Dead Snow (Blu-ray)

Dead Snow is another classic Norwegian horror movie, its basicly their answer to evil dead and dawn of the dead in a way with loads comic slapstick scenes, and plenty of blood and gore etc, its all out war in the snow with NAZI ZOMBIES! what could be more fun, brilliant! dont let subtitles put you off these films, they are rare treats for horror fans!

This 88 minute Norwegian horror-comedy has a small group of medical students (including VEGAR HOEL and the gorgeous EVY KASSETH ROSTEN) holidaying at an isolated cabin in Oksfjord.

Here they are soon visited by a mysterious stranger (renowned actor BJORN SUNDQUIST) who bids them a warning about the local area. During the Second World War, he tells, a force of savage Germans led by an Oberst Herzog (ORJAN GARNST) ruled the populous with an iron fist. Their brutality knew no bounds with killings and beatings a regular occurrence. Yet as the war drew to a close the oppressed people of Oksfjord rebelled against the Nazi troops, killing some but losing the survivors (including Herzog) in the nearby mountains. Since that day rumours persist that the place is cursed with a great evil.

Although the students at first put little stock in the story, they find a box of treasure hidden in the cabin and are soon besieged by Herzog and his loyal soldiers, now in a zombiefied state and who will stop at nothing until they have recovered the stolen valuables they believe to be theirs!

DEAD SNOW is certainly a fun film and gives regular nods to other horror-comedies such as SHAUN OF THE DEAD and EVIL DEAD, plus pays homage to the likes of PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (the undead emergence scene) and the films of GEORGE A ROMERO. Director TOMMY WIRKOLA is certainly a fan of the genre and this shows through brightly in his film.

So sit back, suspend belief and enjoy! There is a thrilling chase scene to the tune of GRIEG classic IN THE HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING and lots of gore as the students fight back with any weapons which come to hand (including knives, hammers and even a chainsaw!) as well as lashings of black humour. Characterization takes a back seat to zombie-bashing action but the film certainly packs in plenty of this during its relatively short running time.

The film looks splendid on the Blu-Ray format especially the snowy landscapes, while the sound is clear and the subtitles easy to read.

Special Features on the disc are an insightful Making Of (48 minutes), footage of the cast at the Sundance Festival (17 minutes) and small features on the Special Effects and Make Up running in at 3 minutes and 6 minutes respectively. Oh, and who can resist the charm of a film that plays BEETHOVENS Symphony No 9 on the main menu as well as the four trailers also included?

Great film, well shot, well cast. Pays Tribute to the classics like evil dead and braindead.

Have just watched it... twice.
I really liked it.
Sound and picture is excellent. (Norsk dts)
The comedy, and there's not lots, is in the vein of Shaun of the Dead.
It's not too silly or knowingly winking at the camera but it's not a full on serious horror film either.
Acting is good and it's very well photographed - it does not look or sound like a budget horror film.
Gore when it starts is good and lots of it, including a chainsaw scene which The Evil Dead only hinted at.

Also, and this must be a first, this english cover is the best so far, the Norwegian one makes it look like a Carry On film and the French one although good features a scene that does not actually appear in the film.

Having watched dead snow a few weeks ago i still havn't got it out of my head,an absolute joy, tommy wirkola the director really knows his stuff its got it all comedy,drama and gore and i mean lots of gore the actors make you care about them but in equal measure you cant wait for the next nasty death and there are some crackers in here all in all a very well rounded film paying homage to the genre cant wait to get it on blue-ray all that blood and snow!!!!