Reviews

Just watched it again and it still makes me laugh. It's not pretending to be Dawn of the Dead or Dawn of the Dead (sorry. Bad in-joke), but it's slightly off the wall and has zombies in it, together with far from the worst story, script, acting, directing, soundtrack, et cetera in the zombiefilm world. Probably closest to Doghouse - also British - in conception and zombie-action level (but with less overt misogyny).

If you're looking for terror, angst and megagore, move on - you'll be disappointed; but if you like zombielite-ish with laughs (think Doghouse, Zombieland), lots of zombies, the odd hero, and some well-placed karma, you may well want to see it more than once.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys laughing (especially at the ridiculousness of bureaucracy), pleasantly convoluted plots and well-crafted characters: good scripting, great acting by a professional cast of well-known British actors thoroughly enjoying themselves, but simultaneously managing to underplay despite the temptations offered by the material, and several unexpected twists in the various plot lines.

I've been told that critics didn't respond well to this TV adaptation; I never saw any reviews, but everyone I know who saw it loved it. It's the sort of thing, in fact, that you actually yearn to see again (and again!) - so when, oh when, will the BBC repeat it or, better, release it on DVD?

This film is funny and warm and intelligent and slightly haunting, and I am delighted to recommend it. It was shown on BBC2 (UK) in a foreign film season (the Beeb used to have things like that before the dumbed-down era), maybe in the late 70s or early '80s. I never forgot it - and I have, over the years, kept coming across other people who had seen and not forgotten it, although no-one could ever quite remember its title. As far as I am aware, it's not been on TV again. Fingers crossed I'll get to see it again sometime...