(1974) ***1/2
George just wants to hop on his motorcycle and leave the polluted city of London in order to spend a nice weekend in the countryside. The squalor and depravity of the city is quickly established in the opening shots, which reveal trash, grime, smog, and even a random streaker (more on that later). George’s plans are interrupted when errant driver Edna accidentally backs her car into his motorcycle while he is refueling at a gas station. With his motorcycle in disrepair and his weekend plans in jeopardy, pushy George insists that Edna take him to his destination. He grabs her keys and informs her that he’s driving. Edna reluctantly agrees but insists that they go to her heroin addict sister’s house first. Apparently Edna wants to convince her smack-addict sister, Katie, to go to rehab. Jerk George agrees to these terms and off they go.
I'm taking over this operation because I'm the man, baby!
The duo quickly becomes lost in the vast countryside and George leaves Edna in the car while seeking directions from some ecology researchers who are conducting an experiment with a radiation machine that kills crop-feasting insects. Still with me? While waiting for George to return Edna is attacked by an aggressive zombie. Of course no one believes her. Eventually they make their way to Katie’s home where they find her hysterical. She informs them that a zombie just eviscerated her husband. The police are called but they are no help and they quickly accuse Katie of murder. When Edna recounts her own encounter with a zombie they tell her she is lying to save her sister.
After some brief sleuthing George figures out that the radiation experiments being conducted on the farm are causing the dead to come back to life. By this time more zombies have risen and are hungry for innards. After a somewhat slow set-up the second half of the film is full of gory zombie action as George and Edna try to escape the small town.
Wow, a decent zombie movie that I’ve never seen before! Despite the slow first half the second half of the film kicks ass with unrelenting zombie attacks. I was surprised at the level of gore given that this is a 1974 film. Apparently the FX were done by Giannetto De Rossi who would go on to work with Fulci on Zombie 2. The dialogue is silly at times, especially any scene involving the Dragnet-like police chief, but this only adds to the charm. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the best part! As George is driving through London during the opening credits Gretchen streaks by in an Alfred Hitchcock-like cameo!
