Karl, Will & Mike set out to make an awful film and they succeeded. I know all about it because I was there in New Orleans when they filmed it. Part was shot in my building. I know them all (I regret saying.) Mike had experience doing other films, and even won a couple festival prizes, and should have known better. But he was carried along with the mammary shots. That was no Zombie. That was the real Karl! Bewarte! He may still be prowling the streets of N.O. And Will just likes breasts...the bigger the better. They intentionally set out to outdo Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes and they did. The only other film made in New Orleans that can top Zombie is one made in the 70s called OKRAH. It is the story of a giant Okrah plant that comes down from the stars to conquer Earth, meets the tomato of his dreams and winds up in the gumbo. Amateurish? Of course. It was done as an exercise in poor taste. Not quite a John Waters approach, but trying. They all had a ball shooting it. You will be revolted in viewing it. It is probably one of Gene Shallit's little known favorites. He would give it three black holes.
13 Reviews
Hysterically Horrified
BabyWeasel3 January 2002
This truly is a B-movie. I was subjected to this movie while staying at a friend's house. It is certainly not something I would have rented on my own. This is the kind of movie where you sit around laughing at how hysterically horrible it is. This black and white bomb features an unintelligible plot and a host of no-name actors. The slanting camera angles and pointless scenes change so quickly that you often don't have time to see WHAT they are, nevermind how they relate to the movie. If you haven't seen it yet and don't want to know about my two favorite scenes, don't read on. I was especially amused when the scene changed (for no apparent reason) and there was a butt at the bottom of the screen. Suddenly, someone off-screen threw powder on it and attacked it with a koala puppet! It was so ridiculous and unexpected that I wound up laughing hysterically on the floor. Maybe it's me, but I didn't expect a butt OR a koala puppet in a zombie movie. My second favorite scene came shortly after the puppet scene (although I'm sure changing the order would not have affected the plot of the film). A guy is kissing his girlfriend in downtown New Orleans when he suddenly has a gas attack and excuses himself to the restroom... where the cameras follow to record his writhing, explosive bowel movement. After viewing these two scenes, I strongly recommend rewinding. Zombie! vs. Mardi Gras is not worth seeing for its plot, but would serve as a wonderful choice for your own MST3000 party. It will take 2 hours of your life that you'll never get back.
Wipe them out...all of them.
JRGBUCS9 April 2000
No, I'm not talking about Star Wars here, I'm talking about every copy that was ever made of this movie. After viewing this piece of junk, I took it outside put it behind the car and backed over it. $5.99 wasted. Since I made it my mission to forget all about this movie I will not tell you what happened, since the thought of it is to much for one person to handle. Best seen on MST3K, if the show was still on the air. Avoid this movie at all cost.
if i could have scratched my eyes out i would have . . .
enigma-271 April 2001
muck, muck, and more muck. when looking at this movie i realized that talent is only a 6 letter word. the writing was deplorable and beyond far fetched. fantasy is fantasy, but when the lines get crossed and blurred, the message gets lost. funny small happenings and breasts galore couldn't save the damnation.
John Waters meets Godard by way of Troma
kbtoys1006 March 2021
"Worst movie ever" gets thrown around a lot by people who honestly have no clue.
Those people haven't seen Zombie vs Mardi Gras.
Sure, when we are comparing a the multi million dollar failure of Son of the Mask with a crew of hundreds compared to this >$5000 flick which one would be a bigger failure?
But Son of the Mask has that train wreck entertainment value to it. The Evil Bong series has a minor plot and is competently filmed.
Zombie vs Mardi Gras has none of this. An absurdist 'comedy' filmed on a camcorder by three guys during Mardi Gras and then dubbed later it plays exactly like you'd guess from that description. To make it worse it's black and white which makes the already terrible picture quality absolutely unwatchable in many scenes.
I, like most people nowadays, searched this one out based on the cover and it getting a mention in the documentary, Adjust Your Tracking. After some years, I was able to get a copy for a decent trade. The seller told me it was horrible, but I didn't listen reader. Now I implore you, heed my warnings. Do not seek this out. Do not speak it's name. And above all, do not press play!
Those people haven't seen Zombie vs Mardi Gras.
Sure, when we are comparing a the multi million dollar failure of Son of the Mask with a crew of hundreds compared to this >$5000 flick which one would be a bigger failure?
But Son of the Mask has that train wreck entertainment value to it. The Evil Bong series has a minor plot and is competently filmed.
Zombie vs Mardi Gras has none of this. An absurdist 'comedy' filmed on a camcorder by three guys during Mardi Gras and then dubbed later it plays exactly like you'd guess from that description. To make it worse it's black and white which makes the already terrible picture quality absolutely unwatchable in many scenes.
I, like most people nowadays, searched this one out based on the cover and it getting a mention in the documentary, Adjust Your Tracking. After some years, I was able to get a copy for a decent trade. The seller told me it was horrible, but I didn't listen reader. Now I implore you, heed my warnings. Do not seek this out. Do not speak it's name. And above all, do not press play!
Revived Zombie stalks Carnival causing mayhem
drasaid16 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I must confess to only seeing a tiny snippet of this film, but that was enough for me to confess to imminent gastric distress so I could leave at speed. The film was done in black and white, and this was not good as the Mardi Gras beads were not distinguishable from human entrails. Telling the difference between the two was vital to any possibility of understanding the plot, so this little difficulty proved somewhat serious. Now, I was told the music of Evil Nurse Sheila was very good in this film, so if you are stuck having to watch it just read a magazine and listen. Or polish furniture, clean the toilets, whatever. Even better, make masks and floats for your OWN mardi gras. Nobody should live without Carnival.
