Gangs of the Dead, Duane Stinnett's "crime story with zombies," is now out on DVD in Region 1. The film had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival last June (under its original title, Last Rites), where I had a chance to interview Stinnett and his filmmaking partner Krissann Shipley (he directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and edited; she co-wrote, co-produced, and acted).
Stinnett has a deep knowledge of and love for horror films, and that's reflected in Gangs of the Dead. Working with a very small budget and, basically, one location, he makes the most of it. He makes excellent use of the warehouse setting by employing a huge variety of camera angles, rarely approaching the same shot in the same way twice. The film generates a lot of tension and contains several welcome twists.
The DVD from Universal Studios includes a behind the scenes featurette and audio commentary. My copy has evidently been delayed in the mail, so I can't comment specifically on the DVD. But when I first saw the film a few days before the actual premiere, on a screener copy that was loaned to me, all by myself, watching on a laptop, it was an unexpected trip. I stand behind what I wrote, as quoted on the back of the box cover: "Freaked me out in the middle of the night. Trust me, you'll want to see this movie."
Amazon.com Listing
Trailer (MySpace.com embedded)
Interview with Filmmakers Duane Stinnett and Krissann Shipley (Twitch)
You cannot be serious.
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