Product Details

• Actors: Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason, Peter Feeney, Tammy Davis, Glenis Levestam
• Directors: Jonathan King
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: Spanish, English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Dimension Extreme
• DVD Release Date: October 9, 2007
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000TJ6PB0
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,576 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Black Sheep (Unrated)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A delirious mix of broad comedy and wall-to-wall splatter, the New Zealand feature Black Sheep makes a convincing case for sheep as the new modern horror icon. These sheep aren't the garden variety grass eaters, however; they're genetically altered sheep who develop a ravenous hunger for human flesh after an experimental fetus is accidentally unleashed on a sprawling ranch by a hapless environmentalist (Kiwi actor and broadcaster Oliver Driver). And to make matters worse, those bitten by the monster sheep transform into monstrous "were-sheep" (spectacularly absurd creations by the Weta Workshop). The resulting clash between man and sheep is soaked in gore, of course, but the violence is taken to such outlandish extremes that only the easily nauseated or terminally grumpy will find it offensive. Writer/director Jonathan King's debut feature juggles the gore and the gags (many of which gleefully tread the lowbrow path) with skill thanks to an energetic cast, especially Nathan Meister as the sheep-phobic hero and Danielle Mason as an animal rights crusader who discovers her inner carnivore. The unrated DVD includes commentary by King and Meister, a 30-minute making-of featurette which includes an interview with Richard Taylor of Weta on the film's elaborate creatures, a smattering of deleted scenes, blooper reel, and a half-minute visual joke titled "Early Morning" that was shot especially for the DVD release. -- Paul Gaita

Product Description

An experiment in genetic engineering turns harmless sheep into blood-thirsty killers that terrorize a sprawling New Zealand farm.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good things come in Small Jars December 5, 2007

By TorridlyBoredShopper TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

When I first rented Black Sheep I thought that I might get a few laughs from the film and that would be that. When I finished the film I had done a complete 180, thinking how this reminded me a lot of a newer Dead Alive. This isn't to say that the two movies are similar in plot because they aren't, but the two have a lot in common. Here we have a simple premise, genetic mutation, applied to a beastie that isn't really something you normally think "monster" with. That worked out well, too, because sheep weren't just fluffy little abominations to contend with. Depending on the size of the beast, the fluffiness, and the amount of teeth it is willing to lend to the shout, they can seem quite deranged - especially when they're double-dipping into a vat of humanity. We also have a main character, a troubled main character, with issues locked both in the past and the present.
And then we have the humor, bizarre and cuddly and terrible all on its own, making a beautiful butterfly to watch buzz the skyline.

One thing I have to say about Black Sheep is that the previews really didn't do it justice. I'm not sure you could do it justice, either, but having such a good movie on your hands and having it spread by word-of-mouth is a sad affair when you think about it. I suppose that's been the blight of a lot of great dark comedies in their time; you have an idea that seems odd but that works, an audience that will grow to love it once they see it, and a bunch of film critics that will herald it the wrong way. Such can be expected, but so much the pity when the product is worth seeing. The acting is good, the prosthetics is good, the sheep fighting humans is funny, and the little plot pieces hiding here and there kept everyone I know rolling because it seemed so beautifully constructed.... I honestly never imagined myself as a fan of a sheep body checking someone until I saw it.
I really needed to watch it twice just to get enough.

Granted, this isn't for everyone. It does have its fair amount of gore, a style of humor that is dark and yet light at the same time, and it makes fun of a lot of different types of people. Hippies suffer the film wrath here, for instance, and so do the varied lot of journalists and business class people. That's pat of the beauty of it, too; not everyone will enjoy it but, if the idea seems to be funny to it, it will be sooo much better than you expected.
Highly recommended for anyone interested (you already know who you are). Read more ›

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A New Zealand Weresheep in New Zealand. October 21, 2007

By Mike Liddell VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Black sheep has ingredients from all kinds of classic horror films sprinkled heavily with dark comedy, tons of gore, and great scenery, horror fans get a rare treat in this direct to video fangoria seal of approval film.

INGREDIENTS:

One part mad scientist messing with nature film; two brothers, one the prodigal son with a fear of sheep returns to take his share of the family farm and the "black sheep" evil brother who is conducting experiments in his laboratory with sheep genes. And no doubt the experiments go baaaad.

One part zombie film; a cross between 28 Days Later and Shaun of the dead. More so Shaun, but the animal rights people getting involved has the 28 days influence. When these mutated sheep are free they turn into blood thirsty beasts hungry for flesh. Perhaps all zombie films with their messages borrow from sheep, like Dawn and the aimless zombie like people mocking our consumer hungry society at malls, maybe there not zombies or people but; sheople.

One Part Were wolf movie; when a sheep bites you instead of becoming a blood thirsty zombie you actually transform into a sheep and then go looking for food. There is a part at the end reminiscent of the classic werewolf movie An American Werewolf In London.

Throughout all this we get two of the most extreme sides of animal rights. On one side we have the attractive greenie who believes the food we eat and farts we make contribute to the greenhouse effect, and her boyfriend who in trying to help causes more death. Then we have the evil scientist who throws all the genetic mutations in a hole labeled official dumping site and is willing to kill for money and profit. It pokes fun at the extremists in a fun way....

If you want a great newly released horror comedy along the lines of shaun of the dead with sheep this is for you. If you like man v. nature tales and like them serious and filled with actual frights check out Isolation also direct to dvd this year and great as well.

The dvd looked great and far from low budget but it's the soundtrack that stands out. My rear speakers worked so effectively at one part I though something had fallen off the wall. Read more ›

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Expertly executed example of the nature-gone-wild creepfest October 6, 2007

By Z. Freeman VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Picture this: Genetically mutated monster sheep run amok on a remote New Zealand farm. The concept alone is enough to get B horror fans excited. But can a story about killer sheep really provide enough entertainment for a feature film without running out of gas? Writer/director Jonathan King, with special effects help from Peter Jackson's WETA workshop, proves that it can in.

When two animal rights activist's attempt to steal away with some lab specimens, they do more harm than good, releasing a dangerous experimental sheep fetus-monster whose bite is infectious in a style reminiscent of the Sumatran rat-monkey bite in Peter Jackson's gory classic Dead Alive. Infected sheep turn into rabid human-hunting carnivores; imagine a 28 Days Later where it's the sheep that are infected with rage. Meanwhile, humans that get bitten slowly morph into gigantic powerful were-sheep creatures. In both cases, the special effects are incredible. Very little CGI is used, making for more realistic monsters and more intense deaths, both of which fans of the genre will cheer for.

The underlying story about a young man with a crippling sheep phobia, the result of a traumatizing impish prank from his childhood, is decidedly light, but still makes for decent cinematic fare. Obviously, he has to overcome his improbable fear over the course of the film, while buckets of blood and guts are poured on everyone in sight. As the DVD case clearly states, this film is "not for the weak of stomach." Though the gore gets pretty intense, Black Sheep is still a good-natured comedy romp at its core and the jokes and sight gags keep the film from settling into generic B horror complacence.

"Can a schlocky horror comedy about weird sheep be perfect? Why not?..." asks a WETA workshop prop maker in the information-rich "making of" featurette included on the DVD. It's a good question and not a simple one to answer; though this comedy/horror hybrid has its flaws, fans of low-concept B horror movies will be hard-pressed to find a more expertly executed example of the nature-gone-wild creepfest. Read more ›