Want to watch a zombie fight a shark underwater?

You may not remember through the haze of booze, pills, and indiscriminate hobo sex, but back in 2008, I posted a clip of a zombie fighting a shark. This was not done through special effects, unless you consider sticking an actor inside a shark tank a special effect. The clip came from Lucio Fulci’s 1980 film Zombie — why wouldn’t you call it “Zombie Shark Fight?” Sell the sizzle, man! — and thanks to a recent re-release, you’ll be able to see it in theaters this weekend at special midnight showings in advance of its DVD and Blu-Ray release next week (October 25th, to be precise). I’ve got the list of theaters and more pictures and video after the jump.

“Fulci put a stuntman dressed as a zombie in a tank with a live shark and made them fight – it’s one of the craziest, most insane and irresponsible scenes ever put on film. This was 1980, years before CG. And the zombie wins! To this day, nobody knows how in the hell he did it, it’s simply jaw-dropping. There’s nothing you will see in any modern zombie movie that comes close to what Fulci did in 1980.” – Eli Roth. [from the press release]

Based on my extensive knowledge of racial stereotypes from the 30s, I think I can imagine it went down. (EXCLUSIVE!):

STUNTMAN: But-a mister-a Fulci, how-a Guiseppe guana fight-a di shark? My mama, she barely-a teach-a me to swim! Please, Guiseppe got-a keeds to-a feed!
LUCIO FULCI: Guiseppe! Testaduro! How many-a time Lucio guana tell-a you? You dona a-gotta FIGHT-a di shark, you-a just-a gotta SWEEM with-a di shark. The shark, she wont-a even-a be-a hungry. We fill-em uppa good, with-a my mama’s a-meataballs!
STUNTMAN: …With-a… you mama‘s a-meataballs? Mamma mia! Everyone-a know, Mama Fulci’s a-meatballs, they’re-a di best eena Italy!
LUCIO FULCI: Oh, so-a now a-you no-a scared-a no more, skifozo? You just-a make sure-a the shark-a belly, she no burst-a from a-too many meataball. Now go, get inna di tank. You film-em uppa good, I give-a you some-a di leftover a-shark a-ball.  ACCIONE!
STUNTMAN: Mama Fulci’s a-meataball, here I a-come! (*kisses fingers, jumps in tank*)

After the jump: the trailer, more stills, and a list of theaters where you can see Zombie this weekend.

Via BlueUnderground:

ALBUQUERQUE
Guild Cinema (Oct. 28 & 29) 
ATLANTA
Plaza Theatre (9:30pm, Oct. 21 only)
AUSTIN
Alamo The Ritz (9:30pm, Oct. 24 & 7:00pm, Oct. 31)
AUSTIN
Alamo S. Lamar (7:00pm, Oct. 30)
BOSTON
Coolidge Corner Theatre
CHICAGO
Music Box Theatre
CLEVELAND
Capitol Theatre (Oct. 15)
DALLAS
Landmark Inwood Theatre
DENVER
Landmark Esquire
DETROIT
Landmark Main Art
HOUSTON
Landmark River Oaks
JACKSONVILLE, FL
5 Points Theatre (11:30pm, Oct. 21 only)
KANSAS CITY
Tivoli Cinemas (9:00pm)
LAS VEGAS
Theatre 7 (7:00pm, Oct. 31)
LAWRENCE, KS
Liberty Hall (10:00pm, Oct. 21 only)
LOS ANGELES
New Beverly Cinema
MESA, AZ
The Royale (10:00pm, Oct. 21 & 9:00pm, Oct. 22)
MINNEAPOLIS
Landmark Uptown (Nov. 4 & 5)
NEW YORK CITY
Landmark’s Sunshine
OTTAWA, ONTARIO
Mayfair Theatre (11:30pm, Oct. 21 only) 
PHILADELPHIA
Landmark Ritz Bourse (10:00pm)
PITTSBURGH
The Oaks Theater (11:59pm, Oct. 21 & 7:00pm, Oct. 22)
PORTLAND, OR
Hollywood Theatre (9:30pm)
SACRAMENTO
Crest Theatre
SAN ANTONIO
Alamo Westlakes (10:00pm)
SAN DIEGO
Landmark Ken Cinema
SAN FRANCISCO
Roxie Theater (Various Times, Oct. 29 – 31)
SEATTLE
Landmark Egyptian
(Ian McCulloch in person on Oct. 21!)
ST. LOUIS
Hi-Pointe Theatre
ST. PETE BEACH, FL
The Beach Theatre
TORONTO
The Revue Cinema (Oct. 22 & 31)
TUCSON, AZ
The Loft Cinema
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Landmark E Street Cinema
WICHITA, KS
Warren Old Town Theater (7:00 & 9:00pm, Oct. 24 & 25)
WINCHESTER, VA
Alamo Drafthouse Winchester
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
Park Theatre Cafe (8:00pm, Oct. 13)
YELLOW SPRINGS, OH
Little Art Theatre (9:00pm, Oct. 22 only)

Here’s the trailer:

Making of:

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