There's something not quite right about filmmaker Dave Reda.

That's a good thing!

Few filmmakers really grasp that essential weaving together of horror, humor and just a smidgen (Do zombies even know what a smidgen is?) of humanity, but Reda is quickly making quite the name for himself on the indie horror scene with his quirky and deliciously horrifying films where horror meets everyday life in the scariest and funniest of ways.

Reda's latest horror short, My Undeadly, is a 4-minute not quite traditional zombie flick that will be having its world premiere at the 2011 HollyShorts Film Festival, August 11-18, 2011 in Hollywood. The trailer for My Undeadly recently debuted on DreadCentral.com (gotta love those guys!).

Reda's films, at least so far, aren't exactly brain food because, well, most of the brains don't survive filming. This time around, Reda serves up a brain chompin' zombie (Reda) who meets up with pretty and vulnerable brunette (Michelle Tomlinson) and commences to hunt himself down a good ole' fashioned late night snack.

When brain chompin' zombie meets beautiful brunette, nothing goes quite like we expect.

Love em' or hate em', there's no denying that Reda's films offer a fresh and unique voice in the indie horror cinematic world with Reda's attention to detail and appreciation for the full-on sensory experience paying off big time in all of his films to date. One could only wish most indie filmmakers would celebrate their lower budgets in the same way that Reda does, with quirky creativity and imagination.

Of course, it helps to surround yourself with a solid cast and crew and if you're even remotely familiar with Reda's work (or social networking presence) you already know that this is one zombie cat who networks like crazy. D.P. Brian Barrow's camera work is top notch here, while Steve Gilbane's original music perfectly complements the film without ever giving too much away. Kudos as well for Peter Redman's excellent sound mix, which kicks the film off in fine fashion and never lets go. My Undeadly's zombie is convincingly realized by Alexis Statts.

Scream Queen Michelle Tomlinson is, indeed, quite the scream here as our vivaciously victimized (Is that even possible?) zome victim, possessing an awesomely wonderful twinkle in her eye and terror in her throat (Is it just me or is that a double entendre?). More demented than terrifying, Reda's zombie evokes memories of Rob Zombie's early off-the-wall, freakingly nutzoid work yet he does in such a casual manner that you half expect to hear Frank Sinatra crooning in the background. The weaving together of Tomlinson and Reda is indie horror perfection.

In less time than it takes for James Cameron to roll out the credits for his toilet paper production team, Dave Reda has assembled an inspired and entertaining zombie short that will leave you thinking about it long after the closing credits have rolled. Watch for My Undeadly at an indie, underground or horror fest near you and for more information on Elftwin Films be sure to visit the Elftwin Films website.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic