Zombie Movie
A zombie short from 2005, produced by former Weta Workshop employees.
Zombie Movie is a 2005 short zombie film from 2Chums Moving Pictures, a production group made up primarily of Michael J. Asquith and Ben Stenbeck. Both had previously worked at Weta Workshop and later joined Valve.
Set in New Zealand during 1986, the story follows three young men—Paul (Simon Niblett), Darryn (Des Morgan), and Sam (Stenbeck)—who are stuck in a 1965 Holden EH Station Wagon with no fuel and surrounded by zombies. The plot centers on their conversations, which shift from a lack of food to musical preferences to escape plans. Darryn discovers a can of petrol in the boot, and the group drills into what they believe is the fuel line, accidentally spilling the petrol out the bottom of the car. As time passes, Sam’s mental state worsens, and he expresses a desire to die. The other two, viewing him as a potential food source, try to stab him with a Swiss Army knife but fail and give up. Sam eventually dies from his injuries, while Paul turns into a zombie from a bite he received before the film started, forcing Darryn to decapitate him. After tossing Paul’s head out the window, Darryn notices the car is parked over a sewer entrance. He escapes through the car’s floor into the sewers, where he lights a cigarette in triumph, accidentally igniting an explosion from the gasoline that had leaked down there. The final scene shows all three men in a bright white version of the car, with Darryn in the back seat flanked by two angels (Sivannah Bassant and Micah Brown), implying they are in Heaven.
The film won Best Horror Comedy Short Film at Screamfest LA 2005 and Best Short Film at the New York City Horror Film Festival 2005.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Michael J. Asquith, Ben Stenbeck
- Starring
- Simon Niblett / Des Morgan / Ben Stenbeck / 1965 Holden EH Station Wagon
- Music
- Crumb
- Distributor
- Valve
- Released
- 14 October 2005
- Runtime
- 15:04
- Country
- New Zealand
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Reader's Guide
Zombie Movie holds historical significance as the first piece of media distributed through Steam, Valve's digital storefront, which later became a dominant platform for PC gaming. Its release on Steam marked an early experiment in digital distribution for independent films. The film itself is a low-budget horror comedy that won Best Horror Comedy Short Film at Screamfest LA 2005 and Best Short Film at the New York City Horror Film Festival 2005. Created by former Weta Workshop employees, it reflects the New Zealand filmmaking scene and the early careers of its creators, who later worked at Valve. The film's plot, with its darkly comedic ending and religious imagery, has been noted for its ironic twist. While not widely known outside horror festival circuits, its place in digital distribution history makes it a footnote in the evolution of online media delivery.
Did You Know?
- The film was produced by 2Chums Moving Pictures, consisting mainly of Michael J. Asquith and Ben Stenbeck, both former Weta Workshop employees.
- The closing scene shows the three men in a bright white car with two angels, implied to be Heaven.
- Darryn escapes into the sewers and accidentally causes an explosion by lighting a cigarette near gasoline that had leaked from the car.
More in New Zealand horror films 1-24
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