Bill Zebub

Release Date: October 10, 2010
Studio: Wild Eye Releasing
Genre: Fantasy / Horror
Unrated  1 hr 10 mins

DIRECTOR:

Dolla Morte

April 13, 2011

Reviewer: Rottenbucher

*Comments:

*By clicking "Submit" you agree to the following Terms of Use. You agree not to post any material that is obscene, slanderous, or threatening, or that may violate any law of your country of origin or the United States or of international law. Should you wish to restrict viewing of your email address by third parties, you must select "Hide My Email." You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Metal Psalter from any claims, actions, suits, damages, or other costs arising out of any breach of these Terms of Use.

Metalhead, magazine publisher, radio DJ and filmmaker Bill Zebub has a truly bizarre cult following.  Zebub makes purposefully awful horror films with titles like Zombiechrist and Jesus Christ Serial Rapist. Throw in enough naked women, cheap gore and blasphemy and it seems like someone will watch it and tell a few others about it. He also has done a few Metal documentaries; one entitled Black Metal: The Music of Satan. 

And it is perhaps this cult following that led Wild Eye to re-release Zebub’s 2006 flick Dolla Morte.  Which is best described a spoof on the Italian word for death (ooh!) and some sort of tribute to Italian cannibal and zombie films (ahh!) of the 70s, but done with dolls (wow!).  So then it also qualifies as a spoof on Team America: World Police.  But it quickly becomes unclear if Dolla Morte is a spoof, or a filmmaker trying to be hip, cool and smart. The disclaimer that comes before the actual movie is completely inane.  Anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows this film is not a serious political statement.  In fact, only those with two brain cells will actually find the bloated disclaimer featuring a “not King Diamond” looking doll to be humorous.  At least Zebub uses the failed attempt at poking fun of the disclaimers before most DVD releases of real movies to sell the Roadrunner re-release of Abigail which he contributed to the liner notes.

Somewhere in this low budget mess is Dracula, Hitler, the President of the United States, and just about every other doll Zebub could get his hands on.  Including dismembered Barbies, G.I. Joe figures, religious figurines, models, Crucifixes and a collected assortment of cheap Big Lots dolls made up to look like political figures or clowns.  There is rape, beheadings, fellatio, cunnilingus, masturbation, drowning and everything else, up to and including a money shot.  The doll sex sequence from Team America is pure art compare to this garbage.  Unfortunately Zebub thinks he is required to up the ante; even digitally imposing racial slurs on the Statue of Liberty in a moronic nod to Planet of the Apes.

Actually, outside of pitching the Abigail CD re-release, this re-release is absolutely pointless.  No commentary, no behind-the-scenes, not even an explanation of what this film is supposed to accomplish outside of trying to insult everyone, including the audience. Dolla Morte is 70 minutes of utter trash and Wild Eye must have not even bothered to screen this flick before releasing it.  But since they did, it is a wonder who actually enjoys this type of junk and even purchases it.  It’s not funny, it’s not good, it’s not even “so bad it’s good.”  Zebub must be slicker than a used car salesman that pimps his so-called forays into profane cinema to his built-in audience that have friended him on Facebook or listen to his radio program.

Avoid this embarrassing tripe. Shame on Wild Eye for releasing this, shame on myself for actually watching it and shame on any chump who thinks this is true independent filmmaking.  A toddler that gets a hold of his mother’s digital camera and crawls across the floor, capturing the view, has more skill at lighting, editing, direction, and dialog than Bill Zebub.