesh-eaters. So a commando SWAT team sent to investigate meets up with a couple of reporters and what they find is action filled zombie mayhem with slight cannibal trimmings and…well?!?

Let’s say it’s defiantly a guilty pleasure and oh what a beautiful mess it is. With cheap but effective make up and none of that CGI bullshit, we have staggering gore hungry zombies, bloody gun blasts, loads of gutsy gore, munching, head blowing, the entertaining but rarely-discussed kitty in old lady’s stomach scene. Add a heavy dose of National Geographic stock footage including wildlife and drum beating natives and all the bizarre that comes with them, as well as the ridiculous and delirious dubbing like: “You bastards, you lousy bunch of turds, brainless monkeys, you can’t get me. Go back to your graves, beat it, go on”. And how about. “They could be drunk, or drugged, or maybe it’s a leper colony, they probably don’t intend to harm anyone”. Fans of Goblin [me, me, me] will recognize the excellent score that was also used in Italian classics Dario Argento’s cut of “Dawn of the Dead” and Joe D’Amato’s “Buio Omega - Beyond the Darkness” ’80 and in Luigi Cozzi’s “Contamination”.

All in all this is a must have low budget zombie fun-tastic-o with a pretty decent story[snicker] from Italian genre regular Claudio Fragasso. All done up Bruno Mattei style under the pseudonym of Vincent Dawn. And he does have style as odd as it may be. Just see the equally ridiculous fun of “Rats: The Night of Terror” ’84 or my favorite nunsploitation flick “The Other Hell” ‘81 and if you’re feeling particularly randy, hit up “Women’s Prison Massacre” ’83 for the proof. And what ever you do don’t forget he finished the splatter crowd pleaser “Zombi 3” ‘88 started by Lucio Fulci.

Xtras: Trailer, Bruno Mattei Interview, Poster & Still Gallery

Bruno Mattei 1931 – 2007 R.I.P.

Alternate Title TV Spot