Dr. Stern is back and he’s got a new scheme for world domination.  Since his shit monster didn’t succeed in taking over the town (in the film “Monsturd”), he now has a new plan.  He’s going to use the power of…the Retardead!

Retardead begins with (yes, begins with) an intermission, complete with a Cleveland Steamer joke.  That’s followed by a few fake trailers for films that will, and I quote, “shock the living fuck out of you”.

As the feature presentation opens, evil scientist Dr. Stern is planning his revenge against the Butte County sheriff’s department.  Dr. Stern is going to convert the class at the Butte County Institute of Special Education into flesh-eating zombies.  Viewers are introduced to the courageous Sheriff Duncan, two dim-witted deputies, and the mentally challenged students at the institute.

Doing the quick math, that means over 90% of the cast is playing morons.  That leaves the maniacal Dr. Stern and FBI special agent Susan Hannigan.

Stern begins to recruit the students and convert them into super-genius undead guys.  Meanwhile, Hannigan is interrogating Stern’s assistant to find out about the mad scientist’s virus.  Think of it as Re-Animator meets Night of the Living Dead meets Silence of the Lambs, only a super cheap, goofy version worthy of Troma (except that it lacks the overwhelming bevy of toilet humor).  (Oh, and all wrapped in Creepshow, since a little girl is telling the story to her father, which opens up the whole “Dallas Bobby-didn’t-die-and-it’s-just-a-dream” scenario).

What else does the flick need?  How bout a serial masturbator named the Weenie Wagger?  How bout an LSD trip featuring Groucho Marx and a banjo-playing gorilla.  How bout the Living Dead Girlz?

Retardead is the product of a bunch of guys with a twisted sense of humor willing to blow time and effort on making a(nother) goofy flick with plenty of gags.  The incredibly off sound track and over the top gore make up for….actually, nothing.  Retardead has no desire to apologize for any of its antics.  When viewers recognize that they’re hearing a car alarm while seeing a siren, Popko and company just ramp it up with an equally ridiculous overdub in the next scene.

In a rather unique move, director Rick Popko sent me a letter clearly understanding the shear quantity of bad movies which hit my desk.  If everyone sent me a letter telling me their movie was crappy before I opened the case, I’d really appreciate it.  Popko, West and company have done their homework on awful movies, and have put together their own self-defiling roller coaster.

This film isn’t going to win any Academy awards, but it is good for a drunken party.

Retardead comes in full screen format, with a running time of 100 minutes.  The soundtrack (featuring Marshall Crutcher and Monkeys with Machine Guns) is also provided on CD.  Extras include out-takes and a piece on make-up effects.

For information on Retardead, Monsturd and 4321 Films, check out 4321films.com