AKA: Almost Human, Death Corps

Tag line : SS zombies rise from the depths to wreak havoc amongst the living.

A group of holiday makers on a cruising trip round the Caribbean run aground on a deserted island after colliding with the wreck of an old WW2 German carrier. Apart from being shipwrecked, their problems are compounded by a lot of strange goings on.

The skies turn bright orange, the radio stops working, the compass just spins wildly and then the boats captain (played by John Carradine) just disappears.

The remaining passengers and crew decide to see if there's another way off the island, whereupon they discover an aging German SS Commander (played horror veteran Peter Cushing) who's been living there in voluntary exile. He informs them that he was formerly part of the scientific core, who were working on a batch of genetically enhanced super-soldiers, and the wreck they collided with was the transport that sank with them on it.

It seems though, that these super-soldiers were just a little too well-made. As despite the years under the ocean, the soggy faced, water logged SS troops are not quite dead yet, and having risen up from the depths they proceed to set about the main characters (one of which being Luke Halpin, who played Sandy in the original series of "Flipper") and bumping them off with their bare hands.

Although not overdly gory, as these zombies don't actually eat their victims, this is never-the-less an interesting and well made zombie film. Whilst it might not quite be "Night of the Living Dead", it's certainly a cut above most other films of this ilk. Zombie and B-movie fans will definitely love it.

Overall Marks : 6/10.

Other Information.

• Alternate tag line : "Once They Were Almost Human! Beneath the living... Beyond the dead... From the depths of Hell's Ocean! The Deep End of Horror!"

• The movie was actually filmed on location in and around the coast of Florida.

• The film was shot in 35 days on a budget of $200,000

• Peter Cushing and John Caradine only actually worked 4 days out of the 35 day shoot.

• This was Brooke Adams first major screen role, having previously had a minor role in "Murders in the Rue Morgue". She went on to star in the 1978 version of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", although is probably best known for her role as Pagan in the TV movie "Lace".

• The director Ken Weiderhorn also directed "Return of the Living Dead Part 2".

• Although the film appeared to feature dozens of zombies, there were only in fact 8 actors playing them.

• Future B-movie director Fred Ollen Ray, who went on to make "Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers", worked on the film as a photographer.

• The deserted hotel on the island was actually the Biltmore Hotel in Florida, which was standing derelict at the time.

• The make up effects were done by fellow director Alan Ormsby, who went on to make "Children shouldn't play with Dead Things".

Cast & Crew.

US TV trailer. (310KB)

Buy the UK DVD.

Buy the UK DVD.

Buy the US DVD.

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