Classic-style horror film I made in 2005 as an homage to the Universal Monster classics and zombie films like Night of the Living Dead. My idea was to combine the old Black & White atmosphere with the red splattery gore of modern horror films, so I decided to make the blood in color.
The cemetery set was in a garage. I built all the gravestones. In horror movies, the caretaker is usually the first character to die. (The Wolf Man, 1941, for example) A cemetery being in the #1 setting where supernatural things occur, he is kind of stuck in a trap. My idea for The Deader the Better is that this is the movie where the caretaker fights back.
The idea of colorizing the blood came from indecision. I wanted to capture the look of the classic black and white horror films, but I also wanted to show some blood. So I kept the blood red. Also, as a kid, I used to draw gory comics. I’d use a pen or pencil, but would use a red crayon to color in the blood.
This was the last “film” I made before AVGN. It stands as an example of some of the horror films I plan to make in the future on a bigger scale.
April 8, 2010 at 1:24 am
This film is just great, I would love to see it in a movie theatre! This is the best of the best!
April 8, 2010 at 9:25 pm
this one is by far my favourit and i would definatly pay money to see it in the theatre
May 2, 2013 at 6:28 pm
Start working at home with Google! It’s by-far the best job Ive had. Last Monday I got a new Alfa Romeo from bringing in $7778. I started this 9 months ago and practically straight away started making more than $83 per hour. I work through this link, http://www.g00.me/Work
April 9, 2010 at 12:17 am
Hey James, great movie. But on the older version of the website, you had a page where we could view photos, then click the back button and have access to blogs and the storyboard video from an entire page for this movie. Are you going to put it back up?
April 10, 2010 at 11:49 pm
James, it’s amazing what you can do with so little! This movie is pure genius!!! The camera angles, the editing, the characters, the perfect blend of horror and sadistic humor,… I consider this better than a Sam Raimi.
I know that there is a lot of people like me out there that saw all your videos more than once. If you can maximize the resources you have like that, I feel that you will go far. You are truly inspirational! Keep it up, we are counting on you to make it to the top.
April 11, 2010 at 2:18 am
That shit is Fucking funny! I laughed so fucking hard when he ripped that zombies head off and shoved it up his ass!
I really like the black and white mixed with the red filters for blood. It came out really cool. As i was watching this i remembered you saying at one time that this graveyard scene was build in your garage! Its crazy how well that turned out! I also remember watching a video where you were talking about how you made all your old movies and how much of a pain in the ass it used to be. I really respect that. This short film was awesome and it made my day.
April 11, 2010 at 6:44 pm
This one is professional quality! You are a genius! Man this is a master piece! I will make sure that my friend see it.
April 16, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Fantastic feature! Really enjoyed watching it. I’ve been meaning to see one of your non-AVGN features for a while now and this looked like a good place to start and I wasn’t disappointed. Keep up the good work, all your material is brilliant!
April 17, 2010 at 8:31 pm
best part @ 10:59….. waiting for a freeze frame that never happened.
awesome movie. i give it 5 decaying cocksuckers
April 17, 2010 at 8:36 pm
correction: best part @ 11:23 when the caretaker pulls sausage outta that lady.
April 18, 2010 at 2:33 am
This movie was great! i love the last line.
April 18, 2010 at 3:29 am
I see James at 7:49. Why not credited?
Awesome movie. That Steven Klaszky is great; put him in more stuff please
April 18, 2010 at 7:03 am
@marclawson: I think he wanted to do a cameo appearance, like Hitchcock did in his own movies.
Not a fan of horror movies, but watching this, I kinda like it. Hope to some of it on big screen.
April 18, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Ed Wood would be proud.
April 18, 2010 at 11:18 pm
I felt like I was watching a classic horror flick. I enjoyed the music and the way some of the scenes would fade into the next. Please don’t make this your last film. I want to see more.
April 20, 2010 at 5:30 am
A fun, well acted, beautifully shot homage to the classic horror film genre. James Whale would be proud. Keep it up James you obviously have a talent for this.
