Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (also known as Revenge of the Living Dead, Things from the Dead, and Zreaks) is a 1972 comedy horror film directed by Bob Clark. It later became a cult classic.[1] This low-budget zombie film is the third film of director Bob Clark, who later became famous for directing the films Black Christmas, A Christmas Story, and Porky's.[2] The film was shot in 14 days on a budget of $50,000. Clark employed some of his college friends on it.

For the episode of the television series Supernatural, see Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (Supernatural).
Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBob Clark (as Benjamin Clark)
Screenplay byAlan Ormsby Benjamin Clark
Produced byBob Clark
Gary Goch

Executives:
Peter James


Ted V Mikels
StarringAlan Ormsby
Valerie Mamches
Jeff Gillen
Anya Ormsby
Paul Cronin
Jane Daly
Roy Engleman
Robert Philip
Seth Sklarey
CinematographyJack McGowan
Edited byGary Goch
Music byCarl Zittrer
Distributed byGeneni Film Distributors
Release date
1972
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$50,000

In the film, a sadistic theatre director uses a necromantic ritual in an attempt to resurrect the dead in an island cemetery. The attempt backfires, as it creates aggressive zombies which attack the director and his theatrical troupe.

Plot

The story focuses on a theatre troupe who travel by boat to a small island off the coast of Miami that is mainly used as a cemetery for deranged criminals, to have a night of fun and games. Their director Alan (Alan Ormsby), a twisted, sadistic individual, tells his group — whom he refers as his "children" — numerous stories relating to the island's history and buried inhabitants.

Alan leads them to a cottage, where they are supposed to spend the night. He then opens a chest they have brought with him, puts on a mystical robe and prepares them for a summation at midnight, with threats of firing them if they do not do as he pleases. At midnight, using a grimoire, Alan begins a Satanic ritual to raise the dead after digging up the body of a man named Orville Dunworth (Seth Sklarey). Though the original intent of the ritual may have been just a joke, Alan appears disappointed that nothing happens.

The party continues, and Alan goes to extremes to degrade the actors, using Orville's corpse for his own sick jokes. Then, however, animated by the fell ritual, the dead return to life and force the troupe to take refuge in the old house. Trapped, they conduct a plan to lure the zombies to the front of the house whilst one of the group, Paul, runs out the back to go get help. The plan doesn't work, as Paul is ambushed by a zombie and devoured.

In a last ditch effort, the group attempts to read another spell from the book of the dead to return the zombies to their graves. It appears to work as the zombies begin to dissipate into the forest. However, they fail to abide by the rule of returning Orville's corpse to his grave, leading the zombies to re-emerge and ambush the group as they leave the house. Two members of the group, Jeff and Val are killed, whilst Alan and Anya retreat back to the house. Despite barricading the door, the zombies burst through, pursuing them up the stairs. In an effort to save himself, Alan throws Anya to the zombies; but the zombies continue to focus their attention on Alan and chase him up the stairs. Alan locks himself in the bedroom where he left Orville's corpse, but now finds Orville animated into unlife too. Orville attacks and brings down Alan, followed by the rest of the zombies crashing through the door.

In the movie's closing credits, the zombies board Alan's boat as the lights of Miami shine in the background.

Cast
  • Alan Ormsby as Alan
  • Valerie Mamches as Val
  • Jeff Gillen as Jeff
  • Anya Ormsby as Anya
  • Paul Cronin as Paul
  • Jane Daly as Terry
  • Roy Engleman as Roy
  • Robert Philip as Emerson
  • Bruce Solomon as Winns
  • Alecs Baird as Caretaker
  • Seth Sklarey as Orville Dunworth

Reception

Encyclopedia of Horror concludes that given the budget and the number of personnel involved, the special effects by Alan Ormsby are "surprisingly effective".[3]

In his book Zombiemania: 80 Movies to Die For, author Arnold T. Blumberg observed that "the end is ... pretty creepy, with the credits running silently over the strangely surreal shot of the zombies preparing a sailboat for launching," adding that the film conjures "an atmosphere of inevitability and hopelessness. But then again, Ormsby managed that before the first dead body clawed its way out of the ground."[4]

"Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things", a track on Finnish heavy/doom metal band Wolfshead's 2017 album Leaden, is based on the movie.

As of July 2019, the film holds a score of 42% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10.[5]

Home media

Although previously available on VHS, a special edition DVD was released in 2007 by VCI Entertainment. It features the uncut version of the film, a photo gallery, and a cast commentary. The same content was briefly made available on VHS through Anchor Bay Entertainment.

On February 23, 2016, VCI released the film on blu-ray.

Proposed remake

Director Bob Clark was planning a remake before his death in 2007. In November 2010, Gravesend Film Enterprises confirmed it would produce a remake, set to begin filming in Spring 2011, although this never came to pass.[6]

See also

References
  1. Linda Rasmussen (2009). "Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-06-04.
  2. "Bob Clark". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-04-05.
  3. Milne, Tom. Willemin, Paul. Hardy, Phil. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Horror, Octopus Books, 1986. ISBN 0-7064-2771-8 p 272
  4. Blumberg, Arnold (2006). Zombiemania: 80 Movies to Die For. Telos Publishing. p. 90. ISBN 9781845830038.
  5. "Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  6. Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things : UHM - Upcoming Horror Movies Archived November 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
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