Hilarious... if you get the joke!
Vilmos-228 August 2005
'Zombie! vs. Mardi Gras' has been called 'the worst film ever made'. Personally, I laugh my fool head off every time I see it! I've read some reviews online, and I think they're missing the joke. 'Zombie!' is not intended to be taken seriously! It's 'Cinema of the Absurd'. Imagine George Romero zombies, a Roger Corman script, and then add Jean-Luc Godard as the director. Set it in the insanity that is New Orleans during Mardi Gras. 'Beads... Breasts... Blood' proclaims the video cover. And that it has. Add space aliens, a couple of Elvis impersonators, Galileo risen from Purgatory, and a pudgy Ninja, and you're set for a romp.
There are lots of references to Godard films. For example, there's a line about 'hurling reels' from Godard's 'Contempt'. A shot of the alien computer seems to be inspired by 'Alphaville'. The scene between the man and woman in the apartment in French -- bad French -- is typical of Godard's style circa 1960. The scene with the pseudo-intellectual couple in the diner has a Godardian feel to it, and it's hilarious! There's a reference to George Rodrigue's 'Blue Dog' (also referred to in one of Lyddon's other films, 'Cut Up'). 'Zombie!' is full of these little nuggets.
Some of the shots go on too long, and some of the footage is a bit murky. But taken in context -- as Cinema of the Absurd, and not as a typical 'zombie film' -- it's great. Guerilla film-making at its best!
There are lots of references to Godard films. For example, there's a line about 'hurling reels' from Godard's 'Contempt'. A shot of the alien computer seems to be inspired by 'Alphaville'. The scene between the man and woman in the apartment in French -- bad French -- is typical of Godard's style circa 1960. The scene with the pseudo-intellectual couple in the diner has a Godardian feel to it, and it's hilarious! There's a reference to George Rodrigue's 'Blue Dog' (also referred to in one of Lyddon's other films, 'Cut Up'). 'Zombie!' is full of these little nuggets.
Some of the shots go on too long, and some of the footage is a bit murky. But taken in context -- as Cinema of the Absurd, and not as a typical 'zombie film' -- it's great. Guerilla film-making at its best!
A fun lil' diversion
jaccuse-125 July 2003
I don't understand why everyone seems so upset by this charming lil' effort. Sure the transfer could be better(understatement)the acting is almost nonexistent at times, but anyone who lives in New Orleans would have to at least admit Zombie! captures the feeling of our town being overrun by beadseeking goons.The score is a definite highlight, my fave being the song over the end credits. "Zombie, they always hunted you.....Zombie!, what more could you do?" At times the cinematography was wonderful, showing the city in all its grainy glory. Lets hope the filmmakers can get a better transfer for their film on its next go-round!!! Love it,warts and all
I like this movie.
bongart17 July 2000
First and foremost, this is a great, successful attempt for an independent movie with a limited budget. That being said, there are a number of personal reasons for my enjoying Zombie. One is that most scenes were shot in recognizable locations about New Orleans. Another would be the fact that I know some of the cast, crew, and production staff members personally. The plot is a rather simple one to follow, if you pay attention occasionally. I do stress occasionally, because the movie will take on an eye candy-ish quality at times. The visual effects and camera work skew us sideways, where we must remember the setting of the movie, and step a little to the left of normal movie reality and enjoy the screen and what we see. If you are in the mood for what people can create without a corporation behind them, get a copy and show all your friends. If you are in the mood for a Hollywood Action FLIK, get a copy of Zombie Vs. Mardi Gras anyway, because you should have at least one movie of it's caliber in your collection.
Yea!
quahogq12 June 2000
What a movie! What magic! I have never seen anything like this wonderful gem. Zombies. Gore. Nudity. Goofiness. Silliness. Funniness. Baddness. All of these things can be found in the classic B-movie known as Zombie! vs Mardi Gras. The plot is confusing, and I had to watch it twice before I knew exactly what was going on, and even now, the ending still has me a bit lost. The confusing plot is just part of the fun. The whole movie is like a zombie lover on an acid trip. The gore is so fake its funny. The humor is delightfuly bizarre. The zombie rock. This is an instant favorite movie to any guy who likes zombie or B-movies. See it! My rating, 10/10.
but why did the zombie who is evil had to have the girl in the end because he
miket-145 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Why did the zombie have the girl in the end?! isn't he the evil zombie? this makes no sense because if he's evil zombie how he gets the girl, i don't know, like in the mel Gibson movie he's an evil zombie and they blow his head off then they shove a whole bunch of salt down the stump of his neck and doesn't get the girl in that one i tell you. and then there's that Friends episode where joey gets bit on his butt by a commie sympathizer protesting the iraq war and he goes around tearing peoples heads off with an abdominizer and then that anemic girl with frosted raisins comes out behind the sofa and chops him in half with a garden weasel.
The worst movie ever made
keyes11 November 1999
A travesty. A sickening experience. A mess. A technically inept sack of crap.
These are only the first words that come to mind upon seeing "Zombie! vs. Mardi Gras," the direct-to-video release from Salt City Home Video. This is complete and utter garbage, and must be seen to be believed.
These are only the first words that come to mind upon seeing "Zombie! vs. Mardi Gras," the direct-to-video release from Salt City Home Video. This is complete and utter garbage, and must be seen to be believed.
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