Update: New Trailers for Astro Zombies: M4

A second teaser and the official extended trailer for the latest incarnation of Ted V. Mikels' ultra-low-budget exploitation franchise, Astro-Zombies, Astro-Zombies M4: Invaders from Cyberspace, have emerged from cyberspace to haunt our nightmares. Check 'em out! For something that began its cultish career rather inauspiciously in 1968, the series is showing remarkable resilience and getting increasingly apocalyptic -- in a low-budget sort of way.

Second Teaser:

Full Extended Trailer:

Earlier article on Undead Brainspasm here.

Production images can be viewed on the website.

Source: via Avery.

Now Where Did That Astro-Zombie Come From?

As it happens, the fourth entry in Ted V. Mikels' Astro-Zombies series features skull headed Astro-Zombies that come -- somehow -- from cyberspace.

Astro-Zombies M4: Invaders from Cyberspace has just been confirmed as "in-production." Commented independent grindhouse veteran Mikels:

[It] is now officially in development ... I have identified a few key production staff members and we have begun story development. (Source)

Mikels told Undead Backbrain that this continuation of "the Astro-Zombie saga" is scheduled for a February 2011 start date.

Nevertheless, something has begun, as evidenced by the screenshots on this page and the teaser trailer below.

Produced by TVM Global Entertainment, in association with Blue Heron International Pictures, the film looks like it takes the franchise another rung up the ladder with some nifty possibilities in the SFX area.

 

"The world loves the Astro-Zombies," Mikels added.

Veteran screenwriter Cory Udler and Florida filmmaker Gary Lester is on-board as Mikels' creative story consultants, along with veteran TVM Studios actress, Shanti. Gary Lester will also serve as assistant director, with Blue Heron's Richard Lester as associate producer.

• Source: Ted Mikels; Blue Heron website; Thanks Avery. Written by Robert Hood.

Ted Mikels News: AZ3 and Demon Haunt on DVD

Irrepressible exploitation director (and Salvador Dali look-alike) Ted V. Mikels may not have produced Oscar-winning films, but he has certainly been responsible for contributing a significant body of low-budget genre classics to the post-60s grindhouse tradition (see this Undead Backbrain article for details). Dodgy acting, cheap FX, simplistic stories, blood and gore, gratuitous violence ... say what you will, his films tend to remain in the memory of those who sat through them at the drive-in or watched them on scratchy VHS tapes rented from the local trash cinema repository. The fact that he is still making films with glee and passion has to represent the triumph of determination over reason, and as such is rather inspiring to independent filmmakers everywhere.

One of his fan favourites has always been The Astro-Zombies (US-1968), the tale of a machete-wielding, artificial, undead assassin that in a way defined the genre.

This was followed much later, in 2002, by a sequel -- Mark of the Astro-Zombies. In this one, the undead assassins have become the mutated servants of alien invaders. In 2009, Undead Backbrain looked at the coming of a second sequel, officially making the Astro-Zombies into a franchise -- Astro-Zombies M3: Cloned (see Astro-Zombies Back for More!)

 

These Astro-Zombies are the product of a secret cloning project by the US Government.

Now the film is available on DVD for your delectation, through Oldies.com:

Official Trailer:

Extended Trailer:

Alternative/Early Cover Art:

Images (Promotional, production, screenshots):

A Collection of Clips and Production Videos:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qQkqEY2ZOY
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z99DpNDkfL0
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqRxNS-ctG4 
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYWjJhLIQNc 
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYCBYBn_Vug 
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrSv3BdX45g 
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlHhjAYlT0c

More from Ted:

Also now available on DVD is Mikels' demonic horror film, Demon Haunt (see previous Undead Backbrain article):

See Trailer here.

Coming Soon! News of a fourth instalment in the Astro-Zombies saga. Watch this space!

• Sources: Ted V. Mikels; Oldies (for AZM3); Oldies (for Demon Haunt); Blue Heron Pictures; Ted V. Mikels website. Thanks to Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood.