The DV revolution is upon us, and nowhere is it more apparent than in the horror genre. Is this a bad thing? Not at all. Digital Video, in the right hands, can be as effective as film, and as a low-budget enthusiast (and filmmaker!) I can confidently say that Dead and Rotting is a fine example of just that.

Three yokels on a drunken ride in the woods visit a house rumored to be occupied by a witch, but are instead confronted by a bizarre man who chases them from the property. When they run into him later at the local bar (drinking milk from a bowl), there is another confrontation which leads to the three men assaulting him. He returns to his house where his mother tends to his wounds, and concocts a potion to punish her son's assailants . When the men recover from the spell, they hire a pair of local punks to break the witch's windows, however the punks decide to boil her cat alive instead, and this, of course, enrages the witch (for reasons that may spoil some surprises). She transforms herself in the seductive Ami (Rochon) and seduces her enemies one by one before exacting her revenge, a spell that makes the living feel what it's like to be dead and rotting.

D&R is an extremely low-budget film that doesn't LOOK low-budget. Barton makes the most out of the limitations of DV, with great lighting and clever composition and some very nice in camera effects, as well as great make-up effects. I was surprised by the lack of gore, especially considering the fact that Barton is an accomplishe FX artist himself, but there is enough other gross stuff floating around that you may not even notice.

While the acting isn't award winning stuff, and some of the dialogue actually caused me physical pain, I had a lot of fun with Dead and Rotting, and the fun didn't stop when the credits rolled!

Tempe must have some sort of magical machine that can smash extras like atoms and force 'em all onto one disc, because this puppy is LOADED. We get a commentary, and interview with Barton, two behind the scenes docs, a 17 minute short film by Barton, a stills gallery, a load of trailers for Tempe's other releases, and just when you think it's all over....they throw us ANOTHER 45 minute comedy video bit called Filthy McNasty, which also has an optional commentary. FM is actually pretty damn funny stuff and could easily be a stand alone feature, but here it is, stuffed on this disc as a bonus.

Dead and Rotting isn't an instant horror classic, but it is a fast paced, fun flick that has more heart and soul than anything the "major" studios have churned out this year, and at $14.95, this loaded flick is a steal.