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THE DEAD NEXT DOOR Starring Peter Ferry, Bogdan Pecic and Jolie Jackunas
Fan films have been a growing phenomenon over the past two decades. Since the age of the camcorder (or even affordable 8mm and 16mm film cameras), fans have been imitating, innovating and even making a name for themselves in the film industry. One of the most successful examples is J.R. Bookwalter's The Dead Next Door. Shot on 8mm film and with the cooperation of the whole town of Akron, Ohio, Bookwalter tells the story of a zombie plague with all the enthusiasm of a dedicated horror and heavy metal music fan. Anchor Bay Entertainment has restored Bookwalter's film from the original materials for what has become one of the most highly-anticipated horror DVD releases in recent years. A considerable amount of time has passed since the onslaught of the zombie plague. A strike force of zombie exterminators, called the "Zombie Squad," are on an ongoing mission to exterminate the hordes of the undead. The soldiers are involved with a scientist who experiments with the zombies.
The scientist and the soldiers discover that there is a nearby militant cult dedicated to zombie preservation. This cult is lead by a madman whose son has become a zombie, now kept in a cage like a pet. The night that the cult holds their ceremony, the soldiers move in, and disrupt their congregation. The soldiers now must fight the cult and the zombies before they, too, become part of the zombie plague..... Many fan films have come and gone over the years, but none have enjoyed the success level of Bookwalter's film. The film became a video rental hit amongst fans across the country and has had multiple video and DVD releases in Europe and Asia. Anchor Bay Entertainment presents The Dead Next Door 1.33:1, and has been mastered by the best available materials. Given the original quality of the 8mm film elements, the image is surprisingly clear and bright. The quality can easily be mistaken for a 16mm film. The disc was announced nearly two years ago, and it is very obvious that Anchor Bay had taken the much needed time to give the fans a top-notch transfer. However, some fans may be a little taken aback by the fact that an all-new digital title card and credits have been added to the film, presumably to give it a more "polished" look.
Soundtrack. This particular aspect can either make of break the success of a DVD release. This is where Anchor Bay obviously took a great deal of care. The Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 surround tracks are the best that they can be, given the source material. However, there is a mysterious lack of a mono track. Many completists may be disappointed with this omission, but the fine Dolby tracks and extras make up for it. The first of the special features comes in the form of a running audio commentary by director Bookwalter, producer Michael Todd and cinematographer Michael Tolochko, Jr. The trio remember a great deal of their experience making the film. Every facet of production and several anecdotes are shared. The story about Bookwalter's wealth of casted extras was amazing when it was put that when Bookwalter staged a shoot, Akron (Ohio) came.....
The Dead Next Door's theatrical trailer is included, consisting of clips from the film, much of it special effects-oriented. The action is broken up very logically and nicely, taking the viewer from the story's beginning to the climax. Although there is no voice-over narration, the trailer seems to hold its own very well and does not lose the viewer. The first featurette, titled 20 Years in 15 Minutes, covers recollections of cast and crew. All involved have nothing but good things to say about their experiences shooting the film. Production photos and rare video footage highlight the featurette. The interviews, though, consist of not only recent footage, but also of interviews from the cast and crew around the time of the film's initial release. Another documentary by Anchor Bay that delivers..... Just under 20 minutes of behind the scenes footage is included. It is a combination of 8mm and video footage set to running audio commentary by JR Bookwalter. Each shot is given play-by-play treatment. The viewer is treated to even more background information to the film. Shots of cast assembling before a shot, effects application and even set building are presented here.
Seven minutes of deleted scenes are included. Most of the footage consists of exposition, interestingly background into a past relationship between the lead characters. Audition videotape footage along with 3/4" video pre-shoots are presented. The audition tapes consist of the actors introducing themselves, stating their telephone number and letting out a loud scream. Interesting way to screen your actors.... The video pre-shoots basically consist of test footage that was used to assist the director in choosing a preferred medium for the film. The image is either over-exposed or too dark. However, the 3/4" videotape technology wasn't as sharp as Betacam SP. Beta and digital video soon became the standard in video and television production. Luckily, Bookwalter chose to use 8mm film stock..... There are also video storyboards provided by Bookwalter. Instead of a traditional comic book-style storyboard, bookwalter composed some short, rough shots to map out the production. The shots are presented in alternation with their companion shots from the finished film. There is a Dead Next Door music video, with music performed by Three Miles Out. Anchor Bay has done this before with their milestone release of Lucio Fulci's The Beyond. Aside from shots of the band performing, clips from some of the film's gorier moments are included. The video runs three minutes long and the last moments of the video consist of the original video-generated title card and credits. Behind-the-scenes and production still galleries are included on the disc. The pictures are in remarkably good shape and boast bright colors and clear detail.
Footage from the Frightvision 2000 reunion of the cast is presented, and really captures the essence of the horror convention circuit. Regular people sharing their stories of the production of their films, decorative settings and seemingly miles of horror merchandise make up an experience that is unparalleled. The cast and director Bookwalter have such vivid memories of their experiences with the film and establish that all involved with its production are fans first. That type of passion is what can make the difference between a good movie and a great one. This disc is a must-buy for anyone who cannot get enough from the zombie subgenre. The Dead Next Door is what horror fans are made of - proof that one can have fun and make a memorable film. With Anchor Bay's exhaustive coverage, the cast and crew's vivid recollections and director Bookwalter's extensive collection of archive footage, anyone who views this release will have a type of "insider" familiarity with The Dead Next Door, almost equivalent to that of a member of the crew! |
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