PopHorror Let's Get Scared
You know the story. A wish is granted but brings terrible consequences. Despite the best intentions, wishing a dead loved one back to life is NEVER a good idea, especially in the movies! That’s the premise that writer Ala Ormsby and director Bob Clark, who previously collaborated on Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, take on with Deathdream (aka Dead of Night) arriving in a stunning 4K UHD package from the fine folks at Blue Underground.
Synopsis
A young soldier killed in the Vietnam War inexplicably shows up at his family home on the night of his death.
Part adaptation of the aforementioned W. W. Jacobs short story, and part commentary of the horrors of the Vietnam war, Deathdream is a very strange little film.
Have a look at the trailer!
When the Brooks family, father Charles (John Marley; The Godfather and thankfully, he doesn’t wake up with a severed horse head in this one…), mother Christine (Lynn Carlin; Faces) and daughter Cathy (Anya Ormsby; Alien Nation and then wife of Alan) hear the dreaded news that their son Andy (Richard Backus; Ryan’s Hope and future prolific daytime soap writer) was killed in action, they’re predictably shattered. However, due to a promise made to his mother, Andy shows up one night, in full uniform, seemingly alive and well.
Chalking this up to an apparent clerical error by the military, the Brooks’ welcome him home with open arms. Andy, though, seems to be behaving rather strangely—he is lethargic and prone to violence during the day, and wanders at night. There’s also the matter of a dead truck driver, last seen with a hitchhiking soldier, and Andy’s propensity for sunglasses, gloves, and concealing clothing. Strange incidents with both a neighbor kid, the family doctor (Henderson Forsythe; Species II) soon have his dad questioning things, (and Butch, the family dog knows something’s up for sure…) and trying desperately to open his overly apologetic wife’s eyes to the fact that Andy isn’t their son anymore.
With a story that really tries to be shocking and edgy, Deathdream, while entertaining, seems a little tame when compared to it’s 70’s undead brethren. There’s a measure of overacting (Carlin), some forced suspense, and an ending that goes nowhere, but there’s still plenty that makes it worth any genre fan’s time. A really well done set piece at the drive-in, where Andy attacks his girlfriend (Jane Daly; Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things) works exceptionally well, some truly creepy make-up from Tom Savini (in his second feature!), and of course, the undead vet/blood junkie component that serves as both a commentary on the war at the time, and the fact that a lot of returning soldiers came home with drug problems.
While the social commentary is about as subtle as a ball peen hammer to the forehead, it doesn’t soar to the heights of, say, George Romero’s output at the time. That being said, Deathdream does manage to achieve a more serious and horrorific result then Ormsby and Clark’s previous work, and, in my opinion, is a more solid entry in the “ghoul from beyond the grave” column. Works like Pet Sematary, among others, definitely owe a little debt to Deathdream.
Blue Underground always does fantastic releases, and Deathdream is no exception. A sweet 2160p scan looks flat out amazing! And with 2 discs (UHD and Blu) there’s a lot of room for extras! 3 different commentary tracks, featurettes (even a Savini one!), interviews, and even an interview and original screen test with actor Gary Swanson who was initially cast as Andy. The packaging offers a reversible sleeve with the super creepy Dead of Night artwork, with a nice embossed slipcase wrapping up the package.
Moody, and absolutely a product of its time, Deathdream is a quirky take on the “Monkey’s Paw” premise, and is a fun, if ultimately unsatisfying, little film that obviously influenced other genre films in it’s wake. Andy’s return to the grave never looked sharper!
Blue Underground’s 4K UHD release of Deathdream is available May 21, 2024 from fine retailers.
