''Spring Break Zombie Massacre'' is a 2016 American horror short film directed by Bobby Carnevale. Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt star as half-brothers who must stop Satan from ruining their
spring break.
Premise
After failing to steal their magic powers, Satan kills the mothers of two half-brothers shortly after they are born. Twenty years later, the brothers must use their powers to stop Satan and his zombie minions from ruining their spring break.
Cast
* Sam Suchmann as Sam
* Mattie Zufelt as Mattie
* Madeline Brumby as Nikki
* Justine S Harrison as Elizabeth/Mrs. Fox
* Allison Maier as A. J.
* Joseph Turner as Frakenzombie
*Johnny Collins as the Devil
Pauly D
Paul Michael DelVecchio Jr. (born July 5, 1980), known as Pauly D and DJ Pauly D, is an American television personality and DJ. He is best known for being a cast member of MTV's reality show ''Jersey Shore''.
In 2011, he made a three-album dea ...
appears in a cameo near the end.
Production
Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, both of whom have
Down syndrome
Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual dis ...
, met at the
Special Olympics. Sam's older brother, Jesse, said their families initially viewed the friends' enthusiasm for a film as a phase the two would eventually outgrow. When they did not, Jesse investigated further, finding that they had written a notebook full of scenes, including storyboards.
Jesse initially considered shooting the film do-it-yourself style but was impressed enough with their work that he took the film to
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
, where it received $68,000 in funding.
Taking the position of producer, Jesse brought in director Bobby Carnevale, whom he had been friends with in high school.
Filming took place over 16 days in Providence, Rhode Island. The Kickstarter campaign and resulting publicity resulted in increased interest in the film, and industry veterans like
Farrelly brothers
Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly, collectively referred to as the Farrelly brothers, are American screenwriters and directors. They have made eleven films together, including ''Dumb and Dumber'', '' Outside Providence'', and ''There's Something ...
visited the set.
[ Casting involved diverse groups of people. Some of the extras are friends on the autism spectrum or with Downs,][ and some auditioned after discovering the project. Other talent came from Atlanta, where director Carnevale had contacts. ]Pauly D
Paul Michael DelVecchio Jr. (born July 5, 1980), known as Pauly D and DJ Pauly D, is an American television personality and DJ. He is best known for being a cast member of MTV's reality show ''Jersey Shore''.
In 2011, he made a three-album dea ...
, a hero to Mattie, accepted a cameo role after the friends insisted that he be approached.[ Jesse said the film was Sam and Mattie's project, and they were not simply helped by a professional film crew. A sequel is planned.][
]
Release
''Spring Break Zombie Massacre'' premiered on July 7, 2016, in Providence, Rhode Island. It later played at the Telluride Film Festival in October 2016.
Reception
Steve Hartman
Stephen Robert Hartman (born April 14, 1963) is an American broadcast journalist. Hartman earned a degree in broadcast journalism at Bowling Green State University, graduating in 1985. Hartman lives with his wife, Andrea, and their three chil ...
of CBS News
CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS. CBS News television programs include the ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs '' CBS News Sunday Morning'', '' 60 Minutes'', and '' 48 H ...
called it "really gross in parts, terribly offensive in others and completely ludicrous throughout", concluding that it is a future cult film
A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...
.[ In 2016, due to the success of the movie, Suchmann and Zufelt were guests on ''Conan''. O'Brien brought a chocolate fountain out for them to celebrate their achievement. Pauly D told ''People'' that the pair were impressive to work with and referred to them as "my boys". Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Farrelly stated, “I don’t think I’ve ever smiled more while watching a movie in my life."
]
''Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie''
In 2021, Apple TV
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
released ''Sam and Mattie Make a Zombie Movie'', a documentary following Suchmann and Zufelt's journey while making ''Spring Break Zombie Massacre''. The documentary received 4.5 stars on ''Dread Central
Dread Central is an American website founded in 2006 that is dedicated to horror news, interviews, and reviews. It covers horror films, comics, novels, and toys. Dread Central has won the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for Best Website f ...
''. ''Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
'' wrote, "the hope is that the film inspires others to put neurodivergent minds in charge of the creative process."
References
External links
* {{IMDb title, 5831924
2016 films
2016 horror films
American horror short films
American zombie films
American supernatural horror films
Demons in film
The Devil in film
Zombie short films
2010s English-language films
2010s American films