April 20, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Excellent as always. It was a funny horror film. I say there should be a sequel.
April 21, 2010 at 9:37 am
Hey James and co not sure how much of a Batman fan you guys are but check this out if you haven’t already http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjp0I_okX0w
April 22, 2010 at 5:22 am
A really good one. As mentioned before: i guess this would make Ed Wood very proud. I think one day your movies will make the leap onto the BIG screen (i am pretty sure about that).
April 22, 2010 at 11:31 am
Hey James
1st I just want to say that this film is awesome. My only criticism is that I wish it was longer, I just never get enough zombie bashing mayhem.
2ndly, My favorite part was when the big guy shoved the zombie’s head up it’s ass. It’s so absurd it’s funny.
3rd and last: Thanks to both you and Mike for posting this film. I’ve been wanting to see it ever since I saw the behind the scenes footage on Scinemassacre 200 over a year ago. Suffice it to say, it definitely met my expectations.
Never stop making movies
Your Fan, and Fellow Filmmaker / Funny Reviewer
ERod
The Blockbuster Buster
blockbusterbuster.angelfire.com
April 22, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Hey James, i really liked this movie:)! I showed it to some of my friends in school and we all watched it, was pretty fun!
Keep up the good work!
April 22, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Dellamorte Dellamore
April 24, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Another awesome film! Really dug the spine up the ass gag… very Dead Alive. Someone really needs to throw a few million bucks your way!
April 24, 2010 at 5:44 pm
I heard about this in another of your videos. For the first half of the movie, it really felt like an old horror film! Odd selection for the credits music though… The marriage of figaro by mozart? Odd music after such a gory movie about death, to a song about the beginning of new lives… I guess it makes sense in an odd way… Either way, great job!!
April 27, 2010 at 1:21 pm
This is half horror half comedy movie. Nice blood effects. Head in the ass thats the real creativity. Music is like in the old horror movies. Sound quality and good movie quality made it not so much old but it’s such a great movie.
April 30, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Hi James! I started as a regular Angry VideoGame Nerd fan (in fact here in Brazil you got a great fan base), then I watched this movie and WOW… Fantastic Horror/Comedy you got there… Now I’m a fan of your movies too. Keep doing the awesome job!!
May 1, 2010 at 4:38 pm
first movie ive seen of yours james really well done sir with such a limited budget you have made a really amazing homage to the movies of old. i especially like the part when he pulled the head off the zombie couldnt help myself i kept saying ‘SUB ZERO WINS FLAWLESS VICTORY…. FATALITY!!!!’
you are very talented and an inspiration to me also
well done sir.
May 6, 2010 at 7:01 pm
You know, this is too gory for me, but it’s a master piece and I loved it anyways
May 7, 2010 at 12:44 pm
This Has To be my second favorite film of yours, The one that beats this is the Legend of the Blue Hole
May 10, 2010 at 6:26 pm
twilight type films, pure comedy, game reviews, stop motion and now black comedy, is there anything you cant do, and do extremely well btw,
ok a few points, the whole blood in colour thing, it works really well, gives it that egde, but i noticed a few incidences where the background wasnt completely black and white, for example, the first shot of the bloody grave, the tombstone looks like coloured grey, sort of brighter than it should be, and the first shot of the ground i was able to pick out the brown f the soil also when the guy goes batty-up bitch boy, the ground looks coloured again when we see the “bitch-boy” fall. I thought the score could have been better when they start ripping into the zombies about a third of the way through, heavier rock maybe would have been a nice contrast to that sweet old style music beforehand sorry for nit-picking but you can appreciate it, its what you do best lol, its a great short dont get me wrong, nice idea, loved the head in the ass, keep them coming, really looking forward to a full length
ps, did you cameo in this, right after the head in the ass bit where the zombies start coming from everywhere, the first zombie that turns around sort looks like you and theres another one too a bit on from that, maybe its just me
PPS it the chainsaw a reference to anything….. evil dead perhaps???
May 12, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Awesome stuff dude, if you don’t make more movies I will kill you. (Now that’s a reference to a slasher flick if I ever saw one.) But seriously, make another movie, however I don’t intend on killing an awesome dude like you James.
