ZOMBIE ASS (2011) movie revew

Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead (2011) d. Iguchi, Noboru (Japan)

The final official screening of BIFFF 2012 and they could not have programmed it better. mad genius Iguchi (Machine Girl, Dead Sushi) blows it out his backside with this hilariously twisted spin on the walking dead, afflicting victims with genetically engineered tapeworms that overwhelm the consciousness and turn them into meat puppets. As the title might indicate, these being organisms that reside in the digestive system, there’s also the unfortunate gastrointestinal side effects of random defecation and wind breakage – yes, you’ve got a fleet of shambling, farting, crapping zombies who are as inclined to point their backside at you (so that the toothy parasite can infest a new host) as they are give your flesh a munch. If you hadn’t already guessed, none of this is to be taken too seriously, the pleasures lying in the massive body count and ridiculous splatter effects that befall the hyperactive ensemble. Not for everyone, but damned if that wasn’t one of the most enjoyable big screen viewing experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a few.

DEAD SUSHI (2012) review

Dead Sushi (2012) (1st viewing) d. Iguchi, Noboru (Japan)

“When you insult a sushi chef, the next dish is death!” Shunned by her sushi master father for inferior rice palming skills, spunky Rina Takeda finds employ at a remote country inn the same day a shady pharmaceuticals firm corporate outing arrives on vacation. When a disgruntled employee infects the edibles with an experimental serum, guests and staff alike are besieged by animated appetizers that are fanged and furious. After witnessing the gut-busting, gag-inducing Zombie Ass at BIFFF in April, I was more than willing to return to the table to see what new dish the sensei of splatter had in store. With this latest exaggerated onslaught of pell-mell pandemonium, Iguchi might just have arrived at the perfect recipe of delirious bloodslinging and ridiculous slapstick, his fevered imagination conjuring such never-before-seen (or imagined) sights as a giant flying sushi roll battleship, nunchucks composed of rice and fish slices, and airborne swarms of bite-sized foodstuffs that spit acid, shoot flame and devour human flesh, snickering high-pitched manic giggles all the while. Needless to say, the world premiere Fantasia crowd ate it up (when they weren’t picking jaws up off the floor or turning to their neighbors for confirmation that, yes, they had just seen that) and begged for more. Innocent within its insanity, Dead Sushi brings to mind the organic audaciousness and inspired anarchy of Troma’s salad days and comes highly recommended to share with friends.

Fantasia Day 4 (Sunday, July 22)

All right, friends, we’ve made it through the first weekend of Fantasia, which means a reprieve from midnight screenings aka Those Ol’ Man AC Killers until next Friday.

Author and film programmer Kier-La Janisse was on hand yesterday for the launch of her new book, House of Psychotic Women, published by FAB press. In conjunction with the book’s release, Janisse is programming a quartet of films also highlighted in her tome, the first of which being the 1977 Mia Farrow ghost story, The Haunting of Julia (aka Full Circle). Seeing this rare film on the big screen (via a digital copy made from what is believed one of the few surviving 35 mm prints) was absolutely a treat, having only seen it one previous time on VHS nearly 15 years ago.

BIFFF Day #11 (Monday, 4/16)

The final day of BIFFF competition shines a spotlight on Belgium’s neighbor to the north with three Danish offerings, all of equally fine fettle. The event is further spotlighted by a small reception in the VIP lounge sponsored by a Brussels Denmark Appreciation Society, and quelle magnifique, some of the journalists are allowed to enter the hallowed carpeted section for a brief 90 minute stay. (Any longer and the place would start to smell, no? Oui.)