Review: Zombies vs Strippers / Cert: 18 / Director: Alex Nicolaou / Screenplay: Alex Nicolaou, Nick Francomano, Kent Roudebush / Starring: Circus-Szalewski, Eve Mauro, Victoria Levine, Adriana Sephora / Release Date: Out Now
We know what you’re thinking – wait, didn’t they make this movie already? Meaning 2008’s Zombie Strippers!, no doubt, or perhaps you have in mind 2012’s other strippery creature flick, Strippers vs Werewolves. This one’s completely different, though. Oh okay, it’s not, but we’re going to tell you about it anyway.
To be fair, Zombies vs Strippers does manage its own kind of pleasantly down-at-heel vibe. The setting, The Tough Titty, is a seedy tiki-themed strip joint one lap dance away from bankruptcy. Its owner, a sweaty spiv called Spider (played by the delightfully named Circus-Szalewski) knows he ought to sell up but he’s been hanging on out of a sense of duty to the girls and in the faint hope that maybe business will pick up one day. And, as luck would have it, that day would seem to have come, as various people start wandering in to take refuge from the streets. Trouble is, they’re all mumbling about a riot going on outside. Time to turn on the TV and learn all about that impending zombie apocalypse.
There’s no real reason to compare this film to Zombie Strippers! because actually, when you think about it, they’re totally unalike: 0ne’s about strippers attacked by zombies, the others about strippers who are zombies. See? Complete opposites! If you do compare them, though, Zombie Strippers! has the edge, in that it has the curiosity value of porn star Jenna Jameson trying to act and the reassuring presence of Robert Englund in a sleazy supporting role (oh, where will he pop up next?). Still, director and co-writer Alex (son of Ted) Nicolaou moves things along confidently enough, downplaying the pole-twirling and boob-shaking and using the story as a showcase for some enjoyably facetious dialogue. There’s a decent running gag about the pretentious club DJ, who loves vinyl records, however scratchy, and detests MP3s (“Okay, if you want to go the way of the Beast!”), and Spider has a memorable riposte for a trio of Bible-quoting bikers who come bursting in: “I don’t know about the bosom of the Lord, but we’re all safe here in the Titty.” With only a 75-minute running time, it’s more like an extended sketch than a proper movie, but it’s less exploitative than one might fear and, seriously, who doesn’t love a tiki theme?
Extras: Making of / Stills gallery / Original trailer
