When I decided to feature FleshEater on The Flesh Farm I had no idea that I'd bought it on VHS back in 2000 under a different title, Revenge of the Dead. I remember throwing it in while working on the site (yes, I've been slaving over this site since 1997) and also remember turning it off after 20 minutes due to the atrocious acting. But that was before I gained a love for 80's b-films and their cheesy greatness.
         That's right, if you're a glutton for hilariously bad acting, recycled zombie material and budgets that barely exceed what you make in a year, FleshEater is for you. I would place it on the same scale as The Dead Next Door, Bad Taste, Cheerleader Camp and and Basketcase... among others. It's become a cult classic among the underground b-movie community and continues to entertain after two decades.
         FleshEater was created by S. William Hinzman, the actor who played the original zombie in George Romero's Night of the Living Dead in 1968. (Can't remember which one? See him here) I doubt his intentions were to entertain the Living Dead fans as much as they were for a possible cash-in on the Romero character. I doubt much money was made, considering it was made on a budget of $60,000, but the neon light flashing "I need money" still flashes bright. Regardless, it's still a fun ride if you're up for a laugh riot while getting your daily dose of splatter.
         I was also skeptical about S. William Hinzman's intentions after noticing every woman who became naked was immediately visited by Hinzman. He has more scenes attacking naked women (on top of them and getting up-close-and-personal with the goods) than any zombie I've ever seen. I doubt Hinzman was popular with the ladies throughout his life and this was a perfect opportunity to write himself into the script, on top of multiple naked women. I can't confirm that suspicion, but it seemed odd and predictable after the first couple women.
         The storyline has absolutely no unique qualities or originality. It's purely recycled ideas from other zombie filmmakers. The end even has a nearly identical hunting scene as the one in Dawn of the Dead, rednecks and all. The ending isn't really an ending at all. We see most of the characters killed, rise from the dead and killed again, but there is no clear ending. We just see S. William Hinzman jump out of a burnt-down barn and kill one of the rednecks. He looks at the camera with some flesh dangling from his mouth and it fades to black. Uhhhh... ok.
         I'm talking alot of shit about the film but it does have one redeeming quality. There's alot of death and the splatter/gore is b-film phenomenal. Severed limbs were obviously purchased at the local Halloween shop, the actors reactions to being shot are priceless and the zombie skin makeup is mostly a cheap looking whitish green. There are impressive looking corpses near the end after the barn burns down. I'd love to track those down and add them to the collection I have here at The Farm. That is, if they still exist. Here's a couple examples: Example 1 ... Example 2
         Only fans of 80's cult/splatter/gore should venture into the world of the FleshEater. Others might find it boring and pointless.