Review of Dead and Buried (2006) by Craig J — 05 Jul 2007

DVD really is a marvel. If it wasn?t for this amazing technological advancement in home entertainment, my horror collection wouldn?t nearly be as varied as it is. But what I really love about this format is that old, forgotten horror films are getting major releases with the films being presented uncut in their original aspect ratios, with a wealth of extra features to enhance the viewing experience. Dead & Buried is one film that I knew about but never really bothered to check it out. I have had the opportunity before but for some reason it always seemed to slip me by for something else. Then I found the recently released DVD for a very reasonable price and decided to give it a whirl. Was it worth it? Let?s go to Potters Bluff to find out.

Potters Bluff is like many of those small towns that you hear about where the local residents like everything to be?well? local. Viewers of the black comedy, The League of Gentlemen will know exactly what I mean. The coastal village is set apart from the hustle and bustle of busy city life and the locals have a different way of life.

When a photographer arrives to take some scenic photos to establish the setting, he is stopped in his tracks when a beautiful, young woman gets his attention. The couple briefly flirt for a while and he starts snapping away at her lovely body. Eventually, the woman takes her top off for her to be photographed and when asked if he would like to have sex right there and then on the beach, the photographer abides. But before he can even undo his trousers, he is seized upon by a gang of locals who beat the shit out of him, before tying him up and setting him alight. Talk about a warm welcome.

The local Sheriff is put on the case and wonders what the hell is going on when another stranger to the village is found brutally murdered. The photographer amazingly survives his ordeal but is in a coma meaning Sheriff Dan Gillis unable to ask him any questions. All hope is lost for the Sheriff when the photographer comes out of his coma but is killed by a nurse who turns out to be the same bit of crumpet that tempted him to his fate on the beach. Without spoiling most of the final half hour of Dead & Buried, Gillis soon runs out of motives and soon believes something far more sinister is going on in the sleepy village of Potters Bluff.

Please accept my apologies if you think that the plot summary that you have just read is a little incoherent. The reason for this is that I have left out a number of plot points in Dead & Buried so as not to spoil the film for you. You see, Dead & Buried starts hinting at the twist near the half hour to forty five minute mark of the film?s running time, so anything I even remotely hint at will give away what twists there are for the first time viewer to enjoy. For that reason I am not going to talk about the plot anymore and would advise anyone who wants to see this film to not read the back of the DVD box or watch any of the extra features, as they all contain spoilers; even the trailers give away the ending! Trust me on this one; just go into Dead & Buried cold. I think you?ll be pleasantly surprised.

So what can I say about Dead & Buried without spoiling anything for you horror fans. Those who like a bit of atmosphere are in for a treat, as this film has it by the bucket loads. Anyone familiar with John Carpenter?s The Fog will know that a coastal setting can be a creepy place especially when a fog rolls in. The setting of Potters Bluff really gives the film a sense of dread, as when night drenches everything in darkness the village is covered in a mist. Now the mist isn?t meant to be of any significance like the fog was in John Carpenter?s classic film, but it is a natural thing that actually occurred on location and gave the film some added production value. The film has a quality to it where you can literally feel the dampness of the setting and it gives the overall feeling that something is lurking in the darkness ready to grab you and rip out your throat.

The special effects work on this film is nothing short of brilliant. Most film fans know of the genius of Stan Winston who from his great work on Dead & Buried went on to create The Terminator, Alien Queen and Predator. For such a low budget, you would have thought the effects in this film would have been impossible but Winston is capable of doing anything and it certainly shows in this film. Check out the way, William Dobbs, the mortician makes a victim with a crushed head, look like the beautiful woman she once was before she was murdered. Not all the effects are great but Stan Winston doesn?t get the blame for this. Dead & Buried was beset with production problems which, I won?t get into. Director, Gary A Sherman was trying to create a dark comedy but when the producers saw the result they wanted more gore. So an added gore scene was added but Stan Winston had moved on to another project and was unavailable. See if you can tell, which special make-up effect seems like it doesn?t belong.

Dead & Buried is one of those films that not many people have seen. Luckily it does have its fans enabling it to get a DVD release that it deserves. It is a creepy little film that twists and turns throughout its short running time. The acting by the relatively unknown cast manage to create a brooding atmosphere that fits perfectly with the setting. Horror fans should keep their eye out for Robert Englund in a small role before he hit the big time as Freddy Krueger. Gary A Sherman has created a wonderful old fashioned chiller that is the perfect type of film to watch on a cold and windy night. Anyone who goes in to this film as a Dead & Buried virgin is going to have a pleasant feeling in their stomach as they take in the ominous atmosphere. Take a journey to Potters Bluff, if you dare.