The zombie by name of Фидо
Me sometimes criticise that in the reviews I prefer insurgents, thrillers and films of horrors, not giving due attention to such popular genre in the people, as a comedy. The matter is that modern comedies involve me, as a little, in my opinion, the majority of them are guided by humour «below a belt» and do not represent special art value. I do not argue, and today shoot qualitative films of this direction («does not happen» better, "Juneau", etc.), however they, unfortunately, are small and are only pleasant exception, and it is difficult to name their pure comedies.
Больший interest for me "black" comedies which the big set lately has been removed represent cross-country-genre. Naturally, the lion's share of these pictures there is no even a mention, however there are also excellent samples, on one of which I wish to stop here.
It is a question of Canadian film of 2006 not too known in Russia «the Zombie by name of Фидо» («Fido») which have been let out on licence DVD by the company «CP Digital».
Apparently from the name, it not simply "black" comedy, and a comedy of horrors about live dead persons. Fairly to tell, originally I with the big suspicion have concerned this tape: being the admirer of classical films about the zombie (George Romero, Лучио Фульчи), I do not like fashionable nowadays frank gamble and mockeries on a theme of the corpses who have risen from tombs. In particular, I at all do not perceive worthless bosh about devoted matrimonial love to the live dead person («the Honeymoon of the zombie»), silly youth tapes about reasonable zombies, enamoured in the "live" girl-friends («Boys eat girls»), and so on. The growing quantity of similar consumer goods has led to creation separate поджанра «zom-com», that is the zombie-comedy. Nevertheless, among this stuff nevertheless there are magnificent horrors-comedies about the zombie whom already now it is possible to name classics of all genre of horrors as a whole. I mean «Returning of live dead persons» Dan О’Бэннона, «Live carrion» Peter Jackson, «the Zombie by name of Шон» Edgara Right (basically, it is necessary to include in this list and excellent parody Мэла of the Brooks «Young Франкенштейн», after all there acts as the protagonist "person", on slices collected of corpses). On my deep belief, «the Zombie by name of Фидо» is undoubtedly worthy occurrences in number of these excellent cinema works.
By the way, about the film name. The Russian distributors "have caused a stir" again and have once again shown, softly to tell, banality, naming it «the Zombie by name of Фидо», probably, by analogy with mentioned above successful «the Zombie by name of Шон» which name also has been interpreted by them not absolutely correctly. Similarity of names of both pictures and their subjects can confuse some unlucky spectators who especially are not understanding "non-russian" names. Besides the nickname of the main hero-zombie is said not «Фидо», and «Файдо» - everyone who will find time to familiarise with an English postscoring of a film (further I can be convinced of it I will name nevertheless it Фидо definitively not to bring mess).
The director «the Zombie by name of Фидо» is Canadian Andrew Karri who before has removed only one полноэкранную tape – a family drama «the Way in anywhere», earlier published in Russia on DVD the company «Cinema Trade» (two «короткометражки» and the couple of television films is not counted). The picture scenario is written under story Дэнниса of the Tunic with the same name which has accepted the most active participation in its creation. According to the author, he has composed the first sketch of the scenario in far 1992, and then together with the friends and colleagues E.Karri and R.Chomiakom during 13 (!) Years it finished. Thus, «the Zombie by name of Фидо» was a vivid example of cinema long-term construction, that, however, has not affected in any way high quality of a film. It is rather atypical for the western cinema - we know weight of examples when numerous processings of scenarios led to pitiable results (a blockbuster expected by all «on an exit» it appeared if not a full failure, continuous disappointment).
«The zombie by name of Фидо» - first of all, excellent retrosatire on the American society of general prosperity in which near to usual people live dead persons peacefully adjoin. However behind a facade of external well-being the permanent fear is covered: people are afraid to be the eaten zombies, after death to turn to live dead persons. Fear is caused even by older persons only because they are potential zombies. As action occurs in the USA 50th years (that is time of "witch-hunt" and a heat of "cold" war) an alternative reality, the fear before the zombie here replaces real fear of Americans of those years before mythical «red threat», ostensibly intrusion of Soviet "invaders". In a film are neatly derided deliberate purely American aspiration to perfection (in the USA all the best), ostentatious prosperity (after all any American you will always tell, that at it all о’кей even if at it heap of unsoluble problems – main thing to show, that is to it better, than you), so-called American family values, a pragmatism etc.