May 27, 2010 at 2:20 am
I also stared with being a avgn fan but when i saw cinemassacre 200 i started to watch every project of cinemassacre
June 18, 2010 at 11:34 pm
Thanks for this film man. I NEED you to come to florida and film with me. I am 12 and though others would argue the making low-budget films is lame, you have inspired me to do so. cinemassecre 200 showed how to make the zombie set, and i got inspired by that. It shows that ANYONE can make film, cheesey or not. You just have to have the HEART to do it. I tried to make an action movie with my 13 year-old friend, but i don’t know how to digitally edit. Where do you get a computer studio for that? Well anyways, thank you for inspireing me.
July 8, 2010 at 2:14 am
i love this movie, i watch it from time to time and have even refered it to friends.
July 12, 2010 at 1:48 pm
This is just simply put, stunning. Great acting, great setting, great modd, and great camera work, all in all one of the best short films I’ve seen to date. Great job!
July 14, 2010 at 2:22 am
Awesome “Batter up bitch boy!” best line of the movie!
July 29, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Great Film James. But I felt the characters earl acting was dry. But Lloyd Kicked ass and stuck zombies heads in ass. I think this needs a sequel.
August 2, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Who pays them!?
September 10, 2010 at 8:49 am
Holy ass!!!!!!!!!!! Hil-ar-i-ous!!!!!!!!!
September 16, 2010 at 10:19 am
Now the same IDEA has been used in a new movie called “The Last House From Left” where the caretakers fight back!
September 24, 2010 at 1:20 am
Everything that you guys have done is amazing, it’s become like a ritual for me to check this site, everytime that i have access to a computer, just waiting for any video or anything you put up. You have become legends to me, i’ve seen everything you guys have done, and it’s actually inspired me and some friends. I will be working on a slasher film soon which was partly inspired by your great film (The Deader The Better) James. Me and some friends are also going to try and start up a series of reviews, the idea, of course, being inspired by your reviews and also by the “Marvel to your DC” (pardon the comic reference) The Nostalgia Critic, Doug Walker and all of his website colleagues. I just want to say Thank You for all the videos, that you’ve graced the internet with. I hope that someday, i may get the chance to meet you and Mike Matei (who i must say is a magnificent actor especially as The Joker). If all goes well for me, college-wise, at the moment, i’m going to end up working in Los Angeles in the film business, perhaps, we’ll even get to work on a project together.
September 28, 2010 at 4:00 am
Fatality! This looks Amazing!!
September 29, 2010 at 1:09 am
Haha, dude, James. This is pretty sick! The zombie with his head up his ass… Totally creative! Ha, keep it up.
September 29, 2010 at 11:20 am
THE SPINE SCENE WAS MOTHERFUCKING EPIC!
October 9, 2010 at 11:42 am
I want to buy this on DVD!!!! YOU HAVE TO RELEASE LIKE A KICK ASS SPECIAL EDITION!!!!!!
October 16, 2010 at 7:17 am
Hehehe i noticed the Bela Blasko gravestone, very clever mr. Rolfe.
October 25, 2010 at 1:03 pm
First, let me say this is my favorite of your films and I have been a long time watcher of AVGN (since you first started doing the AVGN series). I know you are a busy man these days, congratulations, and as such, my comment most likely will go unread. I do, however, feel it is my duty to let you know that I feel betrayed. Not once do you mention the movie “Cemetery Man” in the description of this movie. I don’t know if you have never seen the movie or not, but being the B horror lover that you are (as am I), I can only assume that you have. This film is a direct rip from “Cemetery Man” yet you lead everyone to believe this is your original idea. Perhaps, it is, I don’t know. I just feel like you should give credit where credit is due. Maybe I’ll turn this into a “You Know What’s Bullshit” segment.
December 6, 2011 at 10:45 am
thats what i was thinking!!!! thank you mr one year ago comment. i knew i saw this plot before!!! all art is stolen anyway. but damn thanks
November 23, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Now that was a good movie! Love the black and white, love the nonchalant caretaker, love the running time of seventeen minutes (I agree with you-not every story needs to be told in two hours). The zombie’s head being jammed up his ass was also a nice touch. Keep making movies, James! You’re good at it.
