STACK Magazine April 2015 Issue 126

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038 APRIL 2015 JB Hi-Fi
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“Mad Max meets Dawn of the Dead” in WYRMWOOD: ROAD OF THE DEAD, the fast, furious
and ferocious film debut of Sydney siblings Kiah andTristan Roache-Turner. Scott Hocking
spoke with the affableTristan about bringing the dead back to life Down Under.
I t’s been over a decade since
zombies invaded the Australian
landscape in the Spierig Brothers’
debut feature, Undead. But now they’ve
made a long overdue return thanks to the
efforts of another pair of talented siblings,
Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner, who have
added a liberal dose of Mad Max-inspired
mayhem to their zombie apocalypse in
Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead. Boasting
knockout production values and action
sequences, an inventive screenplay that
brings something new to the genre, and
most importantly buckets of blood and
gore, it’s difficult to believe that
Wyrmwood is the brothers’ first feature
film. So who the hell are these guys?
Tristan Roache-Turner, who co-wrote
the screenplay with Kiah and also served
as producer, prop designer and project
manager, says he and his brother, who
directed and edited the film, are just
“pretty normal Aussie blokes” who love
movies.
“We’ve loved watching movies since
we were teenagers, and always had a bit
of a flair behind the camera, I guess,” he
explains. “Kiah was always running around
shooting cool videos and stop motion-type
things. We started off making really low
budget short films and a couple of video
clips for mates’ bands and stuff. They
just got bigger and better and before we
knew it, we were hooking into a full-length
zombie film.”
Wyrmwood follows mechanic Barry (Jay
Gallagher), who hits the road after his wife
and daughter fall victim to the living dead.
Teaming up with fellow survivor Benny
(Leon Burchill), Barry attempts to locate
his sister (Bianca Bradley), who’s being
held hostage by a sinister doctor and his
gasmask-wearing goons.
Beyond the obvious Mad Max influence,
reflected in the film’s customised vehicles
and zombie-proof body armour, Tristan
cites the original Evil Dead and Bad Taste
as major inspirations. “Across the ditch,
Peter Jackson mate, he was the man! Bad
Taste was what really pushed us to start
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Tristan holds the reflector while
brother Kiah mans the camera.