OI Dead Geezer, Cockneys VS Zombies Invading UK Home Releas This October

STUDIOCANAL are ‘eaven and ‘ell chuffed to announce that ‘orror comedy ‘Cockneys vs Zombies’ will be available on DVD & Blu-Ray from 29th October.

Cockneys vs Zombies follows a group of plucky cousins as they try to rob a bank to save their grandparents care home from developers. Little do they know, whilst they’re cleaning out the vault, zombies as cleaning up the east end and shuffling towards Bow Bells’ care home with an appetite for OAPs.

Starring a host of Britain’s finest acting talent including; Honor Blackman (Goldfinger, ‘The Avengers’, Bridget Jones’s Diary), Rasmus Hardiker (Starter for 10, I Want Candy, ‘Saxondale’), Harry Treadaway (Fish Tank, Control), Michelle Ryan (4.3.2.1, ‘Bionic Woman’), Ashley ‘Bashy’ Thomas (4.3.2.1, Shank), Jack Doolan (Cemetery Junction, ‘The Green Green Grass’) and Alan Ford (Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels). Cockneys vs. Zombies is written by James Moran ('Torchwood', Severance) and directed by Partizan's Matthias Hoene.

Cockneys vs. Zombies is a new breed of zombie adventure filled with equal edge-of-your-seat-tension and rocking-in-your-seat-with-laughter moments. If you ever wanted to see how a zimmer frame could turn into a lethal weapon, pick up Cockneys vs. Zombies on DVD or Blu-Ray on 29th October 2012, released by STUDIOCANAL.

When you’re robbing a bank, a zombie invasion makes things a lot harder.

As contractors at an East London building site unlock a 350 year old vault of seriously hungry zombies, our hapless team of wanna-be bank robbers are in the wrong place at the right time. Katy (Michelle Ryan), Andy (Harry Treadaway), Terry (Rasmus Hardiker) and bank robbing “experts” Mental Mickey (Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas) and Davey Tuppence (Jack Doolan) find themselves the unlikely heroes of a zombie attack.

Equipped with all the guns and ammo they can carry, it’s up to the gang to save not only their grandparents but the East End from Zombie-Armageddon. When it’s the living vs. the undead... it’s Cockneys vs. Zombies.

Cockneys Vs. Zombies stars Harry Treadaway, Michelle Ryan, Rasmus Hardiker, Ashley Thomas, Georgia King, Jack Doolan, Honor Blackman,Alan Ford, Richard Briers and Dudley Sutton

Available Extras – DVD &Blu-Ray

Behind the Scenes: - The Maguire Brothers – 4’ 35’’
- The Bank Robbery – 3’ 25’’
- The Care Home – 3’
- At The Docks – 2’ 50’’
- Special Effects – 3’ 40’
- The Filmmakers – 5’
- Andy TV – 1’ 30’’

Zombie School - 4’ 09’’

Trailer - 2’ 20’’

Cockneys Vs Zombies Will be released by Studiocanal in UK&Ireland, October 29th, read our review here

Frightfest 2012 – Cockneys Vs Zombies

★★★★☆

They say a good horror film is one that leaves its audience smiling - a belief enforced by Cockneys Vs Zombies (2012), the new Brit comedy frightfest from director Matthias Hoene, starring (and I'm not joking) the iconic Richard Briers and Honor Blackman. After watching it you'll be screaming with laughter, as this is one of the freshest, most irreverent and side splittingly funny comedies, as well as one of the goriest, you'll see this year.

Determined to help their grandfather Ray (Alan Ford) and his friends whose old folks retirement home is being closed and the land it's on redeveloped by a large property company, Terry (Rasimus Hardiker), his brother Andy (Harry Tredaway) and their cousin Katy (Michelle Ryan), decided to do what any loving grandchildren would - they rob a bank of two and a half million pounds. With the money they hope to pay for a new start for Ray and the other old dears.

Elsewhere something nasty has just been uncovered by some building constructors (the same who have just bought Ray and co out of house and home) on a new site they are clearing in London's East End - something that is now infecting anyone who is stands in its way. Unfortunately for Ray, his friends and his ne'er-do-well off-spring they are doing just that, and the inevitable confrontation leads to a very bloody showdown indeed.

Cockneys Vs Zombies is one of the best, most original, laugh-out-loud films, to come along in months. The advantage many small scale British films have over their American, big studio counterparts, is that they can do whatever they like without anyone breathing down their necks or demanding the direction the film should take. As a result you get something like this - a totally fresh take on the somewhat tired zombie theme, good gory fun in a totally non-pc way that many American films could never hope to get away with. Where else would you find a group of OAP's beating the heads in of a horde of flesh eating zombies or, as happens at one point, a young man drop kicking a zombie baby and splattering it against an advertising hoarding.

There is so much that could be said about this film - from it's authentic use of East London locations to some of the most realistic, stomach ripping, gore effects since Shaun of the Dead (2004) - but I don't want to spoil your enjoyment. Suffice to say that I'm extremely jealous I can't see it again for the first time.

Though the cast as a whole sparkle in their 'diamond geezer' roles, it must surely be British acting legends Briers and Blackman who steal the show every time they walk (or in the case of Briers) shuffle on screen. They are brilliant and completely unexpected, particularly in the scene with Briers, a Zimmer frame and a zombie (you'll know it when you see it) which is excruciatingly funny, whilst the image of the usually refined Blackman toting a sawn-off shotgun and shouting "let's get those &^+%@!" will remain indelibly seared on your memory.

The one small (considering the age we live in) downside is the film's prolific use of expletive strewn language throughout. Now I'm no prude, and realise language like this is commonplace and not just in London's East End. However I do think a few less profanities would have displayed a more imaginative grasp of the English language.

But I'm quibbling, and otherwise adored this insane slice of schlock. Cockneys Vs Zombies may not be remembered as a classic of British cinema, but it's certainly more fun than a lot of the pretentious films out there (horror included) which take themselves way too seriously.

Cleaver Patterson

Rating:18  
UK Release Date: 26th August 2012(Frightfest) 31st August 2012 (General Release)
Directed by: Matthias Hoene  
Cast: Michelle Ryan, Georgia King, Harry Treadaway , Alan Ford, Honor Blackman, Richard Briers