November 23, 2010 at 8:59 pm
This is really impressive, and enjoyable. Gotta say it really reminds me of the Italian zombie movie Cemetery Man.
December 2, 2010 at 10:12 pm
this is an awesome movie! good job
December 6, 2010 at 6:21 pm
there is a movie in which the cartaker lives it is called dance of the dead and he is never killed he is kind of like talhasi in zombieland.
December 7, 2010 at 6:26 pm
that was freakin awesome! nice job dude
December 12, 2010 at 2:43 am
loved it nice job one thing i didn’t like was the blood felt out of place
December 21, 2010 at 6:15 pm
I liked the grave references.
Bela Blasko (Bela Lugosi) at 6:26
&
Boris Chaney (Possibly a mix of Lon Chaney Jr. and Boris Karloff?) at 13:32
January 19, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Ok I love this film it’s amazing!
I particularly liked the blood being red when everything else is black and white, me and some friends are planning on making a movie and I was wondering if you could tell us how you did it?
keep ‘em coming James!
January 28, 2011 at 3:40 am
I’ve seen most of your work and have to say; This was Fantastic! Your gonna make it to the top bro, don’t ever doubt yourself!
February 6, 2011 at 10:01 pm
I’ve watched this like five times and have told friends to watch it. It’s wonderful, and I don’t particularly love zombie movies! Keep up the great work!
February 8, 2011 at 6:45 pm
The cemetery set is so amazing.
February 9, 2011 at 10:43 am
wonderful set and such lovely attention to detail, james you are a hero.
http://www.vizzed.com/vizzedboard/retro/Index.php?ref=65348
babies?
February 9, 2011 at 3:06 pm
@RomEmKing; You have some nerve spamming that link, punk.
February 9, 2011 at 5:39 pm
I love the twilight zone presence that this has to it. The effects and acting were phenomenal. Really great direction also. Really great job
February 12, 2011 at 10:33 pm
This is my favorite film made by James this is really cool
February 13, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Classic! I loved it. I laughed at the end because it’s always Mother Fucker Mike XD
February 13, 2011 at 11:57 pm
GREAT WORK MEN !!!! ( if you want FREE actors to yours movies let me knows dude ) ( i love all of what u have did in the past and i knoe i’d LOVE what u will do in the future YOUR the man dude keep doing your good works and dont botters for those jerks who said:( theres too much blood in your movies duhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!) seriously you and the critic are my favorites on the net right now and i already cant wait for your next avgn episode and i havent seen the star wars one yet ill go right NOW ….
February 21, 2011 at 7:15 am
-I need a fucking vacation! Great job.
February 24, 2011 at 9:36 am
Fucking Nice.
Gruesome, fun, simple and works,.
Kills an easy 15 minutes at work so, ah fuck it YOU know it´s good
March 4, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Hey, james this is some good piece of moving picture.
I saw the commentary of this film and had a good time watching and listening to it. I’m glad to hear you and your friends having such a good time doing this.
love the black and white and the lighting. this was a good film experience, much better than many of the big budget hollywood films. thank you and greatings from Norway.
March 13, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Nice work James. I love the whole red on black/white thing. The only real negative thing here is the acting. It was so bad it was hard to watch sometimes, and it did take away from the whole experience. I never really believed it was happening. But, other than that it was pretty good. I Hope more films come out!
March 26, 2011 at 4:17 am
Awesome work James. I really enjoyed it. The scenery was awesome. It’s amazing that the set was in a garage. You could never tell. The cinematography was great. I enjoyed the black and white, but thought the red blood made for a great contrast.
March 31, 2011 at 9:33 pm
Great Job! I love the two characters, and the black, white, and red look of it in general, you should definitely set up a store on your website so we can purchase your films! Keep up the good work
April 16, 2011 at 11:08 pm
I love how the people in your films are inhumanley strong
April 29, 2011 at 7:10 am
the best thing you have made please go back to this kind of videos top avgn for some time If you want to do something els just do it its your chiose.
