Trailer—The Dead Are Alive!

source: The Dead Are Alive!

L'etrusco uccide ancora

I am not a fan of Armando Crispino's often praised "Autopsy", but the title ("The Dead Are Alive") and the cover of the (allegedly uncut) DVD version of this movie promised some cheap thrills, so I gave it a try. Wrong move! It's a dud. Not only is the story very convoluted, but the director also has a very poor sense of time and place - his failure to clearly establish where a scene is taking place, how the characters got there or even who they are sometimes, leaves you feeling completely disorientated. The interrelationships between some of the characters are also very poorly defined...be prepared for a lot "wait a minute, who's that guy supposed to be again?" questions. The male lead is also very uncharismatic, he seems to be doing most of his acting with his fists. The best thing in the movie is Riz Ortolani's beautiful score. (*1/2) P.S. The print used for the DVD is rather severely damaged, and the film is presented in a distracting-as-hell ultra-widescreen aspect ratio.

An alcoholic archaeologist working on some Etruscan ruins suspects there might be some supernatural basis to a series of ritualistic murders. If you're going to make a movie about a moody alcoholic philanderer and populate it with a cast of surly, unpleasant characters you'd better have a compelling story to tell, otherwise you're going to fall flat on your face - which is exactly what director Armando Crispino does here. A second-rate cast (Alex Cord, Samantha Eggar, John Marley) barely summon up the energy to go through the motions as they wait impatiently for payday and the flight home. It benefits from some nice location photography and a lush, sweeping score but the story is dull and the pay-off inadequate.

Even though this film is entitled under its German title, 'L'Etrusco Uccide Ancora' - how it is called in Italian - is overall a typical Italian thriller of the Seventies. Directed with style by Armando Crispino, who also directed the breathtaking 'Macchie Solari' (aka Autopsy, The Victim), the film suggests supernatural forces involved in the plot. That makes the whole thing even more atmospheric and will keep you on the edge of your seats. The German video versions are heavily cut concerning the plot (one version is also cut concerning the violent killings), while only the Danish video version appears to be complete (according to the excellent English book 'Blood and Black Lace'). Nevertheless, if you are able to get this gem on video, get it: This giallo truly delivers!

let's start to say that this movie is not available in Italy (neither DVD or even VHS). It's incredible if you think that this is an Italian movie and in Italy you can find all the sort of American z movies! (even the Americans realize z movies). By the way this is a nice giallo, well directed and well acted, I like very much Alex Cord (he looks like the young Chuck Norris, but Cord seems much more athletic and stunning then Chuck). I think this one has a lot in common with Friday the 13th (the plot, some murders, motivation of the killer...) but it came out almost 10 years before Jason. If you like slashers and gialli , you will like this one

This movie was so obscure, and the picture on the video box was so lame, that I didn't expect much. It was a nice surprise to have it turn out to be suspenseful, complex, even scary. Many weird characters, weird settings, and plot twists got me involved and created a creepy feeling. It appears to be a routine film in the first ten minutes, but things keep developing, strange characters and subplots appear, flashbacks, etc. It was worth it.

I saw this for the first time recently and i didn't enjoy this. I saw this only aft reading Coventry's glowing review. The lead moustachioed actor Alex Cord looks like a poor man's Anthony Quinn. The body count is low n the film very lengthy. After a while i felt so irritated that i stopped caring who's killing who n why. The only good part is the sun soaked settings n the dressing sense of the characters. There is a sadistic character who burns spiders n grasshoppers n i expected the guy to at least pay for his karma. The English title is very misleading as there ain't any dead coming alive and the movie has absolutely nothing to do with zombies. Its a boring murder mystery.