The Astro-Zombies
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2014) |
 | This article is missing information about Error: you must specify what information is missing.. (October 2014) |
| The Astro-Zombies | |
|---|---|
| File:Astrozombies.jpg | |
| Directed by | Ted V. Mikels |
| Written by | Ted V. Mikels Wayne Rogers |
| Produced by | Ted V. Mikels |
| Starring | John Carradine Wendell Corey Tura Satana Tom Pace |
| Cinematography | Robert Maxwell |
| Edited by | Ted V. Mikels Art Names |
| Music by | Nicholas Carras |
| Distributed by | Geneni Film Distributors |
Release date | May 1968 |
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Astro-Zombies, sometimes known as Space Zombies and The Space Vampires, is a 1968 science fiction horror film starring John Carradine, Wendell Corey (in his final film appearance) and Tura Satana. It was written, directed, and produced by Ted V. Mikels.
Plot
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2014) |
The plot follows a disgruntled scientist who, having been fired by the space agency, decides to create superhuman monsters from the body parts of innocent murder victims. The creatures eventually escape and go on a killing spree, attracting the attention of both an international spy ring and the CIA.
Cast
- Wendell Corey as Holman
- John Carradine as Dr. DeMarco
- Tom Pace as Eric Porter
- Joan Patrick as Janine Norwalk
- Tura Satana as Satana
- Rafael Campos as Juan
- Joe Hoover as Chuck Edwards
- Victor Izay as Dr. Petrovich
- William Bagdad as Franchot
- Vincent Barbi as Tyros
- Egon Sirany as Sergio Demozhenin
- Rod Wilmoth as Astro-Zombie
Production
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2014) |
The Astro-Zombies was filmed on a low budget of $37'000 with $3'000 of the films budget used to pay the film's actor John Carradine.[1] The film would be Mikels' last collaboration with Wayne Rogers from M*A*S*H fame who also co-wrote and co-produced the film.[2][3]
Reception
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2014) |
The film has received negative reviews from critics with some critics regarding the film as the worst film ever made.
David Cornelius from eFilmCritic.com gave the film an extremely negative 1 / 5 stars calling it the worst film ever made. Panning the film's acting, "painful-to-the-eyes production values", and the film's absence of reason.[4]
Leonard Maltin awarded the film the lowest possible rating of BOMB, calling it "yet another nominee for worst picture of all time".[5]
Sequels
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2014) |
In addition to the 2002 Sequel Mark of the Astro-Zombies and the third movie 2010, called Astro Zombies M3: Cloned a fourth -and last- movie, Astro Zombies M4: Invaders from Cyberspace, was released in 2012.
Influence
|
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2014) |
American horror punk band the Misfits recorded a song entitled "Astro Zombies", released on their 1982 album, Walk Among Us.
References
- ^ Christopher Wayne Curry (24 October 2007). Film Alchemy: The Independent Cinema of Ted V. Mikels. McFarland. pp. 448–. ISBN 978-1-4766-0301-8.
- ^ June Pulliam; Anthony J. Fonseca (19 June 2014). Encyclopedia of the Zombie: The Walking Dead in Popular Culture and Myth: The Walking Dead in Popular Culture and Myth. ABC-CLIO. pp. 10–. ISBN 978-1-4408-0389-5.
- ^ Welch D. Everman (January 1993). Cult Horror Films: From Attack of the 50 Foot Woman to Zombies of Mora Tau. Carol Publishing Group. pp. 19–. ISBN 978-0-8065-1425-3.
- ^ Cornelius, David. "Movie Review - Astro-Zombies - eFilmCritic". eFilmCritic.com. David Cornelius. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
- ^ Leonard Maltin (3 September 2013). Leonard Maltin's 2014 Movie Guide. Penguin Group US. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-101-60955-2.