July 3, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Wilhelm Scream, The Street Fighter reference, so good.
Amazing lighting and incredible use of a small space/
September 21, 2011 at 8:36 am
awesome movie!
September 23, 2011 at 2:00 pm
What a great experience it must have been to be a part of this movie. It also must have been a lot of hard work.
October 18, 2011 at 7:09 am
Just great! Love the setting and the humor! Can’t wait to see more!
November 7, 2011 at 10:09 am
I think there’s a lot of zombie fans out there and they come in different shapes, some of them enjoy gory and dark humor movies like the O’Bannon films, others enjoy social critisism seen on Romero films, while others like me enjoy the survival and social interaction factor with the adecuate amount of gore, just te amount expected if this situation would happen (lol) and dislike the comedy factor, I obviously like walking dead and zack snyder’s dawn of the dead… but even when I consider myself that, I enjoyed this short, maybe because is a short! but really, I loved the setting, the lights, the dialogues (even when as I said these dialogues are not my type) and the whole atmosphere you created, I would love to see something like this but with a “realistic” aproach as seen on the night of the living dead, but I think that would be repeating more of the same, right? but for some reason it never gets old.
December 6, 2011 at 10:48 am
First, let me say this is my favorite of your films and I have been a long time watcher of AVGN (since you first started doing the AVGN series). I know you are a busy man these days, congratulations, and as such, my comment most likely will go unread. I do, however, feel it is my duty to let you know that I feel betrayed. Not once do you mention the movie “Cemetery Man” in the description of this movie. I don’t know if you have never seen the movie or not, but being the B horror lover that you are (as am I), I can only assume that you have. This film is a direct rip from “Cemetery Man” yet you lead everyone to believe this is your original idea. Perhaps, it is, I don’t know. I just feel like you should give credit where credit is due. Maybe I’ll turn this into a “You Know What’s Bullshit” segment.
1 year a
thats what i was thinking!!!! thank you mr one year ago comment. i knew i saw this plot before!!! all art is stolen anyway. but damn thanks
December 21, 2011 at 11:51 pm
That was pretty damb good!
December 28, 2011 at 9:27 pm
@Doogrisa damb?
December 26, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Fucking awesome, i dont get bored to see it!
December 27, 2011 at 1:17 pm
The acting is horrible…I love it!
December 27, 2011 at 9:53 pm
this was amazing
December 28, 2011 at 3:05 am
This blows me away. It’s entertaining.
December 28, 2011 at 5:37 am
did anyone else see the tombstone that said Boris Chaney ?
December 30, 2011 at 9:29 am
dose anyone agree his films is 100x better than avgn……….ps bela blasko nice job that was his real name befor he came to the states!!
January 1, 2012 at 9:08 pm
You should really make a full length feature film with the same title (maybe not the same script though, still with zombies)It could definitely be in theaters and everything!Think about it James, maybe after the AVGN movie.I wanna see movies you direct and even act in, on the big screen!
February 25, 2012 at 10:13 am
@MatthewOcean I also would love to see this made into a feature length movie. I think this is James best movie so far. I just love Steven Klaszky role in this as well as his performance in AVGN Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
January 27, 2012 at 3:09 pm
I really enjoyed the film, it had a few similarities to Cemetery Man and other comedy zombie films. Lots of zombie films are similar to each other anyway. I think that you could make a full length film and get it as popular as Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland.
February 4, 2012 at 10:55 am
I thoroughly enjoyed this, but credit should be given to “Cemetary Man.” Obvious source material.
February 7, 2012 at 1:14 am
Can someone tell what was the soundtrack James used for this movie, I would love to put it in my movies.
February 25, 2012 at 9:29 am
That was pretty damn good! It’s a perfect blend of old and new. This a masterpiece.
