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Zombie

Stephanie Prange

March 19, 2020

Restorations of Zombie and Maniac will come out on 4K Ultra High Definition Blu-ray with Dolby Vision HDR and a new Dolby Atmos audio mix May 26 from MVD Entertainment Group and Blue Underground.

“We put a lot of time and work into restoring films like Maniac and Zombie,” said William Lustig, president of Blue Underground. “We’re thrilled that fans can now view them at home in true 4K Ultra HD, with Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range and new Dolby Atmos audio mixes.”

Known in England as Zombie Flesh Eaters and banned as obscene, Zombie (1979) stars Tisa Farrow (The Grim Reaper), Ian McCulloch (Contamination), Al Cliver (Cannibals) and Richard Johnson (The Haunting) in a splatterfest directed by “Maestro of Gore” Lucio Fulci (The House by the Cemetery, The New York Ripper).

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Zombie will be released in a two-disc combo pack.

Special features on the 4K UHD Blu-ray disc include:

• audio commentary with Troy Howarth, author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci and His Films;
• audio commentary with Star McCulloch and Diabolik magazine editor Jason J. Slater;
• “When the Earth Spits Out the Dead,” an interview with Stephen Thrower, author of Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci;
• theatrical trailers;
• TV spots;
• radio spots;
• a poster and still gallery; and
• an intro by director Guillermo del Toro.

Special features on the Blu-ray disc include:

• “Zombie Wasteland,” featuring interviews with McCulloch, Johnson and Cliver, and actor/stuntman Ottaviano Dell’Acqua;
• “Flesh Eaters on Film,” an interview with co-producer Fabrizio De Angelis;
• “Deadtime Stories,” featuring interviews with co-writers Elisa Briganti and (uncredited) Dardano Sacchetti;
• ‘World of the Dead,” featuring interviews with cinematographer Sergio Salvati and production and costume designer Walter Patriarca;
• “Zombi Italiano,” featuring interviews with special make-up effects artists Gianetto De Rossi and Maurizio Trani and special effects artist Gino De Rossi;
• “Notes on a Headstone,” an interview with composer Fabio Frizzi;
• “All in the Family,” an interview with Antonella Fulci; and
• “Zombie Lover,” in which Oscar-winning filmmaker del Toro talks about one of his favorite films.

Maniac (1980) follows Frank Zito (writer/executive producer Joe Spinell, Rocky, The Godfather), a deeply disturbed man, haunted by the traumas of unspeakable childhood abuse. When these horrific memories begin to scream inside his mind, Frank prowls the seedy streets of New York City to stalk and slaughter innocent young women. Frank begins a relationship with a beautiful photographer (Caroline Munro, The Spy Who Loved Me), yet his vile compulsions remain. Directed by Blue Underground president William Lustig (Maniac Cop 2, Vigilante) and featuring gore effects by Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Friday the 13th), the film was originally banned or censored all over the world due to its graphic violence.

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Maniac will also be released in a two-disc combo pack.

Special features on 4K UHD disc include:

• audio commentary by Lustig and producer Andrew Garroni;
• audio commentary by Lustig, Savini, editor Lorenzo Marinelli, and Spinell’s assistant Luke Walter;
• theatrical trailers;
• TV spots; and
• radio spots.

Special features on Blu-ray disc include:

• outtakes
• “Returning to the Scene of the Crime with William Lustig”;
• “Anna and the Killer,” an interview with Munro;
• “The Death Dealer,” an interview with Savini;
• “Dark Notes,” an interview with composer Jay Chattaway;
• “Maniac Men,” an interview with songwriters Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky;
• “The Joe Spinell Story”;
• the “Mr. Robbie: Maniac 2” promo reel;
• publicity for the film; and
• controversy about the film.