Horror Movie Review: Toxic Zombies (1980)

Toxic Zombies (also known as Bloodeaters, Bloodeaters: Butchers of the Damned, The Dromax Derangement, and Forest of Fear) is a zombie horror movie written, produced and directed by Charles McCrann. Who also starred in the movie alongside Beverly Shapiro, Dennis Helfend, John Amplas, Kevin Hanlon and Judith Brown.

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A video nasty that is still unavailable in the UK where the moral panic originated (as of the time of writing). One viewing of the movie will explain exactly why. It’s not that it’s really violent, really gory, really sexual or really offensive. It’s none of those things. It’s because it is mind-numbingly boring, to the point of tears that it’s more likely it’s never been re-submitted for certification.

One of the worst films we’ve seen dubbed a ‘video nasty’, the story surrounds a group of hippies who are accidently turned into zombies.

The group are camped out in the country, near the base of a mountain where they are planning to harvest their illegal weed plantation. Apparently, so much weed that they can get over 2-million dollars for it on the street. You’ll want to see the size of this plantation but you never will. Nor will you ever know how they have managed to keep it hidden from local law enforcement or general tourists.

We do see them defending it though at the start when they murder two government officials who have tracked the group. From weed farmers to murderers – it’s a big step. One of them knows they’re in trouble so insists they cut their losses and harvest what they can.

The others are reluctant but eventually agree. Just in time to be crop-dusted by a new and untested chemical called Dromax. Dropped over the area by some corrupt government officials who care little for its effect on the local wildlife or anyone in the vicinity.

The chemical ends up turning the hippies into zombies and they set about chomping their way through some unfortunate visitors.

Toxic Zombies, or Bloodeaters, or Forest of Fear really should have been more fun than it was. The premise is solid and had McCrann gone all out, it would have at least been mildly entertaining. He didn’t know, instead choosing to tell a serious story and focus on two ‘kids’ called Amy (Judith Brown) and Jimmy (Kevin Hanlon). The former acts like she is 13 but looks like she’s nearer 30 and the latter… well, he has learning difficulties and the portrayal is…awkward. Not quite offensive as he doesn’t do much but it’s getting there.

The other major player of the film is McCrann himself as local government official Tom Cole. Who is doing his tri-monthly checks but using it as an excuse to hang out with his brother and wife. He’s the most active actor of the bunch but plays it far too straight, barely reacting when both his brother and wife are killed.

Which then brings us to the most important element of a movie called Toxic Zombies. The zombies themselves.

The make-up can be forgiven, it’s very low-budget but the behaviour can’t. They shuffle around, yet always seem to catch up with their prey. They appear from nowhere, wield weapons and in one hilarious sequence even find and carry lit torches. Traditional zombies these are not, which would be fine, if they did anything else out of the ordinary. Instead, once they get their hands on a victim it’s neck sucking to look like they’re biting someone.

All of this, and its incredibly slow pace, makes this one to avoid but to add the cherry on top, the music is horrendous. Here we get nonsensical noise, jarring and loud, never fitting the scene and seeming like it was lifted from a toddler left alone in a musical instrument room.




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Toxic Zombies (1980)
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