“Get out of the grave, Alan. Get out of the grave and let an artist show you how to call a curse down on Satan!”
Synopsis:
A theater director (Alan Ormsby) brings his actors to a remote island to participate in a mock necromancy ritual — but the group soon finds itself in mortal danger as zombies rise from their graves.
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Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
- Actors and Actresses
- Horror
- Zombies
Response to Peary’s Review:
In his inimitable, no-holds-barred style, Peary perfectly describes this cult film by writer/director Bob Clark as a “cheap, ugly, non-frightening, non-funny horror comedy with odious characters,” made by “amateurs who think any completed horror film will make money.” I agree. It’s beyond amazing to me that the director of one of my all-time favorite comedies — A Christmas Story (1983) — also helmed this “excuse for a film,” full of unappealing protagonists, bad acting, laughable make-up, and a painfully unfunny premise.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
None.
Must See?
No. While it’s apparently somewhat of a cult favorite, it’s too awful to recommend.
Links:
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One thought on “Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things (1972)”
First viewing. Not a must.
Finally broke down and experienced this…well, one might be tempted to call it a TPOS. ~but it isn’t, exactly.
The first half, of course, is wretched. Just bad in every department. Every Department.
Then things change…slightly. It’s still not good. But the second half is a little better. (And the last 3 minutes are a genuine surprise.) Itself influenced considerably by ‘Night of the Living Dead’ (a better film), this is a transitional work that may very well have influenced ‘The Evil Dead’ (also a better film).
But basically this is a movie about 2 things: 1) a bunch of young people looking for a break in a movie; and 2) people in charge of those young people, who are in search of the cult flick buck.