Nick Zedd, born in New York City, emerged as a provocative filmmaker in the early 1980s, coining the term 'Cinema of Transgression' to encapsulate a movement defined by shock and dark humor. His film Geek Maggot Bingo (1983) exemplifies this ethos, blending absurdity with a raw aesthetic that challenges conventional storytelling. As both director and writer, Zedd's work in the underground film scene has left a lasting impact, influencing a generation of filmmakers drawn to the fringes of cinema.
Geek Maggot Bingo
The film follows the insane Dr. Frankenberry (Robert Andrews), who repeatedly attempts to reanimate the dead with the assistance of his hunchbacked assistant Gecko (Robert Zeus). Other characters include the professor's daughter Buffy (Brenda Bergman), who performs most of the movie semi-nude, and falls victim to the vampire, and Flavian (Gumby Spangler), son of the professor at Frankenberry's university, Dean Quagmire (Jim Giacama) who had rejected Frankenberry's original experiments. There is also a punk rocker cowboy The Rawhide Kid (Richard Hell) and a vampiress called Scumbalina (Donna Death). Frankenberrry successfully creates hideous two-headed creature called The Formaldehyde Man (Tyler Smith), who goes on a rampage, killing several characters.
