I was unfamiliar with this horror film - presenting an interesting and original 'zombies-as-robots' idea - or the cultish reputation it enjoyed but I found it to be surprisingly compelling, despite its occasional contrivances (described in more detail below) and inconsistencies in the plot which resulted due to extensive re-editing.
The first 20 minutes are stunning, then it slows down in order to provide some well-rounded characterization; the small-town atmosphere is also very convincing. The make-up effects are rather gruesome but not off-putting, with the famed 'hypodermic-in-an-eyeball' scene (later re-used by Jess Franco in FACELESS [1988]) being particularly vicious. From the cast, Jack Albertson emerged as especially memorable (and moving, considering it was his last film).
DEAD AND BURIED evokes memories of many another older film: BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (1955) in its portrayal of a township pathologically wary of strangers; INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956/1978) in that it has a protagonist who has lived among the townspeople all of his life and yet comes to realize that he does not really know them; THE WICKER MAN (1973); THE Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974); THE FOG (1980); but the film's bleak ending also looks forward to modern films like THE SIXTH SENSE (1999) and THE OTHERS (2001). The climactic sequence is superbly executed: Melody Anderson's genuine desire to finally rest in peace; James Farentino's confused, indeed horrified, state-of-mind; the final dawning of Albertson's Mabuse-like grip over the entire population of Potters Bluff - with a gadget-filled 'office' to match.
My gripes with the film's plot are the following (Spoilers Ahead, I'm afraid!): if all citizens of Potters Bluff are already dead, why is the doctor who helps Farentino killed all over again (even if for plot purposes - on the Audio Commentary, Gary Sherman says it was added in against his wishes); why on Earth should Albertson allow the Police department, of all entities, to operate normally - considering the suspicious, indeed criminal, nature of his 'activity'. Mind you, these 'reservations' do not in any way impair the film's overall effectiveness or entertainment value - but, sometimes, I cannot help analyzing the plot line of a film I've just watched (and especially if it's from the horror genre!). As to the plot inconsistencies: Melody Anderson's appearance at the morgue; the hitch-hiker is seen being killed differently in the black-and-white footage (Sherman also says that she actually appears in an earlier scene in the film having already turned into a 'zombie'!); throughout the film there is a subtle hint that something is not well with the townsfolk of Potters Bluff - their tendency to scratch their skin as if it bothered them!
The supplements highlight some great interviews (co-writer Dan O'Bannon's was particularly fascinating); three Audio Commentaries, however, were a bit much (especially since I heard them all in one day, and some overlapping of information was to be expected!) - of particular interest, however, is the way both Gary Sherman and producer/co-writer Ronald Shusett have very contrasting opinions about how the film was affected by the added footage and eventual re-editing, though both now look upon it with a reasonable amount of pride.
The first 20 minutes are stunning, then it slows down in order to provide some well-rounded characterization; the small-town atmosphere is also very convincing. The make-up effects are rather gruesome but not off-putting, with the famed 'hypodermic-in-an-eyeball' scene (later re-used by Jess Franco in FACELESS [1988]) being particularly vicious. From the cast, Jack Albertson emerged as especially memorable (and moving, considering it was his last film).
DEAD AND BURIED evokes memories of many another older film: BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (1955) in its portrayal of a township pathologically wary of strangers; INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956/1978) in that it has a protagonist who has lived among the townspeople all of his life and yet comes to realize that he does not really know them; THE WICKER MAN (1973); THE Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974); THE FOG (1980); but the film's bleak ending also looks forward to modern films like THE SIXTH SENSE (1999) and THE OTHERS (2001). The climactic sequence is superbly executed: Melody Anderson's genuine desire to finally rest in peace; James Farentino's confused, indeed horrified, state-of-mind; the final dawning of Albertson's Mabuse-like grip over the entire population of Potters Bluff - with a gadget-filled 'office' to match.
My gripes with the film's plot are the following (Spoilers Ahead, I'm afraid!): if all citizens of Potters Bluff are already dead, why is the doctor who helps Farentino killed all over again (even if for plot purposes - on the Audio Commentary, Gary Sherman says it was added in against his wishes); why on Earth should Albertson allow the Police department, of all entities, to operate normally - considering the suspicious, indeed criminal, nature of his 'activity'. Mind you, these 'reservations' do not in any way impair the film's overall effectiveness or entertainment value - but, sometimes, I cannot help analyzing the plot line of a film I've just watched (and especially if it's from the horror genre!). As to the plot inconsistencies: Melody Anderson's appearance at the morgue; the hitch-hiker is seen being killed differently in the black-and-white footage (Sherman also says that she actually appears in an earlier scene in the film having already turned into a 'zombie'!); throughout the film there is a subtle hint that something is not well with the townsfolk of Potters Bluff - their tendency to scratch their skin as if it bothered them!
The supplements highlight some great interviews (co-writer Dan O'Bannon's was particularly fascinating); three Audio Commentaries, however, were a bit much (especially since I heard them all in one day, and some overlapping of information was to be expected!) - of particular interest, however, is the way both Gary Sherman and producer/co-writer Ronald Shusett have very contrasting opinions about how the film was affected by the added footage and eventual re-editing, though both now look upon it with a reasonable amount of pride.