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Jean Claude The Gumming Zombie review
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In my ongoing review of Johnny K. Wu directed films, we come to the one I've been waiting to watch and review. Jean Claude, The Gumming Zombie.....one of the most satirical zombie flicks, albiet short film, since Dead Alive. I love zombie flicks that are a cut above slapping chalk on somebody's face and calling them a zombie. How many of these flicks have been pumped out like that over the years? Plenty, and that's one of the reasons this one stands out from those generic ones. Again, this is technically just a low budget indie short film, but it is packed with gross zombie humor that leaves a lasting impression that doesn't bite. I was warned that this movie is subject to an individual's taste and I've found it to be fun exploitative brain food! Mmmmm...yummy! I'm glad they made it.
Before I get into too many specifics, there is something to point out. While some fans and observers of this type of film may be upset that something seemingly similar has been released, such as the the movie "FIDO", they really should not worry at all. For example, while FIDO and Jean Claude are set in a "leave it to beaver" dated era and have zombies as pets, that's just about it for similarity! There are zombies in sci-fi, western comedies, and more. We wouldn't have zombie movies if people didn't copy Night Of The Living Dead in the first place! Fido had evil zombies resurrected by something from space and then being controlled with electronic collars, all in a film noir feel. Jean Claude The Gumming Zombie doesn't go that route at all! The fact that both are comedies remains, but let's face it....anything set in a time where the words "swell" and "golly" were popular will automatically be a comedy. Mix that with zombie elements and it's disturbingly funny! To wrap up the comparison, Jean Claude is based on black magic and their zombie pal hasn't got any teeth, hence the gumming part!
Some behind the scenes shots.
Production-wise, this short was extremely innovative in that a good portion was shot on greenscreen and played off that medium in it's creativeness. The visuals and audio were just fine, within production limits. Colors were rich enough to help with the gross factor. Editing tricks were pretty fancy and effective. The direction was fine! Again, it's the creativeness that draws you in. If there were a problem to mention, it was a 3D compositing plane effect which I discuss later. Cloverfield, Battlestar Galactica, and half the TV shows now-a-days have this issue, in camera, so it's not a real biggy. I don't know how deep they got into achieving their vision on this movie, but I believe they must have achieved it, because you can't help but be dragged into the film's universe!
In any gore or zombie flick, "props" must be given to the SFX people above all and that would be Tom Luhtala and Joseph Shaw. For an independent short, the overall work is feature film level on zombie visuals and SFX tricks. This short is simply gross, gross, and gross! That's my kind of zombie fair. The makeup artists did a very decent job. I think Romero would be pleased, as his earliest films didn't compare, not that they didn't improve with time and sfx growth in the 80's. I think that latex has something to do with that. After seeing what Luhtala has done over a bunch of projects, I would hire him for sfx and more if I need and can afford him for my projects. I'm still getting used to everybody in the local film community, from acting to everything in between.
The writing and comedy style of this film is just great. It works well with tongue-in-cheek gags and becomes disturbingly funny with the gross antics. It's hard to screw up acting in this kind of hard-hitting writing style. The lines are so straight forward and just punch through! I love exploitation!
Comedy delivery is typically an area I sometimes have slight qualms about towards any viewable medium, especially when there are pauses to allow laughter. Obviously, sitcoms and live performances have relied upon this to keep on delivering more gags one after another, but since there wasn't a "laugh-track" or live audience in this one, it's lucky these pauses are relatively short and allows you to move along to the next gag. You will laugh!
So, that would bring me to a unique negative/ positive and this is highly debatable and tricky due to the complexities being achieved, let alone on indie budget. While the opening narrator really does what he's supposed to, I almost think the gag versus pause ratio "seemed" excessive, but actually wasn't. I would venture to say a shakey 3D composite cam was the culprit because the movement is far faster than line delivery, so toning that down could focus on the narrator's "schtick" more effectively, but also may adversely affect the greenscreen elements, which were quite integral. I mean, Donna Williams being dragged by her bloody fingers after reaching for the narrator's microphone is rather brilliant in comedic/ technical concept and execution. When you see Jean Claude gumming the narrator's arm, it's truly priceless. Makes me hungry! Irregardless of the above said, the opening scene very effectively pulls you into the wacky alternate world of the Mawlberry family.
This brings us to the acting! Kyle Znamenak is awesome for his role as Jean Claude. He's an aloof zombie that stumbles around kindly and calmly doing his zombie thing, while becoming adopted like a pet. It's his best acting yet, from 3 productions I've seen him in. He does this French seductive routine that is quite amusing/ campy, as well. While I liked Billy Connolly in FIDO, I have to honestly say that Kyle Znamenak pulls off a more emotionally evocative character in probably even more makeup than his. This short film could have cast almost anybody to just play a zombie, but it's just so darned funny how this character is reanimated by Kyle. He and the father simply make the movie. Best part is that I didn't even know who was playing Jean Claude until I saw the French seductions. I seem to forget to read opening credits when getting into a movie. My second favorite actor in this is Joseph O'Brien as the Father. When you hear him talk that "Hello little Timmy!" type voice and puff the tobacco pipe, you can't help but start chuckling! The role they have him play is just wrong and you wanna hang with this laid back character, perhaps because he's protected from zombies, but he'd be great to have around making fun of things in life with the fellas. The mother, son, daughter, and grandmother fit in quite nicely too, but this short seems more about the father and his zombie relationship. They fit the roles as much as could be done. Even the extras worked out pretty well, with simple "walk" on roles. Totally OMG, the puns keep on coming, LOL!
Music is by Aryavarta Kumar, who has proven himself a skilled composer, once again. He seems to be the Joseph Loduca of indie film scoring. While most of the scores are obviously keyboard based, I again am a keyboardist myself and feel that if it fits the project, use it. I'm glad there's a an "official" composer for our indie projects. Hollywood has them, why not us, right?
Johnny K. Wu has been directing and pulling together the local film community for some time now. I didn't know that he had a comedic dark side like this, but to pull off such an exploitation of humorous zombie genre, he most certainly has. I too relish being a naughty director as that's how I got my start. Anybody can do a clean family worthy movie, but to do something risky towards public comedic taste means you've got some boldness and probably know the market you are filming for. Genre flicks survive above all other types of films. Let's face it, they sell. Zombies sell! Distributors know that these flicks are people food and are happy to get them into our hands. OMG, did you catch the pun? Watch the DVD and it'll make sense.
So, in conclusion, I am happy to have Jean Claude The Gumming Zombie as part of my collection of indie films alongside the blockbusters. It will probably be watched as much as any other title, in all actuality, because it's just plain fun and is wrong in so many ways. Yes, it's a short, and I would prefer my zombie movies in longform, but it's honestly just the right amount of content in the right amount of time. I never got bored once being set up with the Mawlberrys. If you like zombies and even FIDO, you should find this a gem. Get a copy and spread it like a zombie plague!
Best, Kenny
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