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Deathdream | 
 enlarge | Actors: Arthur Anderson (ii), Richard Backus, Jeff Becker, Scott Becker, Arthur Bradley
Studio: Blue Underground
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $7.56
You Save: $7.39 (49%)
New (43) Used (14) from $7.56
Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 24122
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 88 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 581061
UPC: 827058106191
EAN: 0827058106191
ASIN: B00026PA70
Theatrical Release Date: August 30, 1974
Release Date: June 29, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Early Bob Clark gem. February 7, 2008
M. (Mass.)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Deathdream is one of Bob Clarks first films from the early seventies, it's an original and interesting take on the zombie genre and one of my personal favorite zombie flicks.
After a family recieves notice that they're son Andy has died in the Vietnam war, you can imagine they're shock when he returns home presumamably normal, but he is far from normal, Andy is now a blood-fiend that must inject himself with blood in order to stay alive. Muhahaha!!!!!..........Muhahahaha!!!!!
Special Effects are handled by Tom Savini and this is some of his earliest work, even though on the box it says that this is his first film doing effects, it was actually his second after his first job on Deranged (come on Blue Underground?!?!). Bob Clark shows his direction skills as always, Deathdream has a great screeplay, acting, and social commentary on the effects of war (that is just as relevant now that it was then) reminiscant of Romero films. Check it out, if you have the balls.
 Works well as an allegory, poorly as a movie September 14, 2007
James Kunz (Ann Arbor, MI)
Deathdream/Dead of Night is very interesting when viewed in the context of the Vietnam veteran returning home. The veteran has been changed by his experience and none of his family or friends seem to know or care. His father and the postman claim that they went to World War II and came back fine. His mother, near hysterics, wishes desperately for everything to be fine. His sister invites him out on a double-date with his former girlfriend: both tell him that it'll be just like the old days and they can "pick up where they left off." However, Andy is numb to all this. The only thing that drives him is the need to inject junk into his veins; though he's out of Vietnam, he's being eaten alive...almost literally. You see, Andy is a zombie brought back by his mother's prayer. His flesh is rotting, and the junk he injects into his veins isn't heroin but the blood of the living.
Spotting allegorical moments like this is very fun--too bad the movie isn't great. Andy's mom comes across as a complete loon, with Lynn Carlin overacting outrageuously. Andy's Dad flipflops between happiness that his son is back and surliness/suspicion. The part's not written terribly convincingly and John Marley is little help. Andy himself sometime elicits unintentional giggles, especially when he comes down for his first date in sunglasses and leather gloves. Only Jane Daly, as Joanne, elicits much feeling from the audience. The direction is reasonably competant, though the film stock looks cheap, and Tom Savini's makeup work is effective.
Overall the film is still perhaps worth a recommendation, especially if you enjoy reading into films. However, please disregard people who say that this is "basically The Monkey's Paw." Though they share similar themes, it's akin to claiming that Match Point is "basically Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Sometimes They Come Back... July 4, 2007
Bindy Sue Frønkünschtein (under the rubble)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
From the wonderfully twisted minds of horror-meisters Benjamin "Bob" Clark and Alan Ormsby, comes DEATHDREAM (aka: Dead Of Night, originally released in 1972). This wicked tale of terrifying wish-fulfillment is right up there w/ the other Clark / Ormsby classics, CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS and BLACK CHRISTMAS! Richard Backus is unnerving as Andy Brooks, re-animated vietnam casualty. His slowly rotting, soulless zombie character is unforgettable! John Marley (The Godfather, It Lives Again) plays Andy's dad. DEATHDREAM is "The Monkey's Paw" w/ an amped up scare factor and a sly political statement about the war. As a straight horror movie alone, this is a masterpiece! It's well past time that Clark and Ormsby got the recognition they deserve! I only wish they'd made more horror movies together. Watch for their cameos too (as a cop and a bystander respectively)! Also, this is Tom Savini's first make-up effort, as Alan Ormsby's assistant! Buy immediately...
He's back... January 25, 2007
Don Cheeto (Bakersfield, CA)
...I was pretty pleased with this fairly unknown film. I bought it along with "Unlce Sam" in a "Zombie Two-fers" pack. It is about a Vietnam soldier. His family is notified that he has died, yet he later shows up home. He begins to behave strangely, and later has to kill people to inject their blood into his body in order to regenerate his body, as it starts to decay once it is out of blood. Interesting film here, not at all boring. Would tell you more about it, but don't want to ruin it for you.
Andy came home, some boys never do.... January 22, 2007
AFP (Canada)
Deathdream is a farely unknown thriller/horror film brought to you by Bob Clark (Black Christmas) & Alan Ormsby (Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things). It also marked Tom Savini's real movie debut, if you don't know who he is, watch Dawn of the Dead or From Dusk Till Dawn to catch up. The movie is about a soldier who returns home after the Vietnam war but left the boy they remembered in the trenches. Is Andy really the same person he use to be or something totally different? Deathdream has the most believable characters I've seen in any movie, this might be because his family reminds me so much of mine. His father, a man afraid to show the softer side of himself, strict, angry, and more attached to the family dog than his own son. His mother, a caring and defending woman even during all of the drama & madness that surrounds her. His sister, a concerned woman who tries her best to make Andy feel at home, but confused at the same time. If your local video store doesn't carry this film, order it now! It's a must have for all true horror fanatics. Deathdream is a depressing film, which is a rarity in horror.
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