This year, the world was treated to a rebirth, or an extension rather, of the Romero ‘of the Dead‘ universe. Tina Romero makes her feature debut with something that is in line with what her legendary father started nearly sixty years ago, but she and co-writer Erin Judge put their spin on it. And, we’re talking about some serious spin. To be honest, it’s been spinning in our head since we finished our glowing review of it.
The film, produced by Vanishing Angle (spearheaded by Natalie Metzger and Matt Miller), is not your father‘s zombie movie, but in a way, it actually is. This feature is a dyed-in-the-wool Romero joint which sports an ensemble of seemingly never-do-wells who band together in a crisis to find what they’re made of. Throw in some timely social commentary, add healthy sprinkles of ghouls and gore, and you’ve got yourself a fresh addition to the dynasty’s enduring series with all the thematic trimmings the brand is celebrated for. Period.
The trio of Romero, Judge and Metzger combine hard work, vision and determination such that the result is an honest and heartfelt story with something to say. In other hands, this would have easily fallen into parody territory. It may come in like a cannonball with hair extensions, but it’s more like a Trojan horse which serves to tell a story about friendship, support and finding pride in oneself. The film is light on zombie kills, and that is not just smart, it’s also kind of the point. Queens is about the people, all types of people, not the gore.
The excellent themes, diversity and walks of life glide along the grisly and glamorous runway that is Queens of the Dead. These three film personalities are tall in stature, wide in vision and their work will rock your world. So grab your headphones, shoot for the head, or ears, and dive into this session of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience.
The film is currently in its festival run with nearly two dozen stops before it lands in theaters this Fall. From Vanishing Angle and writer/director Tina Romero, Queens of the Dead will be released on OCTOBER 24.
