Alien Dead

Filmed over a period of two years starting in 1973 deep in the swamps of Oviedo, Florida, THE ALIEN DEAD (1980) barely squeezed by on its meager shoestring budget of $12,000. Graduating to 16mm color film from his earlier B&W effort, THE BRAIN LEECHES (1978), burgeoning filmmaker Fred Olen Ray crafted an astonishingly crude tale of aquatic zombies and the characters who would become their victims. In what would later become a trademark of Ray's work, the movie features serial icon, Buster Crabbe (FLASH GORDON), a marquee star from the director's childhood. The film has, at times, a strange gauzy, nightmare-like quality about it. A surreal, netherworld of dream images that threaten to engulf the characters. Scratch your head in awe and wonder at THE ALIEN DEAD, available again as a 45th anniversary edition with limited slipcover while supplies last!

Also included here is the director's first 16mm feature effort, THE BRAIN LEECHES (1977), along with a revealing commentary track and THE HALLOWEEN PLANET (1981), an unaired TV Children's Holiday Special featuring most of THE ALIEN DEAD's cast, including Martin Nicholas, Dennis Underwood, Mike Bonavia, Shelley Youngren and new comer, the stunning Joy Galli as Countess Dracula.