Toxic Zombies
Toxic Zombies (also known as Bloodeaters, Bloodeaters: Butchers of the Damned, The Dromax Derangement, and Forest of Fear) is a 1980 horror film directed by Charles McCrann, who also acted in the film. It was classified as a video nasty in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. Plot. Illegal drug plantations are sprayed with the chemical Dromax by passing aeroplanes in an anti-drug initiative organised by corrupt government officials. Instead of killing the plants, the hippie growers of the crop are turned into flesh eating zombie-like creatures. Production. The film was produced in the late 1970s , and intended as humor. Release and controversy. The film was given a limited release theatrically in the United States by Parker National Distributing. It was also shown twice on the USA Network. "Toxic Zombies" is one of the films labelled a video nasty and was banned in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. Reception. Leonard Maltin qualified the film as a "bomb". The film was also panned in "Cinefantastique". Writing in "The Zombie Film Encyclopedia", academic Peter Dendle said, "Despite inconsistent behavior patterns and embarrassing acting, "Toxic Zombies" has the dubious honor of inaugurating the entire 'redneck zombie' subgenre that  would thrive inexplicably in the '80s." McCrann would later work for Marsh & McLennan and was killed in their World Trade Center offices during the September 11 attacks.