This week we visit Greg Nicotero’s KNB EFX House for a peek behind the scenes of George Romero’s latest Zombie masterpiece Land of the Dead!

Part 1

Welcome to my new column here at Movieweb. I’m Spooker Washington, and this is Splatter Shocks. Ever so often, as often as I feel like crawling out of my rusty ol’ coffin, I will provide you with a bird’s eye view into the Wide World of Horror Cinema. It doesn’t just have to be films, either. It could be anything. A stage play, a new Death Metal CD, a review of my hemophiliac grandmother’s funeral procession. But seeing how this is Movieweb, I’ll most likely be dealing with the movie macabre. And I couldn’t think of a better time to get this party started than right now. October. All Hallow’s Eve if you will; Samhain blowing his nose into a tissue.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Well.

If I had my druthers, I’d be sitting here telling you all about George Romero’s new Unrated Ultimate Director’s Cut DVD of Land of the Dead. I know; that’s what you fans want. It’s got to be gorier, sicker, and just down right bloody cooler than what we saw at the theater. Right? Hmm? I’m not so certain that’s the penultimate truth. I’ve heard word, straight from Romero’s mouth himself, that what he got to Cineplex screens was basically what he wanted to get there. And if you’ve seen the movie, you know it doesn’t wimp out. For a studio release, it’s pretty damn disgusting stuff. This new home video version was completed for the hardcore Romero Enthusiasts. It boasts five brand-spanking-new, never before seen minutes. There’s an added scene where Cholo (aka Dead Man Walking John Leguizamo) first visits Fiddler’s Green to find a zombie hanging from a ceiling fan, and then a bunch of tagged-on spunk moments deemed too disturbing for your average Friday Night Crowd.

You know that ain’t us, baby!

The business was started by Greg and his two effects buddies Howard Berger and Robert Kurtzman (hence the KNB in the title), and they’ve worked on some of the most horrifying and groundbreaking films of the past twenty years. The production team’s resume beats with a heart of awesomeness that includes far too many films to name-check in one sentence. Kill Bill, Sin City, The Chronicles of Narnia, Ray, and Looney Tunes Back in Action are just a few of the projects KNB has worked on in the last year or so.

Awesome!