40th Anniversary of Dead & Buried

Many years ago, apparently like decades or so, when perusing the video store aisles looking for a great film to spend your evening with, there was always Gary Sherman’s Dead & Buried (1981). It never failed to hit all the marks, from being creepy, even scary, having some incredible special effects, but also a very interesting and captivating story that was played out by some very talented actors, from veterans like Jack Albertson or James Farentino, or up-and-coming ones like Melody Anderson, Lisa Blount, or even a guy named Robert England, just a few years from becoming a huge star. I really loved it back then and still remains as one of my favorites and unfortunately one that doesn’t seemed to get the recognition it much richly deserves. But now, with a stunning new transfer coming out, maybe it will change all of that.

Movie Review: New York Ripper

New York Ripper (1982)
Directed by Lucio Fulci
Starring Jack Hedley, Almanta Suska, Howard Ross, Andrea Occhipinti, Alexandra Delli Colli, Paolo Malco, Barbara Cupisti, Zora Kerova, Daniela Doria

Back in my early days, when searching out the video store shelves looking for the latest and greatest gore film, it didn’t take long to become familiar with Lucio Fulci. Starting with Zombie, which was always pretty accessible, you’d move to unknowingly cut versions of Gates of Hell (1980) and House by the Cemetery (1981), but still were damn happy to find them. Then you came across New York Ripper. This wasn’t any zombie chomping into their victim, no supernatural elements here but a sick and twisted serial killer that quacked like a duck!?!?! W-T-F? But at that time, who cared if it was crazy or just plain weird, Fulci delivered the goods with plenty of gore and exposed flesh.