Name: Building a Better Zombi
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2004-08-03
Duration: 1 h 38 min
Rating: 6.9
Cast: Dardano Sacchetti, Elisa Briganti, Fabrizio De Angelis

Building a Better Zombi (2004) 

*** 1/2 (out of 4) 

Extremely entertaining documentary that takes a look at the filming and history of Lucio Fulci's groundbreaking 1979 film Zombie aka Zombi 2. We get interviews with producer Fabrizio de Angelis, writer Dardano Sacchetti, cinematographer Sergio Salvati, special effects supervisor Giannetto de Rossi, make-up artists Maurizio Trani and Rosario Presopino, composer Fabio Frizzi, special effects artist Gina e Rossi, actor Al Cliver and actor Ottaviano Dell'acqua who plays the wormed faced zombie, which was on the cover of the American release. All these folks tell stories about the production of the film and the history behind it and there really isn't too much that isn't talked about. We learn how the special effects were created and this includes the infamous eye/splinter scene as well as the famous throat ripping. The budget for the film is also discussed as is its box office returns. The title refers to the controversy about whether or not this was a cash-in, a remake or a rip off of Romero's Dawn of the Dead, which was released in Italy as Zombi. Everyone here claims that the Fulci film was better but at times they are pretty harsh in their comments and sometimes they come off quite bitter. The most interesting thing was the story Sacchetti tells about how Italian movies were sold to people before they was even a screenplay.

Italian cinema has deeply influenced world cinema through its socially conscious realism and modernist experimentation, but it also flourished in popular genres like peplum (sword & sandal), giallo thrillers, and broad comedies. Its narratives often weave together politics, contemporary social change, class consciousness, and family dynamics, balancing artistic ambition with entertainment that resonated widely.

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The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

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Building a Better Zombi

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