Matthias Kerl

Matthias Kerl. Now there’s a name that lives in the cult corners of underground horror. You don’t just stumble across his movies at your local multiplex, let’s put it that way. This dude’s got a taste for the messy, the wild, and the absolutely unhinged—especially when it comes to low-budget gore fests. Kerl made a splash (literally, sometimes) with Zombie '90: Extreme Pestilence back in ’91. That one? Imagine a group of scientists, a zombie outbreak, and special effects that look like someone raided the butcher’s shop after hours. It’s got the kind of practical gore that’s equal parts hilarious and nasty, with dialogue that’s either pure cheese or lost in translation—sometimes both at once. The plot? Oh, it’s barely hanging together, but that’s half the fun. If you’re into schlocky, homemade zombie madness, this is your jam. Fast-forward to 1999, and Kerl’s part of the chaos in Violent Shit III: Infantry of Doom. This one’s just bananas. People get lured to an island, only to face a masked psycho and his gang of Nazi goons. The violence? Off the charts. This is exploitation cinema turned up to eleven, with homemade effects and campy overacting that couldn’t be more entertaining if it tried. And then there’s K. The Butcher Shitter (2024), which—yes, that’s the actual title—leans all the way into the absurd. It’s brutal, bizarre, and so over-the-top you’ll be questioning your life choices. But hey, Kerl’s stuff isn’t for the faint of heart. He’s got a knack for making you squirm and laugh at the same time. If you like your horror raw, ridiculous, and drenched in fake blood, you know where to look.