By Jim Knipfel

Blue Underground

John Marley (The Godfather) stars as a father who receives word that his son has been killed in Vietnam. So when his boy (Richard Backus) shows up later that night, the whole family is understandably elated. But something's wrong. Andy doesn't talk much, doesn't smile, shows little oomph at all. At first they put it down to the traumatic effects of the war. What they don't realize is that since his return he's also been killing things—truck drivers, doctors, the family dog.

Andy's sister doesn't notice much, and his mom refuses to believe that her son is really a murderous zombie. Only his father begins piecing it together.

Directed by the man who gave us Porky's and A Christmas Story, Deathdream (aka Dead of Night) offers a new twist on The Monkey's Paw, a grim and very effective bit of early-70s horror with a dash of social commentary. With a script by Alan Ornsby (who directed Deranged) and the first example of Tom Savini's makeup work for the big screen.

The new Blue Underground edition includes a featurette about Savini's early years, and an interview with Richard Backus. This film, incidentally, is showing at Two Boots Pioneer Theater on Monday. See Picks on p. 8 for details.

Jim Knipfel