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 DEAD
& BURIED (Blue
Underground) 1981. Horror. 94 minutes. Welcome to Potters Bluff, a
quaint coastal town where the citizens are friendly, where one hot blonde
will show you her boobs, and where the citizens take great pleasure out of
brutally killing you. One by one the murder victims pile up. One by one
the murdered victims reappear as your friendly neighborhood citizens.
Together, the citizens of this nutty town not only kill you in grisly
fashion, they’ll also record your sick demise via photographs and film.
Confused by the sudden rash of murders in his small town, the Sheriff soon
finds himself lost in a confused world of disbelief.
Cool flic here on a number of fronts, the first being Stan
Winston’s special effects. Being a huge fan of Winston, I was interested
in seeing his early work and, as usual, I was most impressed. The effects
include a little slice and dice, some puppetry, and some cool time-lapse
mayhem. One effect is so lifelike, you may not even realize it’s an
effect until you watch the extra interview with Winston. Few faces you may
recognize: you have pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund playing the town tow
truck driver, Jack Albertson from Chico and the Man plays the creepy/odd
mortician, and ever familiar looking Melody Anderson (drove me nuts trying
to figure out where I had seen her, remembered her from the movie Flash
Gordon) as the Sheriff’s wife. Co-writer Dan O'Bannon also co-wrote
Alien and Return of the Living Dead. Released as a two-disc package in a
cool disc holder and slipcase, this baby is loaded with extras. Disc one
contains the movie with three optional commentaries by Director Gary
Sherman, co-writer Ronald Shusett, actress Linda Turley, and
cinematographer Steve Poster. Disc two includes separate interviews with
Stan Winston, Robert Englund, and Dan O’Bannon. You will enjoy these
interviews almost as much as the movie. Trailers and still galleries are
also included. Hmmm, why is it whenever lost, scared people in dire need
of help always seem to find their way into the cellar of a creepy house
with only a single lit match to illuminate their way? I love it! Back in
the day I worked at my Mother’s video store and always saw this video
going in and out of the store, but I never watched it. Eight million years
later, I am sorry I didn’t partake in it way back when. – Denis
Sheehan
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