‘A raging madness unleashed to kill’
Play Dead is a 1983 American horror film about a bitter old woman who uses black magic and a vicious Rottweiler dog to murder her relatives.
Directed by Peter Wittman (Ellie; producer of Skullduggery) from a screenplay by Lothrop W. Jordan.
The movie stars Yvonne De Carlo (Cellar Dweller; American Gothic; The Munsters’ Revenge; The Silent Scream; Nocturna; Satan’s Cheerleaders; Munster, Go Home!; The Munsters TV series), Stephanie Dunnam, Ron Jackson, David Cullinane, Glenn Kezer.
Plot:
Hester Ramsey (Yvonne De Carlo) lives in a cavernous old house, with only her pet Rottweiler, Greta, to keep her company. Bitter and alone, Hester blames her estranged sister for stealing away her one true love, Sam, decades earlier.
Following her sister’s death, Hester begins to plot diabolical revenge, using her knowledge of the black arts to place a spell on her dog and then gifting the satanic beast to her grief-stricken niece, Audrey (Stephanie Dunnam).
Soon, those closest to Audrey begin to get bumped off by her newly cursed pet in a series of increasingly violent ‘accidents,’ as Hester seeks to kill off all of her surviving family and leave Audrey to take the blame…
Free to watch online [brief nudity removed (sigh) due to YouTube rules]:
Cast and characters:
Yvonne De Carlo … Hester Ramsey
Stephanie Dunnam … Audrey
David Cullinane … Jeff
Glenn Kezer … Otis
Ron Jackson … Richard
David Ellzey … Stephen
Jo Livingston … Pathologist
Carolyn Greenwood … Monique
Jeff McVey … Eric
Robert Hibbard … Policeman
Desmond Dhooge … Dog Trainer
John Caroll Perry … Sam
Alex Bond Winslow … Clarisse
Harry Gibbs … Funeral Attendant
Filming locations:
De Soto, Farmer’s Branch, Highland Park and University Park, Texas
Release:
Filmed in 1982, Play Dead sat on the shelf before a July 1983 VHS release in the UK. It was finally released in the US theatrically in January 1986 when it was picked up for distribution by Troma.
Blu-ray release:
Vinegar Syndrome issued Play Dead on Blu-ray + DVD on July 30, 2019. Special features:
Region Free Blu-ray/DVD combo
Newly scanned and restored in 2K from the 35mm interpositive
Video interview with director Peter Wittman
Audio interview with actress Stephanie Dunnam
Original theatrical trailer
Reversible cover artwork
English SDH subtitles
Related:
DEVIL DOG: THE HOUND OF HELL (1978) Reviews of campy TV horror
ZOLTAN… HOUND OF DRACULA Reviews of Dracula’s Dog trash classic
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