Movie of the Week: Dead Alive

Talk about a classic if there ever was one! Peter Jackson's epic of blood and guts is as enjoyable today as it was when it was released in 1993. This movie paved the way for Shaun of the Dead and other black comedy/horror films ever since. No movie released or ever will be released that can match this film for pure blood spillage and I dare you to find another film where zombies are getting chewed up by a lawnmower...hmm, maybe the Toolbox Murderer could learn some new tricks if he watched this. The story follows Lionel, who catches the eye of a young lady and decides on a date at the local zoo. Lionel's conniving mother follows the duo to the zoo and ultimately gets bit by a ravenous rat monkey. She winds up getting a disease that turns her into the walking dead and despite Lionel's attempts to stop her, she spreads the disease. Before you know it, the place is crawling with the undead. The scene with the judo priest is absolutely hilarious, it should well be regarded as a classic scene of cinematic mastery. The box art is lousy but the movie is great. It gets ***** out of *****.