Dead & Buried is a fun little horror-mystery with a plot that would’ve fit in with an episode of Tales from the Crypt. The gore effects from Stan Winston were well done for its time and Jack Albertson was the standout amongst the cast.
Dead & Buried
— Limited Edition —
(1981)
Genre(s): Horror
Blue Underground | R – 94 min. – $55.99 | July 20, 2021
Date Published: 07/04/2021 | Author: The Movieman
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Blue Underground provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
Note: The screen captures in this review were taken from the included Blu-ray disc
and does not represent the quality of the 4K transfer.
THE MOVIE — 3¾/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Something very strange is happening in the quiet coastal village of Potters Bluff, where tourists and transients are warmly welcomed… then brutally murdered. But even more shocking is when these slain strangers suddenly reappear as normal, friendly citizens around town. Now the local sheriff (JAMES FARENTINO) and an eccentric mortician (JACK ALBERTSON) must uncover the horrific secret of a community where some terrifying traditions are alive and well… and no one is every really dead and bured. Quick Hit Review: Dead & Buried is one of those horror movies that could’ve come right out of an episode of Tales from the Crypt. It’s not an especially intricate plot and characters, save for maybe Jack Albertson’s Dr. William Dobbs, were pretty thin in development. That being said, it’s a fun little independent horror film, something akin to The Stepford Wives, just with the undead instead of robots. It’s nothing especially memorable but well worth checking out, if nothing more than some well done makeup effects by the master himself, Stan Winston, not to mention a pre-Nightmare on Elm Street Robert Englund. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4½/5 |
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This 3-disc set (4K UHD, Blu-ray, CD) comes housed in a clear HD keep case and comes with a lenticular slip cover (and three options when purchasing). Inside is a booklet as well as the CD soundtrack. Audio Commentaries:
For a bit of an obsure early-80s horror flick, these four commentary tracks will give you as much information as one could imagine. The first three give a more first-hand account on the production while the last, and new to this release, has a more historical and analytical viewpoint to the film. Behind the Scenes of Dead & Buried (33:18) includes an intro by Sherman and some archive 8mm footage from on-location back in 1980/81 with overlaying commentary by Sherman and others. Dead & Buried Locations: Then & Now (3:57) — Some footage taking us back to the locations today. No narration or host here. Murders, Mystery and Music (15:16) is a new interview between Gary Sherman and Composer Joe Renzetti. The Pages of Potters Bluff (12:49) — New interview with Novelization Author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. Stan Winston’s Dead & Buried EPK (17:38) — Old featurette looking at Winston’s work on the film and interview with Winston. Robert Englund: An Early Work of Horror (12:25) is an older interview with the classic actor. Dan O’Bannon: Crafting Fear (14:26) — Interview with the writer discussing where the idea for this movie came from. Theatrical Trailers
Poster & Still Galleries
And last up are Steven Poser’s Location Stills. |
4K ULTRA HD VIDEO – 4½/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4½/5 |
| Blue Underground releases Dead & Buried onto 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray presented in the original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and given a new 2160p and 1080p high-definition transfer, respectively. This picture was newly scanned in 4K 16-bit from the original 35mm IP. This is a good looking picture, albeit compared to other 4Ks, including the few from Blue Underground, detail is well defined and colors are downplayed more in keeping with the tone of the movie rather than anything to do with the transfer itself. This also looks clean, free of dust marks, scratches or other significant flaws, which in of itself is impressive considering the low budget and age of the film, now 40 years old. |
AUDIO – 4/5 |
| Both the 4K and Blu-ray discs come with a decent Dolby Atmos track. It’s nothing that would give a surround sound system a workout but for a movie this old with limited sound design, it still was relatively strong. Dialogue comes across with nice clarity and there is some minor depth for when innocent victims are being attacked. |
OVERALL – 4¼/5 |
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Dead & Buried is a fun little horror-mystery with a plot that would’ve fit in with an episode of Tales from the Crypt. The gore effects from Stan Winston were well done for its time and Jack Albertson was the standout amongst the cast. This 3-disc Limited Edition release by Blue Underground and includes great video and audio transfers and a good selection of bonus features. |
Check out some more 1080p screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.