I grew up during the video nasty era. When the theater lights dim on Zombie Strippers - and the title is flamboyantly splashed in red across a black canvass - I’m instantly transported back to a time when gross-out cinema was all the rage. So I suggest this: Go to Zombie Strippers expecting an experience along the lines of Evil Dead, not something as studio-birthed or polished as, say, I Know What You Did Last Summer! Do that and you’ll have a ball (just don’t go touching those nasty pool balls!).

It is the future and President Bush is at war with half the globe (no, it’s not present day, I’m telling you it’s the future). In a secret government lab a diabolical vaccine is created to transform soldiers into zombies; mindless puppets who feel no pain, who are not daunted by fear or stopped by death. The test subjects happen to be society’s garbage: the homeless, hookers, the middle class. When scientists are slaughtered during a break-out attempt a special forces unit is dispatched. This is when things start to go wrong. A soldier becomes infected and flees his kill-happy comrades to a discreet little strip joint across the road. Said soldier eats out the throat of the hottest stripper you’ve ever laid eyeballs on, Jenna Jameson, who then becomes an even better stripper in zombie-death. A hotbed of jealousy and rivalry among the strippers compels an exodus from humanity to zombiehood and we soon have a dozen smoking zombie strippers who can strip like never before. The real fun begins (as if our hearts can take any more!) when the strippers get hungry . . .

Zombie Strippers is succulent food for horror fans. By that I mean non-horror fans are going to have a difficult time swallowing this flick. You have to appreciate the taste of video nasties. Sometimes the acting is poor or downright corny. Great! At times we can almost sense a film crew standing at the side-lines stifling giggles or literally pissing themselves. Awesome! Just when the gore level goes beyond obscene, we see it cranked up another couple of notches. We like, nay, we love! And then, just when we least expect it, a comedic moment that would rival the greats of modern cinema is introduced (pool balls . . . that’s all I’m gonna say).

Robert Englund is, typically, fantastic in his role as owner and proprietor of the strip bar. While Jenna Jameson may not be collecting a Oscar any time soon, her smoking-hot stripping will forever be branded to my retina. Jay Lee, who’s last directorial gore flick was The Slaughter, is certainly a filmmaker to watch in the future. The ensemble cast of strippers and soldiers (including one very hot soldier firing her gun in but a bra . . . can we say jiggle jiggle?) is perfect. You actually believe they’re the real deal. In fact I’m sure I had a lap dance from one last summer.

If you loved Planet Terror, you’ll love Zombie Strippers.