Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Dead Heat 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 7, 2022

1988’s “Dead Heat” is a film that wants to be many things to many audiences, putting director Mark Goldblatt (the celebrated editor of “The Terminator,” making his helming debut) in a difficult position of juggling tonality. It’s a buddy cop story that involves elements of horror and sci-fi, also taking time to launch a few action sequences, striving to be a celebration of cinematic possibility as many genres are visited. Goldblatt doesn’t have a major budget to pull off a few of the wilder ideas included in Terry Black’s screenplay, but the general nutso atmosphere of the picture is enough to get it past the finish line. Goldblatt invests in monsters, body horror, and gun play, working to keep “Dead Heat” exciting enough to help distract from its storytelling and thespian shortcomings, and he’s mostly successful with screen energy, creating an appealing mess of ideas and moods in search of a more defined dramatic approach.

Roger (Treat Williams) and Doug (Joe Piscopo) are maverick L.A.P.D. cops who’ve come into contact with undead criminals, bewildered by such a discovery. Following the clues to Dante Pharmaceuticals, the officers are exposed to the company’s strange interest in the science of reanimation, dealing with Randi (Lindsay Frost), a public relations manager. During a facility tour, Doug is attacked by a monster and Roger dies in the ensuing mayhem, with his body placed on a “resurrection machine,” bringing him back to life. However, this scientific discovery only works for 12 hours before body decomposition begins, giving the partners a ticking clock as they search for the corrupt people behind the zombification of recently deceased crooks.

Black aims to bring classic film noir into the 1980s, mixing a detective story featuring chewy dialogue with big action beats for the Stallone/Schwarzenegger decade. It’s an odd fit at times, but certainly a laudable mission for the writing, which has a lot of strangeness to sort through, tasked with creating a reality where the dead come back to life thanks to fantasy science concepts, with Roger experiencing such a new POV as he returns from the afterlife to serve again as a cop, living without a heartbeat and on the verge of complete corporeal collapse, forcing the partners to hustle as they try to find who’s behind the evil events at Dante Pharmaceuticals.

The premise certainly has the potential to be a great romp, riding with Roger, who’s gradually losing control of his body, while Doug is his loyal partner, trying to keep up with all the weirdness. “Dead Heat” has the jumping off point to really connect as a gonzo actioner with heavy horror events, but Goldblatt and Black are reluctant to go crazy with the concept, reigning in the feature with dramatic detours and hits of comedy, which are unfortunately handled by Piscopo. The “Saturday Night Live” performer is an awkward fit for “Dead Heat,” tanking one-liners with his stiff delivery, and the overall quality of his additions to the movie are poorly imagined. Laughs are limited in the picture, but there’s Williams, who gives a refreshingly committed performance, happy to be of service as Roger experience bodily decay and trauma he can’t feel, evolving into a monster himself during the run time.

For additional information and analysis, please read Michael Reuben’s 2011 Blu-ray review.

Dead Heat 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are sourced from the Blu-ray release of "Dead Heat."

Previously released in 2011 by Image Entertainment, "Dead Heat" returns to disc courtesy of Vinegar Syndrome, who provide a 4K presentation sourced from the 35mm camera negative. Detail is exceptional throughout the viewing experience, capturing the extensive makeup work found in the film, with deteriorating bodies and various gory moments registering precisely, along with fibrous period outfits, including Doug's leather jacket and more professional clothing on Roger. Exteriors retain ideal dimension, and interiors define decoration and machinery superbly. Colors are bright and direct, supplying sharp red blood and car paint, while greenery is vivid. Skintones offer natural appeal, and the unnatural additions are just as distinct, moving into purplish, blackish zombie hues. Delineation is exact. Grain is heavy and film-like. Highlights are tasteful, offering the warmth of the L.A. sun and hotter lightning strikes. Source is in excellent condition.

Dead Heat 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix provides an active and wide listening experience, presenting crisp dialogue exchanges throughout. Performances are preserved, balanced with occasional breakouts of chaotic activity. Scoring cues support as needed, with defined instrumentation, and soundtrack cuts maintain clear beats and synth. Sound effects are also powerful, exploring violent encounters, sharp gunplay, and crackly weird science events.

