Zombie Town: Lots to Talk About in this Fun, Kid-Lit Halloween Film
By John Kirk
Rating: A-
Too often, horror movies are unsuited to watching with your kids. But filmic adaptations of bestselling author R.L. Stine’s YA-oriented horror stories solves that problem. With Zombie Town admirably continuing the tradition, Stine now has Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase on his side.
These two veterans of the big and small screens clearly appeal to parents, and their performances show they’re having fun with this production. The partnership of these two is legendary and it’s a joy to see them reunited, even briefly, on screen.
The story: legendary filmmaker Len Carver (Aykroyd) is coming out of retirement to show his latest zombie film in the small town of Carverville, named after its most prominent citizen. While mega-fan Amy (Madi Monroe) is excited about this, her friend Mike (Marlon Kazadi) — who works at the local movie house — is less enthusiastic.
Still, Mike’s boss, Mr. Landro (Henry Czerny), the owner of the theatre and friend of Carver, is also excited. The whole town will be out to see Carver’s film. However, the film has a sinister secret, known only to Carver and his one-time mentor Mezmarian (Chase) that the town will discover when the film is shown.
Stine is an author schoolteachers love because his stories are extremely accessible and fun to talk about. They are literature kids can get into and explore with school literacy projects. The characters are relatable and presented in a manner that’s easy for students to grasp. And if something is good for schools, parents can appreciate it as well.
Most rewarding when watching the film with kids is the rich discussions that happen afterwards. For teachers, this is a chance to talk about foreshadowing. The obvious awkwardness between Mike and Amy is a romantic angle that even kids can pick up on, given the unambiguous way Stine presents his characters. It’s a chance to talk characterization in a classroom, but parents can use this to engage their kids about relationships.
In Zombie Town, there’s also an amazing cast to discuss, including Kids in the Hall alumni Bruce McCulloch and Scott Thompson, Czerny of Mission Impossible and A Clear and Present Danger fame, and Stine himself turns up in a role. An author in an adaptation of his own work? That’s fun for kids to see as well.
The film’s plot is purposefully simple, given the nature of its audience. But this is where Chase and Aykroyd shine. They know how to play to an audience of kids. They are deliberately campy and over-the-top. Kids need obvious cues and Aykroyd, who figures more prominently than Chase, is a master of the obvious.
Oh, and the zombies don’t eat brains or gnaw at limbs. They are soul-suckers and while this may not square with prevailing zombie lore, it’s important to remember that this is a film that can be shown in school classrooms.
The humour reflects that as well. There are pee jokes, school bullies, and parent humour galore that can be safely laughed at, again, in a classroom. Plus, you have to love the subtle product placement of Aykroyd’s Crystal Skull brand vodka in the background of some of the scenes. This won’t get noticed by kids but I’m pretty sure parents will pick up on it.
Zombie Town is gateway horror for kids. And it’s a teaching tool that has a lot of fun and big talent to present the story. It’s a great film for families and classrooms alike to share and talk about. Isn’t that a wonderful way to appreciate strong storytelling?
Zombie Town. Directed by Peter Lepeniotis. Starring Madi Monroe, Marlon Kazadi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Henry Czerny, Bruce McCulloch, Scott Thompson, R.L. Stine, and Brenna Coates. Premiering October 25 on Hollywood Suite.