You may not remember through the haze of booze, pills, and indiscriminate hobo sex, but back in 2008, I posted a clip of a zombie fighting a shark. This was not done through special effects, unless you consider sticking an actor inside a shark tank a special effect. The clip came from Lucio Fulci’s 1980 film Zombie — why wouldn’t you call it “Zombie Shark Fight?” Sell the sizzle, man! — and thanks to a recent re-release, you’ll be able to see it in theaters this weekend at special midnight showings in advance of its DVD and Blu-Ray release next week (October 25th, to be precise). I’ve got the list of theaters and more pictures and video after the jump.
“Fulci put a stuntman dressed as a zombie in a tank with a live shark and made them fight – it’s one of the craziest, most insane and irresponsible scenes ever put on film. This was 1980, years before CG. And the zombie wins! To this day, nobody knows how in the hell he did it, it’s simply jaw-dropping. There’s nothing you will see in any modern zombie movie that comes close to what Fulci did in 1980.” – Eli Roth. [from the press release]
Based on my extensive knowledge of racial stereotypes from the 30s, I think I can imagine it went down. (EXCLUSIVE!):
STUNTMAN: But-a mister-a Fulci, how-a Guiseppe guana fight-a di shark? My mama, she barely-a teach-a me to swim! Please, Guiseppe got-a keeds to-a feed!
LUCIO FULCI: Guiseppe! Testaduro! How many-a time Lucio guana tell-a you? You dona a-gotta FIGHT-a di shark, you-a just-a gotta SWEEM with-a di shark. The shark, she wont-a even-a be-a hungry. We fill-em uppa good, with-a my mama’s a-meataballs!
STUNTMAN: …With-a… you mama‘s a-meataballs? Mamma mia! Everyone-a know, Mama Fulci’s a-meatballs, they’re-a di best eena Italy!
LUCIO FULCI: Oh, so-a now a-you no-a scared-a no more, skifozo? You just-a make sure-a the shark-a belly, she no burst-a from a-too many meataball. Now go, get inna di tank. You film-em uppa good, I give-a you some-a di leftover a-shark a-ball. ACCIONE!
STUNTMAN: Mama Fulci’s a-meataball, here I a-come! (*kisses fingers, jumps in tank*)
After the jump: the trailer, more stills, and a list of theaters where you can see Zombie this weekend.
Via BlueUnderground:
| ALBUQUERQUE Guild Cinema (Oct. 28 & 29) ATLANTA Plaza Theatre (9:30pm, Oct. 21 only) AUSTIN Alamo The Ritz (9:30pm, Oct. 24 & 7:00pm, Oct. 31) AUSTIN Alamo S. Lamar (7:00pm, Oct. 30) BOSTON Coolidge Corner Theatre CHICAGO Music Box Theatre CLEVELAND Capitol Theatre (Oct. 15) DALLAS Landmark Inwood Theatre DENVER Landmark Esquire DETROIT Landmark Main Art HOUSTON Landmark River Oaks JACKSONVILLE, FL 5 Points Theatre (11:30pm, Oct. 21 only) KANSAS CITY Tivoli Cinemas (9:00pm) LAS VEGAS Theatre 7 (7:00pm, Oct. 31) LAWRENCE, KS Liberty Hall (10:00pm, Oct. 21 only) LOS ANGELES New Beverly Cinema MESA, AZ The Royale (10:00pm, Oct. 21 & 9:00pm, Oct. 22) MINNEAPOLIS Landmark Uptown (Nov. 4 & 5) NEW YORK CITY Landmark’s Sunshine |
OTTAWA, ONTARIO Mayfair Theatre (11:30pm, Oct. 21 only) PHILADELPHIA Landmark Ritz Bourse (10:00pm) PITTSBURGH The Oaks Theater (11:59pm, Oct. 21 & 7:00pm, Oct. 22) PORTLAND, OR Hollywood Theatre (9:30pm) SACRAMENTO Crest Theatre SAN ANTONIO Alamo Westlakes (10:00pm) SAN DIEGO Landmark Ken Cinema SAN FRANCISCO Roxie Theater (Various Times, Oct. 29 – 31) SEATTLE Landmark Egyptian (Ian McCulloch in person on Oct. 21!) ST. LOUIS Hi-Pointe Theatre ST. PETE BEACH, FL The Beach Theatre TORONTO The Revue Cinema (Oct. 22 & 31) TUCSON, AZ The Loft Cinema WASHINGTON, D.C. Landmark E Street Cinema WICHITA, KS Warren Old Town Theater (7:00 & 9:00pm, Oct. 24 & 25) WINCHESTER, VA Alamo Drafthouse Winchester WINNIPEG, MANITOBA Park Theatre Cafe (8:00pm, Oct. 13) YELLOW SPRINGS, OH Little Art Theatre (9:00pm, Oct. 22 only) |
Here’s the trailer:
Making of: