The Corner Penthouse

Dead & Buried (1981) was recently released onto 4K UHD & Blu-ray as a 3-Disc "Limited Edition" with a Soundtrack audio CD by Blue Underground. Read on to find out more about it...

[ SYNOPSIS ]

Something very strange is happening in the quiet coastal village of Potters Bluff, where tourists and transients are warmly welcomed... then brutally murdered. Even more shocking is when these slain strangers suddenly reappear as normal, friendly citizens around town. Sheriff Dan Gillis (James Farentino) and eccentric mortician William Dobbs (Jack Albertson) must uncover the horrific secret of a community where some terrifying traditions are alive and well... and no one is ever really dead & buried.

[ QUICK THOUGHTS ]

The sign leading in to Potters Bluff proclaims "A New Way of Life". Ain't that the truth! It's a horror film, yes, but it plays like a murder mystery. Visitors are turning up dead, and the local Sheriff must figure out what's going on. The film is filled with various bits of misdirection, all of which leads to a big twist ending. Once the secret is revealed, some plot holes surface. I can't specify what they are without ruining the secret, so I'll try to be a little vague. I will say that for a "town the size of a postage stamp", I find it hard to believe that the Sheriff had no clue what all of the residents were doing. Also, I found it hard to believe that the group of nefarious nogoodniks are able to be everywhere at once. At one point, this family is stuck in a creepy old house. Seeing no way out downstairs, they run upstairs, and the bad guys are in every room waiting for them! Mind you, no one heard them go up there. Anyway, in addition to the atmosphere and the excellent make-up effects by Stan Winston, the cast is lead by James Farentino in a great performance, with an excellent supporting turn from Jack Albertson (Grandpa Joe from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), and a small appearance from a pre-Freddy Krueger and pre-V Robert Englund as town resident Harry.

[ SPECIFICATIONS ]

The movie is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a runtime of 1:34:00. Audio languages include English (Dolby Atmos/TrueHD 7.1, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, DTS-HD Master Audio Mono) and French (DTS-HD Master Audio Mono). Subtitle languages include English SDH, French, and Spanish.

[ SPECIAL FEATURES ]

Here is a list of the special features that are included on the 4K UHD disc.

• Audio Commentary - with director Gary Sherman; hosted by David Gregory.
• Audio Commentary - with co-writer/co-producer Ronald Shusett and actress Linda Shusett; hosted by David Gregory.
• Audio Commentary - with director of photography Steven Poster; hosted by David Gregory.
• Audio Commentary - with film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson.
• Behind the Scenes of Dead & Buried (33:18) - Director Gary Sherman introduces raw footage from the shooting that was preserved on 8MM film back in 1981, with commentary by Gary Sherman, cinematographer Steven Poster, and first assistant director Brian E. Frankish.
• Dead & Buried Locations: Now & Then (3:57) - Footage of some of the key filming locations juxtaposing their current appearance with their appearance in the film, all set to music.
• Murders, Mystery, and Music (15:16) - Director Gary Sherman and composer Joe Renzetti recall their work on the film and their long professional relationship.
• The Pages of Potters Bluff (12:49) - Author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro discusses the novelization of the film.
• Stan Winston's Dead & Buried EFX (17:38)- An archival interview with makeup effects designer Stan Winston.
• Robert Englund: An Early Work of Horror (12:25) - An archival interview with actor Robert Englund.
• Dan O'Bannon: Crafting Fear (14:26) - An archival interview with screenwriter Dan O'Bannon.
• International Trailer (2:30) - Presented in 4K resolution on the 4K disc.
• US Trailer (1:55) - Presented in 4K resolution on the 4K disc.
• Teaser Trailer (0:30) - Presented in 4K resolution on the 4K disc.
• Gallery: Posters (10:00) - A total of 18 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.
• Gallery: Advertising Materials (9:30) - A total of 17 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.
• Gallery: Japanese Souvenir Program (11:00) - A total of 20 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.
• Gallery: Lobby Cards (40:02) - A total of 78 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.
• Gallery: Stills (25:01) - A total of 48 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.
• Gallery: Stan Winston's FX (15:00) - A total of 28 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.
• Gallery: Video & Book (14:30) - A total of 27 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.
• Gallery: Steven Poster's Location Stills (19:31) - A total of 36 still images, each in its own chapter. Each image is on-screen for 30 seconds before it auto-advances.

[ SECOND DISC ]

Also included is a standard Blu-ray disc, which contains the movie and all of the special features listed above. Audio languages include English (Dolby TrueHD 7.1, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, DTS-HD Master Audio Mono) and French (DTS-HD Master Audio Mono). Subtitle languages include English SDH, French, and Spanish.

[ THIRD DISC ]

The "Limited Edition" release also includes a third disc: Dead & Buried Original Soundtrack by Joe Renzetti on audio CD. It contains the 17 tracks listed below with a total runtime of 44:21.

1. Welcome to Potters Bluff (6:29)
2. Freddy Gets Burned (2:20)
3. Needle in the Eye (1:07)
4. Undead Townies (1:12)
5. Family in Fear (3:58)
6. Into the Fisherman's Shack (1:51)
7. Discovering the Witchcraft Book (0:57)
8. The Hitchhiker's Murder (2:01)
9. Reconstruction (2:23)
10. Death by Acid (3:36)
11. Grave Diggers (3:39)
12. Dan Picks Up the Film (1:51)
13. Horrifying Home Movies (1:58)
14. Janet's Secret (2:08)
15. The Shocking Truth (3:40)
16. Sentimental Journey (Bonus Track) (2:35)
17. And the Angels Sing (Bonus Track) (1:56)

[ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ]

As if that wasn't enough, this is another item inside the thick 14mm clear Blu-ray case, which is slightly thicker than what's typically used here in America (aside from Criterion and PlayStation 3 games).


A 18-Page Booklet - Featuring a cast and crew list, the essay "Avco Embassy Pictures: The '80s Home of Horror" by Michael Gingold, various photos, the soundtrack credits and track list, and a chapter selection list on the back cover.


Finally, there are THREE different lenticular slipcovers, each with matching case art underneath on a reversible liner that features the original movie artwork on the reverse. Cover A: Movie Poster, Cover B: Burned Alive, Cover C: Nurse with Needle. My copy arrived with Cover B.

[ PURCHASE LINKS ]

Dead & Buried is available on 3-Disc "Limited Edition" 4K/Blu/CD with one of three different lenticular slipsleeves: Cover A (Poster), Cover B (Burned), and Cover C (Needle). The booklet and discs are the same for all three releases.


This item has been provided by Blue Underground for review on this site.