The Deader The Better

Monday, December 19th, 2005
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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.

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horrorgamenerd 5 pts

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.

MatthewOcean 5 pts

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!

ErnestPhillips 5 pts

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!!

mrsoandso 6 pts

did anyone else see the tombstone that said Boris Chaney ?

FrankCabanski 15 pts

This blows me away. It's entertaining.

EthanRoss 6 pts

The acting is horrible...I love it!

Fei Wong 12 pts

Fucking awesome, i dont get bored to see it!

Bigdaddyclean 5 pts

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

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.

Just great! Love the setting and the humor! Can't wait to see more!

Wilhelm Scream, The Street Fighter reference, so good.
Amazing lighting and incredible use of a small space/

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.

I love how the people in your films are inhumanley strong

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

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.

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!

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.

Fucking Nice.
Gruesome, fun, simple and works,.
Kills an easy 15 minutes at work so, ah fuck it YOU know it´s good

-I need a fucking vacation! Great job.

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 ....

Classic! I loved it. I laughed at the end because it's always Mother Fucker Mike XD

This is my favorite film made by James this is really cool

I love the twilight zone presence that this has to it. The effects and acting were phenomenal. Really great direction also. Really great job

@RomEmKing; You have some nerve spamming that link, punk.

wonderful set and such lovely attention to detail, james you are a hero.

http://www.vizzed.com/vizzedboard/retro/Index.php?...

babies?

The cemetery set is so amazing.

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!

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!

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!

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

loved it nice job one thing i didn't like was the blood felt out of place

that was freakin awesome! nice job dude

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.

this is an awesome movie! good job

This is really impressive, and enjoyable. Gotta say it really reminds me of the Italian zombie movie Cemetery Man.

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. :)

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.

Bigdaddyclean 5 pts

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

Hehehe i noticed the Bela Blasko gravestone, very clever mr. Rolfe.

I want to buy this on DVD!!!! YOU HAVE TO RELEASE LIKE A KICK ASS SPECIAL EDITION!!!!!!

THE SPINE SCENE WAS MOTHERFUCKING EPIC!

Haha, dude, James. This is pretty sick! The zombie with his head up his ass... Totally creative! Ha, keep it up.

Fatality! This looks Amazing!!

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.

Now the same IDEA has been used in a new movie called "The Last House From Left" where the caretakers fight back!

Holy ass!!!!!!!!!!! Hil-ar-i-ous!!!!!!!!!