Dead Heat 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Mark Goldblatt, writer Terry Black, and producers Michael L. Meltzer and David Helpern.

• "The Building Blocks of Movies" (25:55, HD) is an interview with director Mark Goldblatt, who describes himself as a "movie freak," drawn to genre entertainment. Beginning his career as a production assistant for Roger Corman, Goldblatt eventually found his way into editing, building a resume in the 1980s that included "The Terminator" and "Commando." For "Dead Heat," a directorial opportunity arrived with the "D.O.A."-influenced horror comedy, pushing the interviewee to work hard refining the screenplay before the hectic 35-day-long shoot. Goldblatt shares helming lessons learned during the experience, and goes into the specifics of post-production, celebrating the score by Ernest Troost and various technical achievements. The feature's botched theatrical release is recalled, with Goldblatt happy "Dead Heat" has found an audience over the years.

• "Dead and Alive" (19:00, HD) is a 2017 interview with makeup effects artist Steve Johnson, who details his "Dead Heat" hiring, pulling a random budget number out of thin air for the producers, who promptly left his team alone to do the work. Various special effects are analyzed, including deterioration makeup Johnson finds embarrassing, and Roger's slow evolution into a punk look. Zombie hand tricks are revealed as well, and Johnson shares his enthusiasm with a life cast made of Vincent Price, who was way too old to sit for such an experience. Also explored is a deleted scene that required a dancing skeleton.

• "A Thousand Feet of Lightning" (15:51, HD) is an interview with visual effects artist Ernest Farino, who got his moviemaking start in the world of stop-motion animation, even working on Pillsbury Doughboy commercials in the 1970s. This led to main title work, creating intros for "The Terminator" and "The Abyss," and, ultimately, visual effects, renting a Tesla coil used in classic monster films to create lightning effects for "Dead Heat" and other productions. Farino doesn't have much to share about the making of "Dead Heat," but he does recall a missed opportunity to chat up Treat Williams during their day together.

• "How to Edit for an Editor" (12:06, HD) is an interview with editor Harvey Rosenstock, who counts "Dead Heat" as his first job in Los Angeles after working his way into the business in New York City. Accepting gigs with Cannon Films, Rosenstock developed his skills with editing, eventually selected by Mark Goldblatt to cut "Dead Heat," which required some time to consider the tone of the material, which touches on action, comedy, and horror. The interviewee celebrates casting and briefly mentions some creative differences with Goldblatt, maintaining respect for his friend, who taught him the ways of "point to point" editing.

• "Happy Accidents Happen" (7:56, HD) is an audio-only interview with composer Ernest Troost, who shares his early work with Roger Corman, trying to make a name for himself in low-budget movies. Scoring the job on "Dead Heat," Troost reveals that director Mark Goldblatt didn't want any trumpets near his picture, inspiring the interviewee to find different sounds, influenced by film noir offerings. Tonality is also analyzed, with Troost trying to keep up with the atmosphere of the feature.

• "Seizing the Opportunity" (6:12, HD) is a brief interview with second unit director Patrick Read Johnson (wearing a "5-25- 77" hat – whatever happened to that film?), who shares his history as a model maker, finding production assistant work in Los Angeles. Time on "Dead Heat" involved his vision for the butcher shop sequence, which he was handed responsibility for when the schedule proved to be too much for director Mark Goldblatt.

• Deleted Scenes (16:54, SD) are included, sourced from a VHS workprint.

• Photo Gallery (4:37) collects film stills, publicity shots, and poster art.

• Archival EPK Featurette (5:32, SD) is a promotional piece showcasing BTS footage and interviews with the cast.

• And a MIFED Promotional Piece (2:21, SD) and a Theatrical Trailer (1:35, HD) are included.

Dead Heat 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Dead Heat" has some terrific highlights, with Goldblatt going wild with practical effects and gruesome makeup work, giving the endeavor grisly textures and encounters (including one inside a Chinatown butcher shop where dead animals attack the cops). There's defined violence as well, as the production keeps up with the decade's interest in guns and property damage. It's a fun picture, but only in spurts, as Goldblatt keeps trying to stifle the gore zone spirit of the feature, more attentive to DOA comedy bits and detective fiction additions that fail to hold attention.