UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Witchfinder General 666 Pupi Avati is doubtlessly a one-of-a-kind director, and while his contributions to Italian Horror cinema are not at all typical for their sub-genres, they are highly memorable. Avati's 1976 Giallo "La Casa Dalle Finestre Che Ridono" ("The House With Laughing Windows") must be one of the greatest Gialli ever made, even though very atypical, and low on sleaze and murders. If one wants to refer to "Zeder" of 1983 as an Italian Zombie Film, then it is even less typical for its sub-genre, as the film almost completely lacks the gore that Italian Zombie flicks such as Lucio Fulci's films are so famous and notorious for. However, it is a highly atmospheric and original cinematic experience, and a film that my fellow fans of Italian Horror definitely should not miss.The writer Stefano (Gabriele Lavia) gets an old typewriter as a gift from his wife Alessandra (Anne Canovas). By accident, he finds out that it used to belong to Paolo Zeder, a scientist who had been researching a gateway from the beyond in the 1950s...The film is sometimes said to have inspired Stephen King when he wrote his famous novel "Pet Sematary". And while I am not quite sure whether this is true (the film was released in Italy only months before King's novel) there doubtlessly are certain parallels. Avati's film is rather slow-paced, but it oozes atmosphere from the beginning to the end, and the plot is fascinating. Avati understands how to create genuine eeriness without constantly employing gore-effects. The beautiful cinematography, picturesque settings and wonderful Score by Riz Ortolani fortify the gloomy atmosphere. Gabriele Lavia, who is maybe most widely known for playing supporting roles in Dario Argento's films (most notably in "Profondo Rosso"), is a fantastic actor and he is once again great in his role here. Anne Canovas is drop-dead gorgeous and fits greatly in the role of his wife; the typically sleaze-loving Eurohorror audiences might be disappointed that she keeps her clothes on throughout the movie. Overall, it should be said that "Zeder" is not a film that should be approached expecting a gore-drenched Zombie massacre. However, those familiar with some of Pupi Avati's work wouldn't anyway. While the pace may be a little slow, the film is an intelligent, eerie and highly atmospheric wholesome that no true lover of Italian Horror cinema should miss. My rating: 7.5/10

The_Void The general consensus of Italian filmmakers seems to be that they specialise in making trashy, gory and derivative horror films in a number of set and overpopulated genres. This view is not exactly unfounded as a lot of Italian films are cheap and trashy, and often rip-offs of successful American films. However, Pupa Avati can't be pigeon holed in the same way; despite making films in popular Italian genres such as zombies and Giallo, his films are by no means cheap and trashy and certainly not rip-offs either. Anyone going into this film expecting a zombie movie along the same lines as 'The Beyond' will be sorely disappointed, as Avati's film prefers to take the slow and thoughtful approach. The plot focuses on a journalist named Stefano. He is bought an old typewriter by his girlfriend. He soon notices that there's something written on the ribbon and after deciphering it, he uncovers the story of Paulo Zeder; a scientist from the 1950's who discovered that certain types of ground, which he calls "K-Zones', have the power to resurrect the dead...A lot of people have called this film "thinking mans horror" and while that could be said of it, the argument that the film is boring does carry a little bit of weight also - needless to say, this film is not what springs to mind when one thinks of an Italian zombie film! The film is very slow and the plot is very strung out over the ninety seven minute running time. There are moments in the film that are boring, and this is problem; but Pupa Avati, as he proved with his earlier film The House With the Windows that Laugh, certainly has a penchant for slow burn horror and the overall film does manage to remain interesting for the duration. There are some good ideas on display, although I'm not sure if this really should be called a "zombie movie" as it's more along the lines of a mystery thriller. There are a few good moments of horror, though the zombies aren't flesh eating. The best idea of the whole film doesn't come until almost at the end - and by then it's a bit late as there isn't time to explore it, which is a shame. Anyway, Zeder is an interesting horror flick and while it won't appeal to all tastes, I can still recommend it.

Coventry Unlike most other contemporary horror directors from Italy, Pupi Avati always attempted to make his films rely on more than just graphic gore and gratuitous sex. The screenplays he turns into horror movies are usually atmospheric, complex and ambitious enough to blend versatile horror styles that are extremely hard to blend! With "The House with the Laughing Windows", for example, this resulted in one of the most extraordinary gialli ever, as it brought forward an out-of-the-ordinary plot and some breathtaking suspense. "Zeder" regretfully isn't as good as "House…", but you can still clearly notice that Avati wanted to approach the popular zombie sub genre in an entirely different and innovating way. That alone is a praiseworthy effort, if you ask! Just compare this film with Bruno Mattei's "Hell of the Living Dead" or Umberto Lenzi's "Nightmare City" and you'll quickly see which is superior. "Zeder" introduces Stefano, a young novelist who wants to unravel an obscure mystery/conspiracy that is way out of his league and even involves the Catholic Church and the prominent medical world. Following a discovery made by the famous (apparently) Dr. Zeder, everybody in this film is desperately looking for the so-called "K-Zones". These are pieces of land where the dead come back to life when buried there. I won't go into further detail because A) the plot twists are numberless and impossible to summarize and B) I'm not even sure I fully understood everything.In all honesty, "Zeder" is too talkative and the entire lack of zombie action is pretty difficult to forgive, even if you like horror that is mainly story-driven. The story introduces too many unmemorable characters and they disappear again shortly after without any kind of explanation. What REALLY happened to Stefano's police officer friend, for instance? And why is the Vatican so interested in resurrecting the dead? Avati manages to mount several very atmospheric moments, and also the music is quite creepy, but the whole film eventually goes a bit nowhere. The neat scenery and camera-work are much appreciated but, in the end, this is only part of what makes a horror movie great. Multiple viewings are required here.

crww69 Ignore Grade Z,he gave Blair Witch a good rating,any true genre fan didn't even waste their time w/ that dreck.But if yer big into Bava,Argento,Soavi,Baino and the like this film will knock you out.Genuinely creepy in a Very Italian way.American directors just can't get the atomosphere like these guys can.An incredible film that deserves to be Much more widely seen!!!So if Deep Red,Blood and Black Lace,House w/the windows that laughed and Cemetery Man are yer thing,ya gotta check this out!