Cemetery Man
by Michele Soavi
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DVD details
Actor: Anna Falchi, Fabiana Formica, François Hadji-Lazaro, Mickey Knox, Rupert EverettDirector: Michele Soavi
Brand: STARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Producer: Michele Soavi
Producer: Conchita Airoldi
Producer: Dino Di Dionisio
Producer: Gianni Romoli
Writer: Gianni Romoli
Producer: Heinz Bibo
Writer: Tiziano Sclavi
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-06-13
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
DVD Reviews of Cemetery Man
DVD Review: When Your Destiny Revolves Around Zombies, Love Can Bite.
Summary: 4 Stars
Yea, I'm reviewing another Italian horror film. My first review of such a film (Demons) has been a wild suck-sess. Even though I actually enjoyed it, people didn't like me pointing out the proverbial toilet paper stuck to its proverbial shoes. So, I got hammered with "No" votes. As always; that's cool (by no coincidence, most of those votes piled on after I wrote a review of "Pan's Labyrinth"; my crowning achievement!). Well, here we go again. I saw some toilet paper coming out of the pants this time. The good news is this film was trying to be comical to a certain degree. The bad news; it took itself a little too seriously to be funny. However, this movie isn't that simple (or as complex as it tried to be). Let me explain...
- RACCONTO (story)(mild spoilers)
This film is not so deliberate that its purpose is obvious. The plot revolves around "The Cemetery Man" and his mundane, day to day existence blowing the heads off of zombies and the fact that this is his sole purpose in life. Whenever he decides to divide himself from his work (i.e.; have steamy sex and fall in love) the inevitable result is death of some sort. We and he eventually have to resolve ourselves to the fact that, no matter how many chances he gets, it's just not going to work out. As you could imagine, this is a bleak and numbing existence that takes its toll on our "Hero". This point is made in not so subtle ways, even when we get to the bizarre impressionistic ending. On the other side is his buddy, Gnaghi, who finds love despite destiny due to less than discriminating tastes. Of course, he's not the boss and tragically must succumb to destiny's pecking order. I liked the way this started, but about two thirds through it took directions that started to suck the fun out of it for me. The story fulfilled its destiny, but I didn't enjoy its uneven changes in pacing and style.
-IMPRESSIONISTIC HORROR COMEDY?
By the end of this film, I asked myself that question. Before the end, it would have never occurred to me this was the goal. This film starts out with a bang (you know; like the ones in all the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti-westerns?) and muddles its quirky way along as a somewhat sublime soft-core, zombie comedy (though it's not really that funny even by dark-humor standards). Later, "Cemetery Man" becomes a film about a sociopath fulfilling his destiny. In the end it falls off the impressionistic deep end, quite literally (is that possible?). Of course it all has a point and it all makes sense, but it could not avoid appearing disjointed. It was very entertaining in early stages with lots of bizarre zombie mayhem. Unfortunately the pace of the film slows down, then gets slower and then takes some strange turns. It's all pretty dark and ludicrous but not particularly funny, unless you find the emotional suffering of others funny.
-DELIBERANDO MAGNIFICO! (Magnificent acting!)
Well, not really "Magnificent" (I just wanted to use "MAGNIFICO") but it was usually pretty darn good. Rupert Everett was an excellent choice for the lead; tall, handsome, brooding and edgy with a quirkiness that fit the role. Anna Falchi and her "chesticles" were, um, IS his main squeeze. Her characters (Yea, she plays more than one) are pivotal and shallow all at the same time. This actually works when you consider how this movie plays out. François Hadji-Lazaro is Gnaghi; Rupert's simpleton assistant and beloved friend. Like most mute characters, he is a very sympathetic figure (Fairly disgusting as well). The rest of the cast serves it purpose without negative effect.
-MORE ZOMBIES, PLEASE?
I'm way behind on my Italian zombie films (this being the first I've seen). However, they clearly have a talent for this genre. These might have been some of the more creative and interesting zombies I've seen in a film. Not overdone (like in "Resident Evil 3) and well acted, these zombies keep you asking for more. The head carnage in this film is also top notch, believable and very entertaining. Unfortunately, the cool zombies and the ensuing carnage fade into the background of the story. Perhaps this is where my less than excited mood comes from. If some way could have been found to keep the zombie's more integral to the story, I might have maintained my enthusiasm.
- IL FILM IL DESTINO. ("The film's destiny" according to "Google")
"Cemetery Man" has nice production values and some nice creepy atmosphere. The actors did a good job and the Zombie carnage was first rate. As cool and interesting as this film started out, no amount of sex, grossness or murder could keep my enthusiasm going as the story moved away from the great "zombie pest control" theme. I understood where the story was going; I was just disappointed in how we got there. There is nothing of note good or bad for the DVD release as I didn't pay much for it and had no problems with it. The film appeared to be shot in English with post production dubbing. There is plenty to like in this film, just don't be surprised if you lose interest or become disappointed as it progresses.
Concept........4.5 stars
Zombie fade...2 stars
Description of Cemetery Man
Rupert Everett (MY BEST FRIEND?S WEDDING) stars as Francesco Dellamorte, a cemetery watchman whose job is to slaughter the living dead when they rise hungry from their graves. But following a tragic tryst with a lusty young widow (stunning Anna Falchi in one of three sexy roles), Francisco begins to ponder the mysteries of existence. Is there long-term satisfaction in blasting the skulls of ?returners?? Will his imbecile assistant find happiness with the partial girl-corpse of his dreams? And if death is the ultimate act of love, can a psychotic killing spree send Dellamorte to the brink of enlightenment? Italian horror master Michele Soavi (STAGE FRIGHT) directed this brilliantly bloody black comedy ? also known as DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE ? that Gore Score calls "a deliciously demented, delightfully surreal stew of sex, death, splatter, male-bonding, barfing, zombies and nothing less than the Ultimate Meaning of Life!"If you think you hate your job, think again. Francesco Dellamorte (Rupert Everett), the titular Cemetery Man, lives a lonely life with a dead-end career. He works and resides in a cemetery that holds a dark, hidden secret. You see, those who are buried in Dellamorte's cemetery have the tendency to rise from the dead. Francesco's job is to make sure the dead remain dead. When they rise, he must hunt them down and ensure they get their eternal rest. Since his strange career takes up most of his time, there is no room in his life for romance or friendship. His sole companion is his mute, Igor-like assistant Gnaghi (François Hadji-Lazaro). Not surprisingly, Francesco has grown weary of the dull drum and repetitive routine his job and life have become. It is not until he meets the girl of his dreams (Anna Falchi), who happens to be a widow attending her husband's funeral, that Francesco realizes that there may be more to life than this. Sound a bit odd? Well, it is. But fans of the zombie and the "twentysomething disgruntled worker" genres will feel right at home with this Michele Soavi cult favorite. At its center, Cemetery Man is a black comedy/existential mediation on loneliness and career disappointment. But where Fight Club is entrenched in an action/buddy-flick setting and Office Space is a strict black comedy, Cemetery Man is staged deep in the Italian zombie genre, giving it extra points for originality. --Rob Bracco
Stills from Cemetary Man (Click for larger image)
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