AKA Mace the Outcast

1983, Directed by Lucio Fulci

Wow, that’s a mighty over-long and silent logo sequence at the start.

Italian gore-meister Lucio Fulci turns his hand to swords and sorcery with a kind of Diet Conan offering.  People fall down in water and sticks are blocked with bits of string, all to a very eighties synth soundtrack.  Sadly we’re not treated to any of the over the top gore effects that contributed to the film’s 18 certificate.

So as far as I can make out plot-wise:  The heroes need to defeat a female, semi-naked snake-charming Destro from GI Joe.  And they do this by getting hold of the Ranger’s bow from the old Dungeons and Dragons cartoon.  I approve.

I’m slightly worried by the Charles Manson-seque symbol tattooed into the hero’s forehead, though.

Favourite bit: The juddery bow flying into the chap’s hand at the start.

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AKA Zombi 2, Zombie Flesh Eaters, Island of the Living Dead



1979, Directed by Lucio Fulci

This trailer’s soundtrack screams “Early eighties!” even louder than fluorescent socks.

Italian gore master Lucio Fulci throws more blood around in this movie than most horror directors manage in a lifetime. Not that you’d know from the trailer, which appears to be a failed attempt at ‘arty’.

This was one of the infamous ‘video nasties’ banned by on VHS by the UK in the mid-eighties. It was massively popular, however, and as such home-copied tapes were passed around so everyone could see the cool underwater bit where a zombie fights a shark. It was eventually released uncut on DVD a few years ago under the ‘Zombie Flesh Eaters’ title, showing the entirety of the infamous scene where a woman has her eye slowly gouged out by a bit of wood.

This movie isn’t a sequel to anything but was apparently released as “Zombi 2” as an attempt to cash-in on the success of Dawn of the Dead, which was released as “Zombi” in Italy. Despite Zombie being written before Dawn of the Dead. Confusing.

Favourite bit: “Barf Bag”

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AKA Super Snooper



1980, Directed by Sergio Corbucci

An indestructible, psychokinetic policeman who keeps jumping out of windows? The worst nightmare of every criminal! And glazier.

This comedy really doesn’t look as hilarious as the voice-over man would have us believe. Lots of slapstick and face pulling and not much else - but who knows, maybe they left all the good bits out of the trailer.

And yes, at the end he ‘hilariously’ shoots a nuclear missile out of the sky, surely killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people. Ho ho! Actually, I have to doff my cap to any comedy which features both public executions and thermonuclear explosions.

Favourite bit: The look on Superfuzz’s face as he’s being electrocuted.

IMDB LINK