I Eat Your Skin (1971)

Perfect cast and a good story

Don't Believe the Hype

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The acting in this movie is really good.

I EAT YOUR SKIN is a neat little zombie film, shot in 1964 (so we get the old-fashioned zombies here, not the Romero type) but not released until seven years later. The title makes it sound like a video nasty but in fact it's a largely tame black and white jungle adventure movie with much in common with the films made in the 1940s.The plot sees a group of characters heading into the deepest jungle (actually a Floridian island) and soon discovering that the place is awash with zombies that have been created by a misguided scientist's experiments. The film has a definite swinging sixties vibe to it with a playboy hero and lots of good-natured flirtation and dialogue between the characters.The zombies themselves are really cool-looking with some great make up. They look like they're suffering from bad psoriasis with bug eyes to boot and scenes of them stalking their victims through the jungle have a genuine frisson of excitement to them. It's not a gory film at all, even though there's a brief beheading, and at times it gets bogged down in stock native ritual padding. Otherwise it's a fun little effort and one for the fans.

What can I say about this one? It's odd - it uses snake venom modified to create the zombies. The natives believe in human sacrifice but it has to be a blonde virgin female. The movie really is nothing new as far as your average classic zombie movies go but adds its own twist like most all of them do - and it's kind of an odd one.If you like the older style of zombie films then this one is just "ok" to watch - it's nothing special but not a complete snooze to watch either. Another slightly less than a middle of the road production.I like the dancers in the film, in fact the scenes of the voodoo priest and his group are the best parts of this film to me. The rest of the film is meh! The acting is lacking but tolerable to watch. And the story, again, is just so-so. Watchable zombie film.4/10

The title "I Eat Your Skin" should identify that this is a grade-Z flick. Specifically, it's the type that only "MST3K", Joe Bob Briggs or Elvira could present. I saw Elvira's presentation. The Mistress of the Dark's commentary made the movie watchable, and she even included a tribute to "Gilligan's Island"! The movie itself is about a Caribbean island inhabited by zombies. Not zombies like we know the term nowadays, but people manipulated to carry out someone's orders. But nonetheless, it's one of the most misbegotten movies ever made. Terrible to the point of being hilarious (quite a few of those flicks).So, just watch Elvira's version and you're sure to have fun...here on Voodoo Isle! Unpleasant dreams!

*Spoiler/plot- 1964, An Miami Beach pulp fiction author and his agent with his wife in tow are invited to a unknown Caribbean island by a British peer for a relaxing visit. The author seeks just more of surf, sand, sea and native virgin girls in bikinis. They go to get more 'research' material for the author's next book, but they get more than they bargain for in this island's terror, murder, voodoo rituals, poisoning, zombies and fighting for their lives. Gilligans island was never like this!! *Special Stars- William Joyce, Heather Hewitt, Walter Coy. Dir- Del Tenney *Theme- Be careful what adventure you wish for, you might get it.*Based on- Voodoo myths and rituals and pulp novels of the era*Trivia/location/goofs- There's no 'eating your skin' matters with zombies, just a secret doctor's elixir given to the island natives that make their skin and eyes wrinkle-ly and dry with no will of their own (like zombies) for world domination ??!!!*Emotion- A wonderfully watch-able dated early 60's film with the characters hard drinking, smoking, bikinied and male exhibiting deep misogynistic attitudes towards all the Caucasian women featured in this film. A film dinosaur to see and enjoy.