Big Tits Zombie. With a title like that, you usually know the kind of ride youre in for. However in the case of this gleefully ridiculous Japanese horror comedy, the reality is far more bizarre than you could ever imagine.
After a stint in Mexico, exotic dancer Lena Jodo (Aoi) returns to her native Japan and reluctantly takes a temporary gig dancing at a run-down resort in a backwater town. At first despairing at the incessant infighting amongst her fellow strippers, Lena and her new colleagues find distraction in the shape of a hidden passageway in their dressing room. Descending into the clubs basement, the group unearth a mysterious well and a dusty text, the Book of the Dead.
Unsurprisingly, one of them immediately reads the cursed writings aloud, leading to an uprising of ravenous flesh-eaters. Forced to join together to fend off the onslaught of the undead, the busty band deploy some surprisingly formidable zombie killing skills thanks to a convenient cache of samurai swords, chainsaws and all manner of sharp objects.
With a cast populated by controversial comedians and porn performers, its no surprise its lead actresses have little qualms when it comes to the films more bizarre sequences. And of these, there are plenty. The opening sequence, a slick and stylish monochrome affair straight from the comic book panels the film is based on, showers its heroines in fountains of blood and entrails, but even this is tame weighed against whats to come.
The splatter sequences are fast and forthcoming, but its not the unashamed gore thatll have you sitting upright in your seat. Writer/director Takao Nakano instead channels his imagination into more inventive set pieces. In one sequence, a newly reanimated member of the group shows off her newly acquired fire-breathing skills, only its not her throat thatll be feeling sore in the morning.
Big Tits Zombie regularly veers off toward the ridiculous, but its in these waters it feels comfortable and like many Japanese comedy horrors, it consistently entertains. And surprisingly, the film is built on a solid enough foundation. The central cast of scantily clad strippers are all entertaining in their roles, relishing in the insanity of it all and balancing sassy sexiness with well aimed punches and breakneck kicks throughout the films many action sequences. Popular porn performer Sola Aoi is particularly memorable as leading lady Lena; clearly comfortable throughout the films more risqué sequences and delivers a surprisingly effective turn as a tough chick not to be messed with.
As well as a standard presentation, the DVD comes packaged with a 3D version of the film, but this unfortunately comes across as something of an afterthought. Only a handful of sequences have been picked for the three dimensional treatment, and most of these are bizarre group dance sequences and scantily clad dressing room antics. The gory fight sequences are largely left untouched, but are impressive events in their own right.
Overall Verdict: Perfect post-pub entertainment, Big Tits Zombie is unapologetically insane, but gleefully in on the joke.
Special Features:
3D Version
Reviewer: David Steele