Director – Gary Sherman (Raw Meat, Poltergeist III)
Starring – James Farentino (The Final Countdown, The Possessed), Melody Anderson (Flash Gordon, Firewalker), Jack Albertson (The Fox and the Hound, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)
Release Date – 1981
Rating – 3.5/5
UHD Release – 4.5/5
May years ago, when bluray was in it’s infancy, I went on a buying spree on Amazon where I snagged some fairly new releases from Blue Underground. I had to have Zombie along with Uncle Sam and few others. I’ve always been a fan of Uncle Sam and my DVD copy of Zombie was starting to age from the repetitive viewing in college. Another one of the blus I bought was 1981’s Dead and Buried.
I watched it a few weeks after it arrived and remembered really enjoying it. Sadly, it’s been some years since that viewing but I was lucky enough to revisit it when Blue Underground sent over the brand new UHD release to review. I have to admit that this one still holds up and I want to thank both MVD and BU for letting me check this one out.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows the small town sheriff of Potter’s Bluff who is investigating a string of murders involving tourists. The further he looks into the murders he starts to uncover that those that were slain are now getting up and walking around. His investigations leads him to the town mortician and his wife. **Spoiler Alert**
Dead and Buried is one of those films that has a solid following and it’s clear why. The film has some of the best atmosphere I have seen and when you mix that with the story and characters you find yourself in the middle of a fantastic horror tale that still has it’s punch all these years later.
The acting in this one is absolutely fantastic. Farentino, who also starred in another Blue Underground UHD release The Final Countdown, and is absolutely amazing in the role of small town sheriff. He carries the film on his shoulders and his performance here is extremely underrated. We also get a chilling performance from Jack Albertson. I would have loved to see his character have a much bigger part in the film especially when the ending twist is revealed. The supporting cast is great but it’s these two that deliver the memorable performances.
The story for this one starts out interestingly enough and continuously builds up on itself. I really enjoyed it especially during the film’s climax. The pacing is great while taking it’s time to build atmosphere. The tension and atmosphere works in the story’s favor as well which is why this film is so enjoyable even after all these years.
Finally, the film has some make-up effects and a few impressive stunts but the film doesn’t have the gore I was expecting. We do get some gags here and there with some great practical effects that works. Overall, Dead and Buried is a must see for genre fans and this release from Blue Underground is the best way to see it. I’ve reviewed several UHD releases in recent years and this is by far my favorite. The film is essential and this gorgeous edition is a must own for collectors. Check it out because you will not be disappointed.
Special Features:
Audio Commentary #1 with Director Gary Sherman
Audio Commentary #2 with Co-Writer/Co-Producer Ronald Shusett and Actress Linda Turley
Audio Commentary #3 with Director of Photography Steven Poster, ASC
NEW! Audio Commentary #4 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
NEW! Behind the Scenes of Dead & Buried
NEW! Dead & Buried Locations: Now & Then
NEW! Murders, Mystery, and Music – Interviews with Director Gary Sherman and Composer Joe Renzetti
NEW! The Pages of Potters Bluff – Interview with Novelization Author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Stan Winston’s Dead & Buried EFX
Robert Englund: An Early Work of Horror
Dan O’Bannon: Crafting Fear
Theatrical Trailers
NEW! Poster & Still Galleries
Steven Poster’s Location Stills
