#897 The Video Dead (1987)

Zombie movies are – and have for quite some time have been – a favourite of self-funded indie movie makers, who always seem to think there’s room for another poorly executed home made zombie slasher. Chances are there’s a team working on one in your home town ask we speak.

The Video Dead, released straight on tape, is one of these projects that time has forgotten. It does however stand up from the endless pit of similar zombie movies thanks to trying something a little bit of its own and introducing its concept of a possessed TV set spawning out the undead. The undead themselves like the rest of the movie are quite haphazardly made, but there’s also a certain good kind of Bad Taste vibe to all of it, especially in the forest scenes.

But, despite some chainsaw zombie action, there’s mediocrity written all over it. The splatter and the comedy elements are there, but if the movie had gone all the way with both like Evil Dead or the aforementioned Bad Taste, it might’ve had a chance of becoming a cult classic. As it is now, it’s just too tame and to make any kinds of waves.

80s-o-meter: 78%

Total: 57%