Maplewoods (2003) gets two re-titled DVD re-releases...

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I gotta admit this is one of my little "pet" horror flicks that most loathe but I've always found surprisingly watchable. I picked up the disc published by the film's production company years ago when the once great Xploited Cinema was still very much alive. Even then with its first DVD release; the film, shot in 1999, sat for several years before originally appearing as Maplewoods in 2002.

This SOV suffers from the usual problems that plague zero-budgeters like extraneous padding, stiff acting, and wooden dialogue. Still, it's all inoffensive since none of it comes off as pretentious. If one willing to forgive and understand the extreme hardships of low budget filmmaking, you can tell everyone genuinely tried to produce something decent. That goes a long way and some of the insulting levels of criticism lobbed Maplewoods' way are unwarranted, like this gem of snobbery:

"How on earth did this film get backed by any company? I don't even know where to start. The apparent nod to the 80's is used as a saving grace by the film so it can pretend to be deeper or more meaningful or simply better than it is. You failed. David B. Stewart III do not write anything ever again, do not shoot anything ever again and give me my money back."

Really? Well anyway, late last year the feature was finally picked up by (the dreaded) Brain Damage Films and Point Blank (in the U.K.) for video distribution. The prior self-released DVD was bare-boned with a non-anamorphic transfer. At least Brain Damage's U.S. disc, retitled Operation: Nazi Zombies, appears to be anamorphic with a commentary track and deleted scenes (BD's website also lists an alternate ending). I haven't picked up either of the new releases, but I'd recommend giving this one a chance if you happen upon it cheap. You can check out the new trailer here.