This October Spectacle presents Argentina’s first-ever zombie movie PLAGA ZOMBIE and its sequel PLAGA ZOMBIE: ZONA MUTANTE.
For years, friends Pablo Parés, Hernán Sáez, Berta Muniz, and Walter Cornás had been making short films on the weekends with a video camera that Parés won at a raffle. In 1996, before they were 20, the four friends decided to make their first feature film. Armed with a budget of $450, a horde of friends, and countless weekends, the friends created Argentina’s first zombie movie, PLAGA ZOMBIE (1997).
After spending all their money creating the movie, they didn’t have funds left for distribution. However, they discovered they could earn $100 per person by presenting a case on the reality show FORUM (1985 – ), similar to JUDGE JUDY(1992 – ). The friends presented two fake cases, related to the filming of PLAGA ZOMBIE and received their $400, which they made VHS copies of PLAGA ZOMBIE with and self-distributed.
Due to the relentless distribution efforts of the friends, the movie gained a cult following in Argentina. As a result, they decided to make a sequel called PLAGA ZOMBIE: ZONA MUTANTE in 2001 and completed the trilogy in 2013 with PLAGA ZOMBIE: ZONA MUTANTE – REVOLUCIÓN TÓXICA.
PLAGA ZOMBIE eventually became open source, allowing other creators to continue the legacy, this resulted in the creation of comic books, animated shows, action figures, and much more. In 2021, director Garry Medeiros released an American remake/spinoff/sequel titled PLAGA ZOMBIE – AMERICAN INVASION (2021), which featured cameos from the original creators Pablo Parés, Hernán Sáez, and Berta Muniz.
PLAGA ZOMBIE (ZOMBIE PLAGUE)
dir. Pablo Parés and Hernán Sáez, 1997.
Argentina. 71 mins.
In Spanish with English Subs.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 – 7:30PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 – 10PM
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22 – 10PM
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30 – 7:30PM
An alien race aims to exterminate humanity by transforming a person into a zombie. It’s up to computer nerd Max Giggs, medical student Bill Johnson, and pro-wrestler John West to stop them.
Pablo Parés, Hernán Sáez, Berta Muñiz, and Walter Cornás were heavily influenced by Peter Jackson’s early films BAD TASTE(1987) and BRAINDEAD (1992), as well as Sam Raimi’s THE EVIL DEAD series (1980-1992). The friends set out to create a film in the same vein, with over-the-top practical effects, an insane storyline, and nonstop action. The outcome is a film that could easily fit into the early filmography of either of their idols.
PLAGA ZOMBIE: ZONA MUTANTE (ZOMBIE PLAGUE: MUTANT ZONE)
dir. Pablo Parés and Hernán Sáez, 2001.
Argentina. 99 mins.
In Spanish with English Subs.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 – 10PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 – MIDNIGHT
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30 – 10PM
The Argentine government is collaborating with the aliens, offering protection from the virus in exchange. Survivors Bill Johnson, John West, and Max Giggs are in line for execution but are released back into the zombie-infested town instead.
Like all great zombie sequels, PLAGA ZOMBIE: ZONA MUTANTE significantly expands the universe of the original film. While the first movie was predominantly set in a house, the sequel depicts the zombie outbreak in the surrounding town. The film had a budget of $3000 and involved over 180 extras. It took them nearly four years to complete the production, eventually being picked up by Fangoria and distributed internationally.
Similar to the evolution of THE EVIL DEAD series, PLAGA ZOMBIE: ZONA MUTANTE leans heavily into the comedy elements that the previous film touched upon. With an increased budget and more experience, an explosion of practical effects comes to life, painstakingly created by Cornás and Parés, who usually stayed up until 4 am the night before filming to perfect them. The resulting effort is a movie that could rival the scale of some Hollywood zombie blockbusters but with way more heart.