‘Look what’s buried inside your television’
The Video Dead is a 1987 American comedy horror film written, produced and directed by Robert Scott; it stars Roxanna Augesen, Rocky Duvall and Vickie Bastel.
An unlabelled crate from an unknown source is delivered to a house in the woods. The homeowner unwisely accepts the delivery, only to discover it contains a TV set that starts spewing giggling zombies all over the place.
When a new family moves into the now-abandoned house, the son discovers the haunted television and is soon told what he needs to do to send the zombies back where they belong. The zombies are not likely to go quietly…
Choice dialogue:
Henry Jordan: “Oh, what is this shit!”
Reviews:
“Somehow, The Video Dead is better than I remember. There’s an anything goes quality to it that I really enjoy; a lot of ideas with no real follow-through: A haunted television set. Zombies. Cowboys. The Institute for the Studies of the Occult. A zombie hunter named Garbage Man inside a haunted television. A Spanish maid. Zombies that want to dance.” Christian Dumais, Where The Long Tail Ends
“Regardless of my minor qualms, The Video Dead delivers the ’80s goods in a way that truly fits the time period. It embodies the VHS era in just about every way with its incredible box art, it’s low-budget, the bad acting, and the whacked out zombies.” Matt Suzaka, Chuck Norris Ate My Baby
“This unsung zombie adventure is a nice surprise, offering gripping action as well as thoughtful meditations on zombies.” Peter Dendle, The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia
Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca
“I’m really not sure why this has such a cult following. I watched this with a few friends and other than a few scattered laughs it wasn’t a hit. If you’re curious about it then check it out, it’s not a horrible film just slow. Personally, I recommend that you just watch Night of the Creeps again instead.” Happyotter
“A few of the crusty, bony, brown zombies look menacing, and there are some fun gore shots, including an iron that is smashed through the head of an attacker and several chain saw-related calamities. Still, you’ll be laughing at it, not with it.” Glenn Kay, Zombies Movies: The Ultimate Guide
Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca
“All the zombie lovers in the world need to see The Video Dead. It is a great 80s zombie incarnation filled with little gems of humor that all fans of the genre can find entertaining.” Bruce Kooken, HorrorNews.net
“An obscure little treat well worth tracking down.” Jamie Russell, Book of the Dead
Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca
“The only thing The Video Dead has going for it are above average make-up effects for a film of this ilk.” Patrick Naugle, DVD Verdict
Release:
The film was released directly on VHS by Embassy Home Entertainment in the USA in November 1987 and shortly later by Medusa in the UK. It made its US Blu-ray Disc debut in early 2013 on a double bill with TerrorVision from Shout! Factory.
Buy with TerrorVision on Blu-ray: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Cast and characters:
- Michael St. Michaels (Henry Jordan)
- Thaddeus Golas (Deliveryman #1)
- Douglas Bell (Deliveryman #2)
- Al Millan (Taxi Driver/Undead Ironhead)
- Roxanna Augesen (Zoe Blair)
- Lory Ringuette (Mover #1/Undead Half Creeper)
- George Kernan (Mover #2)
- Rocky Duvall (Jeff Blair)
- Sam David McClelland (Joshua Daniels)
- Jennifer Miro (The Woman)
- Vickie Bastel (April Ellison)
- Libby Russler (Maria)
- Garrett Dressler (Mr. Ellison)
- Melissa Martin (B-Movie Housewife)
- Cliff Watts (The Garbageman)
- Patrick Treadway (Undead Jimmy D)
