The Dead Don't Die (1975)

Best movie of this year hands down!

It is a performances centric movie

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Don Drake (George Hamilton) promises his doomed brother, on death row, that he will find the person responsible for his wife's murder. Don's search takes him into the dark world of dance marathons, where his brother had been a regular. He meets a man named Moss (Ray Milland), whom Drake will later approach for assistance. He is soon warned off by a mysterious woman, named Vera Lavalle (Linda Crystal), but believes he's seen his brother up and walking around! This leads Don into a nightmare realm he never knew existed. His next stop is a funeral home, where he meets his first re-animated corpse. Some unseen overlord, named Varek speaks through and controls these formerly-living automatons. The deeper Drake digs, the weirder and more dangerous it all becomes. THE DEAD DON'T DIE features some wonderful living dead moments. Director, Curtis Harrington makes the best of the limiting, network television medium, creating a macabre gem. Co-stars Ralph Meeker (THE NIGHT STALKER) as Lt. Reardon, and Reggie Nalder (SALEM'S LOT) as Perdido, the most awesome zombie of the bunch! Watch for Yvette Vickers (ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN, ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES) as a Moss interviewee named Miss adrian!...

Ralph Drake is about to be executed for the death of his wife, but he claims he's innocent and wouldn't dare harm her. His brother Don promises to find the real killer and clear his name. This leads him into an unusual world, where nothing seems quite right and he doesn't know who to really trust. The mysterious Vera LaValle warns him he's in trouble in if he digs deeper and he sees his dead brother. The only one who he can really turn to is Ralph's former employer Moss, who runs a marathon dance hall. Traditional voodoo/occult mumbo jumbo is the source behind this quite eerie, foggy, and darkly atmospheric made for television horror fable. It's all about the mysterious story, and moody shades in what you call an old-fashion slow-burner, which throws around little edgy suspense and some knotty twists to keep the audience rather unsure if it's reality or nightmares affecting the protagonist. In that role George Hamilton gives a winning performance. The premise is penned by "Psycho (1968)" writer Robert Block and while it can drag in parts. Still the concept (like out of a crime-pulp novel) has a unique quality that goes well with the gloomy setting, 1930's time frame and some spooky set pieces that feature a prominently subtle, skin-crawling performance by Reggie Nalder. There are faults evident in the story's uncertain structure, but the dreamlike appearance helps slightly to iron out those creases. Those looking for zombie action will only get it in minor, if unspectacular doses. Director Curtis Harrington goes about things very low-key, but competently puts it together and executes a shadowy tenor. The film has that washed-out look, but the camera-work is crisply tailored and the ominous sting in the electronic music score adds to the able production. A top cast, commits highly to the production. Hamilton and Nalder are perfect. Ray Milland is boldly effective as Moss and Linda Cristal smoothly glides through her part as Vera. In admirably solid support parts are Joan Blondell, Ralph Meeker and James McEachin. Yvette Vickers also makes a colourfully quick appearance. A delightfully decent TV chiller.

~Spoiler~ While it may be badly dated, The Dead Don't Die is not nearly as bad as other IMDb'ers will have you believe. As I am writing this (check date above) the film has a rating of 3.5. That's a grave injustice. It's not a masterpiece by any means, but 3.5...come on! For a 1975 TV movie, it's not bad. Of course, it was penned by the man who brought us Psycho, Robert Bloch, so that helps. The film deals with George Hamilton trying to find out who's behind the murder that his brother was executed for. Not what you were expecting? The Dead Don't Die is a great horror title, but this movie feels more like a detective story; something you'd find in a hard boiled dime novel. It does deal with zombies and zombie lords, but in a voodoo mysticism-type way. It's not your traditional zombie flick but the super creepy Reggie Nalder (Barlow from Salem's Lot) is among the undead. You know what, forget super creepy. Nalder may be the scariest man to ever stalk the earth. And Ray Milland is no pushover either. If you enjoyed Dead and Buried, check out this little 70's gem.

I remembered seeing this movie when it first aired (on NBC, I think), and I seemed to remember it being above average for a TV movie. So I found a copy of it for under $5 and watched it again, nearly 30 years later. Wow, what a difference time and experience make. The premise is an interesting one, and the film relies more on subtlety than shock value. But, man is it slow. I found myself losing interest in it a couple of times. This is a movie that screams to be remade.