‘Rotting ghouls return to life in an orgy of cannibalism’
Corpse Eaters is a 1973 Canadian horror film directed by Donald R. Passmore and Klaus Vetter based on a screenplay by producer Lawrence Zazelenchuk, with additional dialogue by Alan Nicholson.
The movie stars Michael Hopkins, Ed LeBreton, Terry London, Michael Krizanc, Helina Carson, Douglas Deering.
Some of the film’s bloody scenes were apparently removed for its theatrical release and the footage has since been lost. According to Caelum Vatnsdal’s book They Came from Within, Corpse Eaters was produced in 1973 by teenager Lawrence Zazelenchuk, who owned The 69 Drive-In on Route 69 outside of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He had saved $36,000 from working at a nickel mine and decided to write and produce a horror film to screen at his own drive-in. Director Donald R. Passmore was hired, then fired after four days and replaced by Klaus Vetter.
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Once finished, Zazalenchuk found he could not afford the lab costs to have the film developed, but finally saved enough in drive-in proceeds to get it processed. It premiered at The 69 Drive-In in 1974 and went on to a long local run before it was bought by a New York distributor in the market for a tax write-off.
Reviews:
“With easily has the most extreme effects of any Canadian horror movie, The Corpse Eaters is worth a look if for no other reason, than it has the distinction of being the first gore film made in the Great White North. Unfortunately, the film itself leaves much to be desired it never really recovers from the success of the initial zombie attack, seemingly unsure of which direction to proceed in.” Canuxploitation
“An ugly, poorly lit, cheap looking and technically inept film, this has bad acting, Halloween kit makeups (which are also by Zazelenchuk) and a dull storyline culled from the aforementioned Night and Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things (1972). This is only really worth seeking out for curio value and for zombie movie completists.” Bloody Pit of Horror
“Aside from the gore similarity that one could compare to certain European romps, there’s ironically a fair amount of Fulci/Franco trademark zooms to the character’s eyes. Conversely, the film has a Herschell Gordon Lewis feeling to it because of bad/inane dialogue and obviously over-the-top gore.” Oh, the Horror!
“Sleazy, gory and a little sloppy, startling obscurity has kept you from seeing this. Tenacity must push you onward, until the two of you meet over Friendship & Beers.” Bleeding Skull!
