No, this isn’t a documentary about Rob Zombie or one of his old short films. It’s a 15-minute flick written, produced and directed by two New Zealand metal heads, Michael J. Asquith and Ben Stenbeck, which won “Best Short Film” at the 2005 New York City Horror Film Festival and “Best Horror Comedy Short Film” at the 2005 Screamfest LA.
The humorous horror story features three headbangers trapped in a stopped car during what seems to be the End of Days. As a flock of lumbering flesh-eating zombies gather around the vehicle, the three survivors kill time by talking about evil icons of metal, namedropping Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica and Motorhead. One of the highlights comes when one of the dudes mentions Kiss, and his friend snaps back, “F— man, Kiss aren’t evil. They’re gay.”
Soon, however, dread overtakes chuckles and the headbangers realize there’s no escape from zombie horrdes. Shot on a zero budget, this 2004 feature is riveting thanks to an adept blend of terror, comedy and surprisingly strong acting.
And the song by Metal Skull (a.k.a. Crumb) ain’t bad either. According to their Web site, Asquith and Stenbeck are currently working on a full-length movie and a TV show. We can’t wait.