Despite serious enough implied sense though and submitted under sharp satirical sauce, in tape Карри many madly ridiculous dialogues and the moments – to take, for example, a scene about the zombie-molochnikom and the zombie-postman. And the black-and-white advertising stylised under olden time with participation of live dead persons?! It is remarkable, what these comical episodes are harmoniously combined with scenes of frank violence and «расчлененки» (if they in general are not what it would be a film about the zombie?). By the way, these moments do not cause horror and disgust, and, on the contrary, are looked rather cheerfully and easily. In harmonous interaction ridiculous and terrible the present skill of the director also was showed.
And in general «the Zombie by name of Фидо» is very kind and touching history about disinterested friendship between the boy and the revived corpse (as though it blasphemously sounded in surroundings кровищи and the torn off finitenesses). Feelings of attachment and fidelity of the zombie (and they at it really really were showed!) to the young friend it is similar to relations between the house pupil and its owner. Not without reason many western reviewers draw a parallel between this picture and popular with 40 already up to the end 90th years films and teleserials about brave collie Лэсси who always gained children of the owners in the most critical situations (the Russian spectators are not too familiar with feats of this dog while in the USA one generation which has been brought up on these films) has grown not.
In «Zombies by name of Фидо» are perfectly registered the main characters which are professionally played by remarkable actors. Kerri-Enn Moss has departed from the former gloomy and drama images (the trilogy "Matrix", «the Hunter on murderers», "Remember") and has shown remarkable comedy talent, having played a role of the lovely housewife full of optimism, aspiring to adjust heat and a cosiness in a family in which there is no mutual understanding. Дилан Бейкер («the Erased reality», «the Spiderman 3: the Enemy in reflexion», "Matador") has convincingly played the father of the family which is constantly vanishing on work and spending all free time not with the son and the wife, and with colleagues behind game a golf. Тринадцатилетний (at the moment of film shootings) television actor К’Сун Рэй (the poor fellow – well and имечко it was given by parents) has embodied an image of the lonely boy deprived of attention and love of the father at which its schoolmates-hooligans constantly scoff. Well and it is final, the tremendous Scottish comic and drama actor Bills Коннели («Лемони Сникет: 33 misfortunes», «Last Samurai», «Confidential materials 2: I Wish to trust») in a title role of "house" zombie Fido it is so good, how much it is possible to present it! Before Коннели there was the most complicated problem to play silent (it could growl and low only) the zombie with the hardened person which somehow should show quite human feelings. Hints on a mimicry, the expressive game by eyes peculiar to it by internal power, the actor excellent with it has consulted! It could "humanise" the zombie and allocate with its quite concrete emotions. In a film it is a lot of and other picturesque characters and excellent actor's works, however for their detailed description here simply will not suffice a place.
