From the mind that brought you Breeding Farm and Lucifer’s Unholy Desire comes the most anticipated wrestling movie of the year: Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies. Get ready for some “good old American violence,” with a cast of sports entertainment icons, including the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, and local ring talent, who use their signature fighting styles, athleticism and really just about anything within reach to defend themselves against the living dead.
When writer/director Cody Knotts was asked what his inspiration for this film was, he told DailyDead.com that his 14-year old son “loves Zombies and Wrestling.” So he “thought that it would make a great mix,” said Knotts. “Plus I always was interested in what would happen if wrestlers had to do their moves for real to save their lives. Zombies are the perfect vehicle for that idea.”
And what happens?
Blood and dropkicks!
These zombies aren’t facing just any group of professional wrestlers, they battle living legends like WWE Hall of Famer Piper, Matt Hardy, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, former ECW World champions “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and even Olympic medalist turned WWE and TNA World champion Kurt Angle. Other wrestlers in the cast are Ryan “The Steel City Prodigy” Mitchell, Shane Taylor, Ryan Edmonds and Facade. Taya Parker, Penthouse Pet of the Year in 2009, and RebSky, Howard Stern’s Woman of the Year and Shannon Hart are in the cast.
The main villain in the film, Angus, is played by Renegade Wrestling Alliance legend and former McKeesport-based Pro Wrestling express superstar Ashton Amherst.
After The Franchise accidentally kills a wrestler in the ring, the wrestler’s brother Angus seeks revenge by surrendering his soul to an ancient demon to gain the power to raise the dead. Angus concocts a plan so that The Franchise and his crew think that they’re putting on a show in a prison. However, the prison is empty…or so it appears. Angus uses his new found powers to make a zombie army ready to rip apart the team of wrestlers.
No CGI was used, all the wrestlers performed their own stunts. Piper even put wrestler G.Raver, who plays a zombie, in the hospital after getting smashed in the head with a pot in the kitchen scene.
Think slasher flick meets 1980s action movie. Filled with a ton of macho bravado, Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. Just a lot of big dudes, acting silly, being violent and having fun.
The Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies soundtrack features music by: Dead in 5, Reverent Skye, Ken Hampton, and 2011 Italian Golden Globe winning composer Marco Werba.
Most of the hour and a half long movie was filmed in Parkersburg, West Virginia, with locations at the former Wood County Jail, Fort Boreman Park, City Park and several restaurants.
This film is filled with every cast member’s signature spots-from Hardy attacking a zombie with a ladder to Piper smashing a coconut over a zombie’s head. These conscious references make this flick a real fan-fest.
“I have always wanted to work with Lloyd and I wanted Troma from day one to be the distributor for Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies,” said Knotts. Well, Knotts got what he wished for. Troma’s release date for the DVD and BluRay disks is October 13th, and of course the Lloyd that Knotts mentioned is no one other than Lloyd Kaufman, President of Troma Entertainment and creator of The Toxic Avenger.
“Their fans get what real independent film is about,” said Knotts. “Not a major studio creating ‘an indie’ version of themselves, but a group of people trying to take $100 and make it look amazing.”
For information on Troma Entertainment or its upcoming releases and screenings, fans can visit www.troma.com and Troma’s Facebook
