This past decade’s rash of remakes of movies like Friday the 13th, My Bloody Valentine, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Halloween have really just rehashed and often ruined these movies’ legacies. These iconic films didn’t need a facelift. But I discovered a lost gem that could use one in the 1973 film Messiah of Evil, also known as Dead People.
This take on the “zombie” genre, although it suffers from an outdated look and feel, has plenty of downright creepy and freaky scenes, including one in a movie theater (check out the clip above) and one in a grocery store, as well as very early signs of running zombies, a concept often credited to 28 Days Later.
On top of that, the overall concept of the film is unique and original. But because this film never got the attention of 1973’s massively successful The Exorcist, it is unknown to even many hardcore horror fans. THIS is the kind of film that should be remade and introduced to a new generation. With a tighter script, intense suspense, makeup and gore, and a better soundtrack than the ridiculous early 70s female ballad that opens the original, Messiah of Evil could be the kick in the ass that the horror genre needs.
