RSS 2.0
Now available, 6 Reels Under, David Del Valle's followup to 
A Media Blasters ‘Shriek Show’ release.
1982 U.S. theatrical release as Doctor Butcher, M.D.
90 mins. 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Dolby digital 2.0 / Not rated.
As you can see, I have more than a passing interest in this one. Terry Levene, the US distributor of Italy’s Zombie Holocaust, never told me what the film was going to be, just that he needed three minutes of zombie footage for a new title sequence since he’d lost the rights to the Italian title. He also promised me an upfront screen credit. Seemed fine to me. It shouldn’t have been. It’s not a film with which I had any hands-on connection, and the blowup of footage from a unfinished feature I produced – Tales That’ll Tear Your Heart Out – wasn’t good. But it’s an odd footnote to my career, and I was glad to help with the DVD of the original version (the Tales-laden title sequence is not contained on this disc).
Zombie/Cannibal films are strong subgenres of the Horror genre. ZH has gone by many names, and the US moniker – Dr. Butcher, MD (for medical deviate), heralded upon its release by a‘ButcherMobile’ cruising Manhattan’s streets, only helps perpetuate its rep.
The film is neither special nor disappointing for its fanbase, but it is chock full of gore, zombie makeup and nudity, stalwart staples of the genre. There’s even nostalgic footage of NYC. And the extras are fun, if I must say so myself, since many of them concern me. The video interview was conducted at my wife’s apartment by Edward Samuelson. It focussed on whatever background I could supply about the US release and my involvement therein, with some additional questions about my career which are less relevent (but it was kind of Edward to ask). Watching the DVD for the first time, I noticed that I appeared strikingly youthful in the interview, and on closer inspection realized that this was because I was slightly out of focus (the poster on the wall in back of me is razor sharp). I’ll have to remember this clever effect for future interviews since, on a recent DVD release – Hardcore Poisoned Eyes – in an interview filmed between me and Director Sal Ciavarello, I apparently looked tired.
Tagged as: Marino Girolami