This week we’re covering the discussion Todd and Craig, hosts of the popular horror movie review podcast 2 Guys and a Chainsaw, held over the 1981 Italian horror film Burial Ground, also known as The Nights of Terror.

Burial Ground has a strong fan base among horror fans as a “so bad it’s good” movie. Yet Craig and Todd didn’t seem to agree so readily.

But before heading straight to the negative, was there anything about it they actually enjoyed? The hosts enjoyed the campy, over-the-top nature of the film, comparing it to the cult classic Troll 2.

They also found the film’s excessive use of slow-motion zombie footage to be unintentionally funny Todd an Craig appreciated the practical gore effects, while acknowledging they were not particularly well-executed.

One of the hosts found the final shot of the film, which features a freeze frame of zombies’ hands reaching for a victim, to be visually striking.

But they found ultimate joy in the standout performance of Peter Bark, a 25-year-old diminuitive actor who played the creepy child character, Michael. Bark’s character – though a bit over the top – was so unsettling that it made the film watchable in moments when it was otherwise dull.

Unfortunately, they found far more disappointments than fun.

The pacing was slow and plodding, with long stretches of uneventful footage. The dialogue was poorly written and dubbed, making it difficult to take the film seriously. The zombie makeup and costumes were unconvincing, with many of the zombies appearing to be simply wearing masks.

The plot was nonsensical and illogical, with characters making inexplicable decisions. The hosts felt the film relied too heavily on close-up shots of the zombies, which became repetitive and boring.

Burial Ground is one of several films that have been released under the title Zombie 3, despite having no connection to the Zombi franchise. It was shot in four weeks at the Villa Parisi in Frascati, Italy.

A large portion of the film’s budget was spent on special effects by Gino De Rossi and Rosario Prestopino. The workshop set used in the film’s climax was also featured in other Italian horror films, including Inferno, Contamination, and Cannibal Apocalypse.

So bad it’s good? As we discuss, despite some entertainingly bad moments, Todd and Craig ultimately found Burial Ground to be a disappointing and forgettable horror film. They recommended checking out Zombie 2 instead for a much more satisfying Italian zombie experience along similar lines.

But we think you’d rather hear all this straight from the horse’s mouth, because these guys have a habit of making even a bad review into a rollicking good time. So after tuning into our deep dive, head over to their original podcast episode at chainsawhorror.com, or anywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Once you’ve calmed down from laughter, you can leave them a message on the website, find them on social media, and even become a patron for access to bonus content, including episodes, minisodes, private access, and other goodies.

Enjoy!