February 28, 2012 at 4:50 pm
07:32 Now thats some ass kicking…. or well sort of
March 21, 2012 at 12:07 am
I just watched a movie today that reminded me heavily of Deader the better. The movie was Night of the living dead 3d: Re animation. In the basic since, the guy is a funeral director who wields a shovel and smashes zombies with it. Obviously there’s more to the movie than that but when i saw it i thought “They stole that idea from James!”
March 22, 2012 at 9:51 pm
James Rolfe, you sick fuck
March 24, 2012 at 7:52 am
THIS MOVIE IS FUCKING AWESOME!!!!!!!!
April 13, 2012 at 2:26 pm
HOLY SHIT THE BEAST ZOMBIE MOVE EVER!!!!!!
you out did your self.
April 29, 2012 at 5:00 am
For most of my life, I lived just a few feet from a cemetery. It was creepy and weird. I wondered how the people who worked with the deceased did their job. This movie explains it all.
May 11, 2012 at 9:11 pm
Great, right up there with Cinemaphobia
May 18, 2012 at 3:01 am
I literally laughed out loud, hysterically when he ripped the zombies head off and shoved it up its own ass. Original. Classic….totally awesome film by mr james!
May 20, 2012 at 12:15 am
Watching this for a second time Made me register alone for the fact i wanted to give Mike Props for playing the “car zombie” at the end death scene. Well done on your zombie skills Mike! Cinemassacre rocks!
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August 17, 2012 at 12:10 am
I’ve always been a fan of horror movies, 70′s and 80′s slashers more than anything. But thanks to James and Cinemassacre I got interested in the real classic ones, and right now I can’t stop watching them. Just hope you make more of this kind of flms on a big scale because this movie is really amazing.
September 17, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Its great how the main characters are Grave Keepers; most horror movies kill these guys off in the first 5 minutes, but seeing them going around shanking zombies and slamming a zombie’s head into its own ass with a shovel is fuckin’ excellence! I saw the making of video after watching this movie and my mind was blown, the fact that you filmed this all in a garage; I wouldn’t have known other wise. This movie inspired me to really put my effort into my film projects; you got incredible talent, and your horror movies kick ass. I can’t wait to see what you did with a bigger budget when the AVGN Movie debuts. Keep kickin’ ass James.
December 31, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Brilliant film, I would love to see this film in cinema, totally worth it.
January 4, 2013 at 8:53 am
I can’t believe you where able to of acomplished that set in a gareage !! this is a Masterpiece ! and LOL i loved Mike as the Car Zombie .
January 14, 2013 at 10:13 pm
Great movie, Keep up the good work!
January 16, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Really good!
January 16, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Hmm this is a graveyard only for young death people XD.
January 18, 2013 at 10:07 pm
First film I watched, now I’m on a spree… a Cinemassacre spree
January 23, 2013 at 3:30 am
Did I watch him waste a Rolling Rock?
January 28, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Some classic James Rolfe over-analyzing can be seen around 4:40 when they’re trying to make sense of how the man is dressed.
January 30, 2013 at 12:12 pm
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen! You guys just got everything so RIGHT! The music’s right,the characters are right, the zombies, the humor,it’s all just perfect! James,you’re the man! Wish you and the others all the best and stay true to yourselves!
January 31, 2013 at 9:11 pm
awesome once again! love the music i really wish i could watch this on a crt tube tv instead of an hd lcd display
February 11, 2013 at 10:45 pm
I wish you’d make more horror films, James!
April 7, 2013 at 2:43 pm
i agree!
March 14, 2013 at 2:22 pm
Always have to say this after watching this – i love mikes cameo as the car zombie – LOL good shit
March 24, 2013 at 1:23 am
Its the hillbilly from the avgn texas chainsaw massacre
April 7, 2013 at 11:08 am
This sooo scary,I love it!I wolud love to see it in Ducth!-Toad
April 7, 2013 at 2:21 pm
like the dragon in your dreams, this film has inspired me to make my own films.Im starting off with a cheap vivtar camera and a 2 gb SD card and windows movie maker.Though you grew-up with less than i have.I feel as if all of your indie films are a true inspiration to all filmers across the globe.Keep it up James!
April 14, 2013 at 9:04 pm
Epic!