Last night I eagerly logged into to Xbox Live in hopes of getting a Batman Arkham Asylum nightcap when I saw my good friends Skreesha and Phneri online and watching a movie I have never heard of. I had dabbled with Netflix party, sharing quick 20 minute episodes of “Bullshit” before, but never an entire movie. So, I sent a quick message to Skreesha asking what the heck they were watching. Moments later I was invited to watch their movie in a party, with Moe joining soon after. What followed was 80 minutes of movie fun that has to be one of the better times I have had on Xbox Live.
The movie we were watching was “Insane in the Brain.” At first one might think that it has something to do with the Cyprus Hill song of the same name; however nothing could be further from the truth. “Insane in the Brain” is a spoof of both zombie movies and the “blaxploitation” films of the 70s. For those unfamiliar with these films, they were known for their (mostly) all-black casts, over-the-top blatant sexuality, and bloody violence. Movies such as “Superfly” and “Foxy Brown” featured tight, scanty outfits , tailored 70′s-style suits, big afros, sex, violence, drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, and, let us not forget, the tricked-out “pimpmobiles.” As popular as they were, they soon faded largely due to pressure by the NAACP.
It is this cultural icon that director Chad Hendricks pays homage to in this horror-comedy. The movie opens as several zombies (four to be exact) rise from the grave proclaiming their need for “Brains, more brains.” The zombies find a party at a pimp’s house and start killing hookers. It’s then that we realize that these zombies aren’t looking for brains so much as they are looking for a good piece of ass. As the hooker body count rises, two cops arrive in a black Cadillac to investigate. Detectives Sloan and Goldie are dressed in iconic 70s garb including platform boots, and a big afro with a comb! The detectives interrogate the hos and soon realize that they are dealing with a group of horny zombies. After much consternation, and some beer and weed, they come up with a grand plan to eliminate the menace! Detective Sloan leans a funky cheer as he, his partner, and a bunch of hos attack the graveyard. Classic!
The film was produced for only $10,000; and you can tell by the way they recycle shots and re-use the zombie mask and gloves the monsters wear. It was very cheesy, but unlike many bad movies, this one never takes itself seriously. The dialogue is straight 70s and reminiscent of “Undercover Brother.” The film provides a bucket full of laugh-out-loud moments that were only enhanced by the MST2K banter of our Netflix party. All of us sat and tried to outdo one another with a witty comment about the dialogue or sparse sets. In short, it was a simply awesome!
After the show we all sat and looked for other bad movies that we could enjoy such as “Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus,” or “Tokyo Zombie.” But alas, I fear that whatever we decide to watch next, it will pale in comparison to the experience provided by this film. So with Halloween approaching, and our need to enjoy all things zombie, grab a friend or two online or in your living room and give “Insane in the Brain” a look. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget.
This year, in a blatant attempt to get us all more involved in SHOCKtober (and hopefully scare the piss out of you) we are introducing the all NEW Sunday SHOCK Theater!
