Tag Archives: zombie

“Beast of Yucca Flats” (1961) – Oh, Sweet Brevity!

This is a really short movie. A “quicky” if ever there were one. Not necessarily a bad thing is this case but if you can tolerate this mish mash, then you have earned a symbolic badge of honor for witnessing one of the worst films ever made!

Tor Johnson is a defecting Soviet scientist who relocates to the Southwestern Nevada region of Yucca Flat (s). The professor apparently is carrying secret documents that contain highly confidential information regarding Russia’s space plans for The Moon. Russian agents are sent to intercept Johnson and get the classified information back. A chase ensues and the scientist and his pursuers end up clashing right smack dab in the middle of the Yucca Flat test site, an area where atomic bomb testing takes place. Johnson manages to elude the agents/assassins but can’t get out of line of sight of a nearby atomic test. Johnson is slathered over with atomic radiation and transforms into a raging psychotic killer! The countryside is not safe.

Completely disjointed, ragged filmmaking effort. Probably a tax write off of some sort. Don’t miss the absurdist voice over narrator pontificate about the struggles of life and moral implications of this slice of storytelling sappiness.

Tor Johnson, a former wrestler, and he of gargantuan proportions, gives his usual somnambulist performance as a rampaging, twisted monster. (See “Plan 9 From Outer Space”).

Don’t expect to walk away from this one with anything more than loss of 70 minutes of your life that you will never get back.

Without Warning (1980) – Titanic, Manic Acting

This alien on the loose in a small community film caper has the great advantage of having two acting legends as part of the cast: Jack Palance and Martin Landau. Add in their over the top characterizations, manic is a kind word, and this makes for a moderately memorable viewing experience. There are some nasty attack sequences by some flying nasties that clamp on and zombify their victims. The main alien actor is a towering apparition that appears closer to the end of the film to maintain some dread and mystery as to his purpose and appearance. Landau’s bug eyed recitations of conspiracy theories and Palance’s increasingly desperate attempts to contain the alien contagion are the true delights of this film and I recommend it.

TOP 10 ZOMBIE TYPES

zombie chicks

Very cool compilation of different zombie types that are found in movies and TV.  We find that there may be multiple ways to be turned into a zombie including plagues, solar flares, voodoo, etc.  The general consensus is, though, that in order to end a zombie’s miserable existence is to your advantage to severely wound or damage the head area of said zombie.  If your aim is steady and accurate enough, use a gun or rifle to shoot the zombie in the head.  Seems to do the trick in most cases.  Always nice to watch these cats shamble around on the big and little screens but pray that all the talk about an impending zombie apocalypse is just that.  Hehe.