NIGHT OF THE ANIMATED DEAD – A Blu-ray/DVD and Digital HD Review by John Strange
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-raytm I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.
Before we can talk about this new animated feature, we need to talk about the film that is being treated to the honor of a remake. George A. Romero’s 1968 black and white indie opus, Night of the Living Dead, is the grand-père of all zombie films. Yes, independent and studio zombie horror films owe their popularity to this low-budget film. Quick fact, Mr. Romero made his film on a budget of US$114,000!
Night of the Animated Dead is a wonderful homage to Night of the Living Dead but in glorious, animated color! This is a fresh telling of the story George wrote, but unlike so many other folks, these filmmakers worked hard to keep their film true to the original rather than go wild with changes.
The producers went about making the film by the numbers. First, they found a director that felt as they did about the project, making a film that honors the original epic film. Then they hired a team of animators who worked to create the initial drawings of all the characters, both speaking and brain-eating, rendering them very close to their film counterparts. Then each subsequent step was taken with careful planning.
At this point, I need to admit that like eating my dessert before the entrée, I watched the one bonus extra featurette first! Its runtime is just under 10 minutes and tells us about the journey to bring this animated feature to the screen. I give them huge props for this extra. I just wish the filmmakers had found a way to give us more.
The two films tell the story of an accident that renders many, many people into zombies. The main action centers on a house out in the country where a group of people attempt to survive a night as hundreds of zombies do their best to get into the house to EAT THEM.
This is a story that is a real downer. But it is very well made with strong personalities clashing even as they strive to remain safe. I give the filmmakers 5-stars for this effort. Well done, ladies and gentlemen!
Directed By:
- Jason Axinn
Cast:
- Josh Duhamel, Dulé Hill, Katharine Isabelle, James Roday Rodriguez, Katee Sackhoff, Will Sasso, Jimmi Simpson, Nancy Travis
Extras:
Digital:
- None
Blu-ray/DVD:
- Making of the Animated Dead – Join director Jason Axinn & Producer Michael Luisi as they regale fans with the careful process of honoring the iconic classic with their vision for an animated remake, including scene breakdowns and booth recordings with the cast!
Specifications:
Runtime:
Feature:
- 70 Minutes
Enhanced Content:
- 10 Minutes
Studio:
- Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.
Release Date:
Digital:
- 09/21/2021
Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack & DVD:
- 10/05/2021
Region:
- A/1 (U.S. and Canada only)
Languages:
- English; French; Latin Spanish
MPAA Rating:
- R (for bloody/gruesome zombie violence)
Selig Rating:
Film Rating:
- 5 Stars
Bonus Features Rating:
- 5 Stars
Picture Quality Rating:
- 5 Stars
Audio Quality Rating:
- 5 Stars
Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars: Should add to your DVD collection at any cost
4 Stars: Worth owning, but try to catch it a sale
3 Stars: Plan to get it, but wait to buy it used
2 Stars: Worth taking a look at, but not owning
1 Star: Pick it up at a garage sale and use it for drinks
0 Stars: Makes a great Trap Shooting target
