This is the story of two movies — one is going into theaters all over the country in June, the other straight to DVD rental purgatory this month.
And Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter is the classy one.
It’s based on Seth Grahame–Smith’s 2010 novel of the same name, and casts the 16th president of the United States as a Buffy–esque slayer of the undead.
In the book, which is officially classified as “historical fiction” (gee, you think?), Lincoln becomes an Abolishionist when he discovers that slaves are being brought into the country as food for vampiric plantation owners.
Sure, it’s stupid, but it debuted at No. 4 on the New York Times best–seller list, and Tim Burton is the producer of the big–budget film adaptation opening June 22.
Which brings us to the second movie, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies. There’s some confusion out there about this extremely low–budget work, which was filmed at various locations around Savannah over two weeks in early 2012.
More than 70 local folks were cast as the walking dead for a pivotal Fort Pulaski shoot.
Here’s the deal: This is a genre of film called the “mockbuster.” It has been written and produced to confuse people who know a little — but not a lot — about Honest Abe’s big–budget bloodsucking flick. Hence, the similarly audacious–sounding title.
It’s also a genre of con called “take their money before they realize they’ve been duped.”
The production company, The Asylum, previously brought us such head–scratchers as Titanic II, Almighty Thor and Transmorphers.
Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies comes to a Redbox near you May 29.
In December, we’ll all get a look at Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, which is based on Doris Kearns–Goodwin’s excellent book Team of Rivals.
It’s a safe bet that Daniel Day–Lewis, in the titular role, doesn’t have to contend with vampires or zombies in this one.
Only Sally Field, from what I hear.
Potter, Raitt concerts
Vermont jam band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will play the SCAD New Alumni concert June 1 in Forsyth Park, with Florida’s JJ Grey & Mofro opening. It is, as always, a free concert and open to one and all.
And tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday (May 11) for an Oct. 13 Bonnie Raitt show in the Johnny Mercer Theatre. Her latest album, Slipstream, was released in April.