Blossoming American small town Uillard of 50th years (actually, in the USA there is a city in the State of Ohio with the same name). It is a lot of years ago bloody war between people and the dead persons who have risen from tombs as a result of passage of the Earth through a certain cloud of a space dust has thundered. Thanks to corporation "ZomCon" (catch analogy to a genre «zom-com»?) Which has invented a special "pacifying" collar with remote control, all zombies have lost the aggression and now work for the mankind blessing. Live dead persons work at the enterprises, serve as postmen, молочниками, gardeners, help on an economy. Like all is ideal. However at schools employment on military preparation proceed, on which children learn competently to shoot at the zombie (that is in a head), died bury, preliminary having separated a head from a body so that they could not revive (a space dust has for a long time infected the Earth, and all dead men rise till now from the tombs if them not to subject to this enough to unpleasant procedure). And in the rest the life of inhabitants Уилларда proceeds easy and carefree. All in a city have the "cultivated" zombie except family Робинсонов. The matter is that Bill Robinson (Дилан Бейкер) in panic is afraid of live dead persons after in the childhood has been compelled to shoot the father who has turned to the zombie and trying it to eat. Bill малоприветлив to wife Helen (Kerri-Enn Moss) and practically does not notice son Timmi (К’Сун Рэй). He is disturbed only by thoughts on how most гарантированно and it is favourable to order "correct" funeral (the main thing that there were separate coffins for a body and for a head) for themselves and own family, and also work to which it gives all time. Once Хелен decides to arrange to the men a surprise and gets at «ZomCon» the live dead person (Bills Коннели) as the assistant on house affairs. Bill in horror, Тимми too cautiously concerns the huge and clumsy zombie with sad eyes. However they are compelled to reconcile to whim Хелен and start to get used gradually to new "member" of a family (though Bill does not miss a case what to press a remote control button to torment the zombie). Suffering from an inattention of the father, Тимми which besides does not have friends, in due course approaches with this terrible by sight the dead person and even names it Фидо. The zombie not only with pleasure walks and plays with Тимми, but also protects the boy from hooligans from its school. Somehow time, having fun in city park, at Тимми is rolled up in bushes a ball. In search of ball Фидо encounters very harmful on shop very harmful and grumbling old woman having a rest on a shop - neigbour Robinsonov of Mrs. Henderson (Mary Blek - «the Wattled person» 2006, "Fog" of 2005, «Six demons Emili Rose»). Having seen "another's" zombie who as it seemed to it, what for to it creeps, the old woman cries out and beats poor Фидо on a head the stick. One of blows is necessary on a collar and puts it out of action. Unexpectedly felt taste by a life (read – to a human flesh) our zombie snatches on Mrs. Henderson and starts to tear its teeth. Appeared in time too late Тимми it appears in private with the enraged carnivorous live dead person. However Фидо does not touch the boy and allows to it time to activate a collar remote control. Being afraid, that true Фидо will back take away in «ZomCon» and that will make him answerable, Тимми tells to nobody about this terrible case. As the sting of the zombie is infectious (even small children, in my opinion, about it know), after a while the corpse of Mrs. Henderson revives and attacks inhabitants silent Уилларда. Chain reaction of zombies-transformations begins. Special divisions of police and «ZomCon», having experience of operations against live dead persons, operatively take a situation under the control and conditions in small town is gradually normalised. Recently moved in Уиллард and had time to make friends with father Timmi the high-ranking employee «ZomCon» Mr. Bottoms (Henry Cherni - "Chaos", «Six demons Emili Rose», «the Pink panther» 2006) spends investigation, aspiring to find the reason of flash of the zombie-epidemic. During inquiry he starts to suspect Тимми and its favourite Fido. Outwardly benevolent, but in a shower artful and cynical Mr. Bottoms at all does not imagine, unduly vigorous activity can result in what unpredictable consequences … it
In my opinion, Andrew Karri has shot an excellent film not only for admirers of "horror films", in particular поджанра the zombie-horror, and also "black" comedies of horrors, but also is simple for fans of comedy tapes and good entertaining cinema as a whole. After viewing of this rather amusing tape you are convinced of seditious thought, that sometimes zombies really appear more humanely and more kindly people, on what repeatedly we were hinted by "the father of all live dead persons» George Romero in the film products.
It is very a pity, that the DVD-release «the Zombie by name of Фидо» from «CP Digital» has appeared very mediocre. Except filmographies of founders of a picture and announcements of new tapes of other additions is not present. At least thanks for presence of an original sound track and a wide-screen picture! By the way, with a format of the image at distributors the incident has turned out – on the back of boxing with DVD in the description of characteristics of a disk is specified, that the film is presented in a format 4:3 (that is the "square", cut down picture) while the wide-screen version is available. Probably, it is a unique case when the miss of distributors plays on a hand to consumers of their production. It is more than such errors!
