By Quin
I have this natural impulse to begin this review by stating that Shadow Zombie isn’t for everybody. But isn’t that every film that gets reviewed at Brutal as Hell? Obviously the bulk of what we cover seems to be horror and the rest are still brutal in one way or another – so, it goes without saying that these films aren’t for everyone. It’s usually the range in tone and subject matter that would be the deciding factor whether or not a certain film is for you. That being said, Shadow Zombie is my kind of movie. I really loved it, but it didn’t start out that way. The slow start mixed with the uncomfortable feelings I got from watching Kim Filth go about his day, made me think this was just going to be another Harmony Korine copy. While it’s fair to make the comparison, by the end I was grateful I got the chance to see this film.
Kim Filth plays a guy named Kim. He lives in a small town area of Louisiana. He walks around trying to sell pot to skaters and makes conversation with the locals he comes in contact with. He is a tall guy with a skinny frame. His eyes are sunken and his teeth are rotten. He is seen snorting drugs – painkillers to be exact. He also regularly rubs white makeup on his face and smears in a little black over his lips and under his eyes. When he’s wearing the makeup, he calls himself Shadow Zombie. There are a few conversations where he explains his character to people. It’s pretty clear right away that his intention isn’t to frighten people. He’s just a lonely guy trying assert himself into the world. By playing this character, he feels like he serves a purpose.
One night, Kim is walking through a neighborhood and sees a woman in clown makeup drive by. He watches her park her car and walk into a house. The next time he sees her, she’s not dressed as a clown. In fact she’s a nurse and comes to the house to take care of an elderly man living there. When he approaches her and asks if she’s the clown, she smiles and replies that she is. She mentions that she knows him from a few years ago. She used to see his band play locally. This connection brings them together and when Kim tells her about Shadow Zombie, they decide to dress up as the clown and Shadow Zombie and go roller skating together. Eventually their relationship takes a dark turn and each of their pasts are revealed.
The title Shadow Zombie might be a good selling point, since there are still plenty of people who want to see zombie movies. Here, it’s a little misleading. There are no walking dead, there is no brain eating. In fact the way Kim describes Shadow Zombie isn’t very zombie-like. For those of you tired of zombies, this should be a relief. It should also be said that this isn’t even much of a horror movie. It has supernatural elements and a wonderful feeling of dread that hangs over the whole thing, but apart from a few well-done, yet surreal gore effects, this is a love story and a search for self discovery. For a movie with some genuinely disturbing imagery, it’s often very sweet and touching.
Director Jorge Torres-Torres has created a film that feels real and gritty. IMDb lists it as a documentary, which isn’t quite true. The press notes say the film is made in a documentary style. Torres-Torres has used unknown actors, and films them in a way that looks like they’re probably improvising. There are many scenes of bored young people basically doing nothing and just about to get into trouble. This is where the Harmony Korine comparison came in for me. If you can, watch this back to back with Trash Humpers – but that won’t be easy, and it’s probably ill advised. Jorge Torres-Torres is listed as a producer on a film I reviewed and enjoyed a while back called Toad Road. Again, it’s this almost mumble-core style but even more lo-fi and it very much fits in the Shadow Zombie universe.
Do check out Shadow Zombie. Watch it late at night when you’re feeling sleepy. It will most likely not let you drift off, but it will put you in a trance. It will also make you feel something. If you aren’t repulsed and disgusted, perhaps you’ll see the warmth and the heart that I saw in it. If I’m the only one – I’m okay with that.
Shadow Zombie is available now on VOD and Limited Edition DVD in the US from BrinkVision.