Dead & Buried (1981)

While searching for something new to watch I realized most of the horror films that recently came out are just not working for me. Here and there we stumble upon something worth mentioning but it has been a long time since there was a movie that leaves a lasting impression.

Trying to think of a horror from my childhood that managed to do this for me I remembered Dead & Buried. But it took some time before I managed to find it. I didn’t remember the title and forgot the actors (I was young and still exploring the movie genres, so this voodoo, gory slasher mystery was something new for me and it looked really good). In my mind the main role of the sheriff was Silvester Stalone, LOL. I probably watched Cop Land in the same year I saw Dead & Buried and my 11 year old brain connected the two characters and mixed them up.

I was eventually able to remember some of the great quotes from the town mortician and it led me to the correct horror.  It is definitely one of those A grade horrors, a true gem from the 80’s best described as a horror mystery with elements of voodoo, back from the dead subgenre. Although starring the great Robert Englund, the main focus is on the sheriff (Farentino), his wife (Anderson), the town mortician (Albertson) and the mysterious killings happening all across Potter's Bluff, a small coastal town filled with “friendly” people.

The opening scene is very effective in dragging you in. A couple on the beach is enjoying their time when all of a sudden townsfolk and the woman gather around the man and violently murder him by burning him alive. It is an unsettling moment and it opens up many questions for the sheriff who now has the task of unveiling the mystery surrounding Potter’s Bluff.

This film has everything a good horror movie needs: suspense, great acting, great writing and most importantly an interesting story which will keep you engaged until the very end. Without wanting to go into spoiler territory I will just say that the ending is also satisfying and although it will not sit well with everyone, it is good enough to earn the high scores it has on RT and here on Allhorror.

In my opinion it should be marked as a horror classic. And the performance from Jack Albertson and his character could have easily become a franchise if it wasn’t for his death that happened the same year the film was released back in 1981.