Welcome to one of the main features of 'Castle Dracula,' the movie reviews section.
The reviews placed here are from all around the world, from the USA to the UK Japan
and everything inbetween. The formats reviewed are video and DVD. I have included the
origin of the film reviewed so you can check your player for compatibility. You may
also notice that there are some DVD-R reviews. These are not 'bootlegs' or 'copies'
but official screeners that I have been sent containing an as yet unreleased film to 
review. All the reviews here have been reviewed either by myself or my current movie 
reviewers. If you're an avid watcher of horror movies then why not join 'Castle Dracula'
as an official 'staff member' reviewing them. To do so, just click on the 'Join My Staff'
link in the menu to the left for details of this and other vacancies.
New reviews are normally placed here once a week, check my front page for under 'Castle
Dracula Updates' to see what latest movie reviews have been placed.

- Dead Alive aka Braindead -  DVD - 

When I first saw this film, under it's original title of "Braindead" (which
was later changed by Vidmark to "Dead Alive"), I sat there with my mouth open,
completely awestruck.
The reason for this uncharacteristic demeanor was because in 1992, which is
when this film was released, having just a cut finger on screen would cause
the English censors to take their scissors in mad pacic to a film. 
Don't get me wrong, by 92', I had seen my fair share of gore and splatter films.
None of them though, could prepare me for what I was watching on my video player
at that time. "Kung-Fu fighting Priests" declaring they "kick arse for the Lord",
the ugliest baby you'll ever see, zombie sex and the best of all, more guts and
gore flying across the screen than a free-for-all in a butchers shop.
In fact, I have yet to see a film that rivals this in the gore stakes. 
The only reason it got past our censors was because the fact they refused to 
believe that anyone would or even could take it seriously, simply because it 
was that outrageous. They, for once, were right, this is not only a sick, gory
monster of a horror film but probably one of the funniest flicks you'll ever see. 
Think "Evil Dead 2" style humour, then amplify it a thousandfold and you're halfway
there.
The plot, yes there actually is one, centers around Lionel, a very quiet, shy, geeky
looking young man who lives with (and in fear of) his mother. 
After an illfated trip to the zoo, where his mother is spying on him and his would
be girlfriend, his mother is bitten by a rare "Sumatran Rat Monkey". 
Slowly, she turns into a zombie, infecting and in turn, turning friends and family
into zombies too. 
It's not long before her home resembles more of a slaughterhouse than the family 
abode.
Of course, it's up to Lionel and his girlfriend to try and sort out the (literal)
mess which ensues.
The complete anarchy and chaos that follows has to be seen to be believed.
All which results in the legendary climax with the lawnmower. 
Shot on a budget of just £3 million, this is a cult classic. 
The picture comes in a 16 x 9 widescreen presentation with a Dolby Stereo soundtrack. 
It has French and Spanish subtitles a theatrical trailer and that's it. No more 
extra's. 
As long as you see the Unrated version, which what my version is, you will not 
be disappointed. 
Although, believe it or not, this is not the FULL uncut version. 
The only fully uncut version that exists is on Japanese Laserdisc which adds a 
further 7 minutes to the film, strangely, the added scenes are not gore scenes 
as you would expect, but scenes that develop the characters further.
Just for the few of you who do not know who created this splatterfest, it was 
none other than the most sought after and bankable director of the moment, Mr 
"Lord of the Rings" himself, Peter Jackson. Before his obsession with all things
Goblin, his first films were "Bad Taste" (title says it all), "Meet The Feebles"
(which to give you a clue, was going to be called "Muppets on Acid") and then 
this classic. 
After those came "The Frighteners" and "Heavenly Creatures" but we don't mention 
them here. 

Reviewed By Dracula

Click here to read how this page is protected by copyright laws.