听 Also known as "The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue", this notorious zombie shocker has previously only been available to see here on dodgy pirate video copies. With the movie now released on a fine US Region 1 DVD, it's fascinating to blow apart the myths and reveal a particularly creepy little shocker beneath the controversy.
Despite being set in England's idyllic Lake District, the film turns the postcard locations into an unsettling backdrop for the two main characters, George (Lovelock) and Edna (Galbo). Their journey takes them to visit Edna's prostitute sister who is married to a man who whiles away the day taking naughty photos of her. Even more disturbing though is the transformation of the porn-snapping hubby into a deranged zombie.
He's not alone as pretty soon the local churchyard and mortuary are spewing out the living dead. Compared to most movie zombies, these are a resilient lot and really take some killing, as George and Edna soon find out. As the lush rolling hills around them fill to the sounds of gut-tearing, bone-crunching mayhem, George discovers the reason for these stumbling aberrations. Unfortunately for him and Edna, the local police are convinced that it's them carrying out the ghoulish deeds.
It's a neat little twist that provides both humour and suspense as our hapless couple try to save England while being pursued by the law and a rotting bunch of limb-munchers. There are some cheesy moments (and gaping plot inconsistencies) as one might expect. But any laughter soon turns to screaming as the screen fills with calculated gory mayhem and some fine shock moments.
