Dead & Buried (1981)

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Really Surprised!

Great Film overall

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Photographers, drifters, vacationing families… no one that enters the quaint little East Coast town of Potter's Bluff is safe. Rest assured that although the murder may be painful and disfiguring, death in Potter's Bluff is never permanent. I was reminded of Burn Witch Burn when the sheriff finds his lovely wife is in possession of witchcraft books and implements.Unlike Burn Witch Burn, however, the confrontation is quickly dismissed as she justifies her "research" as a lesson she will be teaching her class of 9 and 10 year olds. We all know that she would be fired, but her police officer husband doesn't really question it. Sure enough, later on in the film she's teaching the kids about the black arts. Go figure. This is not your typical zombie-witchcraft film though. It's more akin to Stepford Wives meets The Serpent and the Rainbow and the entire town is affected.Although this is an 80's film there is a distinct 70's feel to the atmosphere, and care was taken to acknowledge the charms of a small coastal town without becoming folksy or over the top. Much of the movie was filmed in darkness, but despite this, action shots were always adequately lit. Predictability regarding the plot is debatable. I'm certain there will be some surprises regardless if the ending is guessed. It's a fun ride getting from point A to point B.Oh, and in case you were wondering, the effects were immaculate. That's no mistake. Production brought Stan Winston on board. From the charred "Freddie" to his unnerving hospital stay, to the general rotting flesh of the residents, Winston was absolutely the star of this film. The acting was decent, but I still raise my eyebrows at the unlikelihood of some situations. Fortunately with the unhappy ending, the justification for these instances became clear. If you haven't seen this film yet, check it out. You'll be happy you did.

A Troubled Production and Lame Box-Office didn't Stop this One from Becoming a Horror Cult Favorite with some Critical Acclaim. It is a Whole Lot of Eighties Fun. A Creepy, Sometimes Silly Movie.The Indecision of the Filmmakers of whether to Make this a Dark Comedy or Straight Horror is Evident in the Wavering Tone. The Make-Up from Stan Winston is Way Above Average for a Low-Budget Movie and the Acting is Pretty Good All Around.There is a Twilight Zone Vibe, which a lot of Times had a Tongue-In-Cheek way of Creeping Out Viewers. Quite a Bit of Gore although Compared to Others, Not that Much. The Story is Strictly E.C. Comic Book Stuff but Works for its Target Audience.Overall, a Sleeper that has been Awakened in Later Years, but Not Fully Re-Animated. It is Still a Relatively Unknown Movie, but those who have Seen it Loudly Laud it as a Classic. That is the Definition of a Cult Film.

This little flick is a real treasure. It is creepy, atmospheric and all that a low-budget horror-crime thriller should be. Director Gary Sherman strikes all the right chords and the cinematography is wonderful.The setting is a small, coastal town called Potter's Bluff, one of those eerie, isolated small towns that bears a terrible secret.I won't spoil it for you here, but you'll get the idea fairly soon into the picture, but it doesn't spoil the fun. This movie is like a vacation in that the real joy is in getting to your destination.Everything fits together quite well and we sympathize with the Sheriff, played quite well by veteran actor James Farentino. He is trying to hold himself together while his little town is wracked by one grisly murder after another. Oddly, it seems to upset him a whole lot more than it does anyone else.The always impressive Jack Albertson steals the show as the coroner and this off-beat casting is a tribute to his talent in his final role.This movie really does strike a good balance between the gore (and yes, there is a good bit of it for this type of flick) and mystery, from creepy seaside horror to crime thriller. Some might suggest that this movie doesn't know what it wants to be, but I disagree. This movie was made by people who knew how to make a horror film that didn't go over the top, but also did not pull its punches.What really makes this movie tick is the moody, atmospheric location shots. There is a sad inevitability to this movie that compels you to want to be a part of it all, but that also warns you off because of the mysterious danger that lurks from the beach.Good Halloween or summer time flick!

This film is a horror/thriller masterpiece that all frightfest fans can enjoy. The story is good enough that it can stand alone without all the special effects. However, there is enough gore and mayhem to sustain the interest of the modern horror fan who craves that sort of thing. No one who has seen this movie can forget Christopher Allport getting burned at the stake or the lab technician getting his face fried, or, and let's not forget, Lisa Blount jabbing a syringe into a patient's eye.DEAD & BURIED centers on a quiet, rustic, seaside community named Potter's Bluff. The inhabitants all look like your normal, run-of-the-mill quiet smalltown folk, but in the opening scene we learn otherwise. These seemingly normal people are sadistic for some reason and learning why is the fun of the film. Town sheriff James Farentino has to put the pieces together when a rash of murders rocks Potter's Bluff, but the sheriff may not like the truths he unearths during his investigation.STORY: $$$$$ (This might be my all-time favorite horror story. Yes, the isolated community has been done to death in the horror genre but these characters are quite interesting and the witchcraft, re-animation subplots left me enthralled. As the viewer, you'll be hooked to the screen as Farentino tries to solve this mystery--one he fears strikes too close to his home. As the movie rolls along, you get the impression that there isn't a soul in Potter's Bluff that Farentino can trust. The screenplay builds to an effective, creepy and nail-biting climax that is far greater than any masked-killer chase scene).AVTING: $$$ (The acting is quite good. Jack Albertson shines as the eccentric Dobbs--town mortician. He talks to his cadavers and likes playing classical music as he drives out to murder scenes to retrieve his corpses. James Farentino is great as the hero. He expertly bottles his emotions and lets them out at the proper time. Melody Anderson, as Farentino's wife, is solid as the school teacher who seems a bit too interested in witchcraft. NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET'S Robert Englund has little to do and the Lisa Marie in the cast isn't the buxom former Mrs. Tim Burton. Lisa Blount also gives a quality performance as the sensual yet depraved nurse).NUDITY: $$ (Near the end of the film Farentino has a sex scene with Melody Anderson but nothing is seen. In the first scene of the film Christopher Allport plays an unfortunate photographer who takes photographs of the beach at Potter's Bluff. When Lisa Blount comes down to pose for him, he can't believe his good fortune when she doffs her top for some nudes, but his fantasy quickly turns to a nightmare when he is tied to a pole and burned alive).