Toxic Zombies
| Toxic Zombies | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Charles McCrann |
| Produced by | Charles McCrann |
| Written by | Charles McCrann |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Ted Shapiro |
| Cinematography | David Sperling |
| Edited by |
|
Production company |
CM Productions |
| Distributed by | Parker National Distributing |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Toxic Zombies (also known as Bloodeaters and Forest of Fear) is a 1980 horror film directed by Charles McCrann, who also acted in the film. It was classified as a video nasty in the United Kingdom in the 1980s.
Plot
Illegal drug plantations are sprayed with the chemical Dromax by passing aeroplanes in an anti-drug initiative organised by corrupt government officials. Instead of killing the plants, the hippie growers of the crop are turned into flesh eating zombie-like creatures.
Cast
- Charles McCrann
- Beverly Shapiro
- Dennis Helfend
- John Amplas
Release and controversy
The film was given a limited release theatrically in the United States by Parker National Distributing.
Toxic Zombies is one of the films labelled a video nasty and was banned in the United Kingdom in the 1980s.[1]
The film was released on VHS by smaller labels Monterey Video and Raedon Video in the 1980s. In 2007, the film was released on DVD by Televista, but this DVD is a bootleg.
Reception
Leonard Maltin qualified the film as a "bomb".[2] The film was also panned in Cinefantastique.[3] Writing in The Zombie Film Encyclopedia, academic Peter Dendle said, "Despite inconsistent behavior patterns and embarrassing acting, Toxic Zombies has the dubious honor of inaugurating the entire 'redneck zombie' subgenre that would thrive inexplicably in the '80s."[4]
References
- ↑ Ivan-Zadeh, Larushka (June 21, 2013). "World War Z: Watch out Brad Pitt, the zombies are taking over Hollywood". Metro. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ↑ Maltin, Leonard (1999). Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide 1999. Penguin Group. p. 139. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ↑ Cinefantastique 15: 59. 1985.
The Bloodeaters, later known as Forest of Fear and Toxic Zombies, but still bad under any name.
Missing or empty|title=(help); - ↑ Dendle, Peter (2001). The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company. pp. 173–174. ISBN 978-0-7864-9288-6.