The Shuddering

Episode 15: The Sadness (2021) & Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993)

Episode Summary

This week, we're all about the zombies... sort of. That flesh-eating, world-ending, gore-splattering subgenre of horror -- currently enjoying its latest resurgence thanks to HBO's The Last of Us -- is the unifying theme for the two films we reviewed, but neither one is your standard zombie saga, exactly. First up is writer/director Rob Jabbaz's recent effort The Sadness, a film that unleashes some of the most disturbing, plentiful carnage and mayhem ever filmed on an unsuspecting Taipei. Does it live up to its billing as the "most depraved zombie movie ever made?" The answer, probably, is yeah. But, does that alone make the film worth seeing? Tune in and find out... And then, definitely stick around for our discussion of the third film in the Return of the Living Dead franchise, a film that mixes comedy, action, and a surprisingly heartfelt love story into the usual zombie-movie stew. We're BIG fans of Dan O'Bannon's original Return film, but while this "three-quel" retains its basic premise and some of its lighter-hearted tone, it also stakes out some unusual new territory for the series -- and offers up a showcase for the directorial talents of genre legend Brian Yuzna. And, much like the living dead themselves, our "recommendations" segment returns again, with some more Skinamarink talk (don't worry, not that much) and a few other prime cuts from recent horror history. Enjoy, and... send more paramedics!

Episode Notes

This week, we're all about the zombies... sort of. That flesh-eating, world-ending, gore-splattering subgenre of horror -- currently enjoying its latest resurgence thanks to HBO's The Last of Us -- is the unifying theme for the two films we reviewed, but neither one is your standard zombie saga, exactly. First up is writer/director Rob Jabbaz's recent effort The Sadness, a film that unleashes some of the most disturbing, plentiful carnage and mayhem ever filmed on an unsuspecting Taipei. Does it live up to its billing as the "most depraved zombie movie ever made?" The answer, probably, is yeah. But, does that alone make the film worth seeing? Tune in and find out... And then, definitely stick around for our discussion of the third film in the Return of the Living Dead  franchise, a film that mixes comedy, action, and a surprisingly heartfelt love story into the usual zombie-movie stew. We're BIG fans of Dan O'Bannon's original Return film, but while this "three-quel" retains its basic premise and some of its lighter-hearted tone, it also stakes out some unusual new territory for the series -- and offers up a showcase for the directorial talents of genre legend Brian Yuzna. And, much like the living dead themselves, our "recommendations" segment returns again, with some more Skinamarink talk (don't worry, not that much) and a few other prime cuts from recent horror history. Enjoy, and... send more paramedics!