Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Curse of the Screaming Dead Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 9, 2023

1982’s “The Curse of the Screaming Dead” is a backyard production from writer/director Tony Malanowski, who attempts to build on his first feature, 1981’s widely panned “Night of Horror,” with a semi-remake, using all that he’s learned from the original experience to fuel a return to fright filmmaking. Unfortunately, Malanowski doesn’t exactly make a sizable creative leap with his second at-bat, with “The Curse of the Screaming Dead” a painfully dull viewing experience that’s only intermittently pulled out of complete blankness to deal with the threat of the undead.

Traveling into the woods for a weekend of camping, couples Bill (Jim Ball) and Sarah (Rebecca Schrader), Mel (Christopher Gummer) and Kyomi (Mimi Ishikawa), and Wyatt (Steve Sandkuhler) and Lin (Judy Dixon) are ready to enjoy the great outdoors. However, something isn’t right, with Kyomi, a blind woman, sensing unrest in the area, with Mel off to explore the surroundings. He comes across a Confederate Army graveyard, opening a box containing a flag and a diary. Mel brings the diary back to the campsite for inspection, unknowingly triggering a zombie attack from the undead soldiers, who are after the book and any possible human victims to devour, putting the campers on the defense as they try to survive the night.

The group plan in “The Curse of the Screaming Dead” is for the campers to do a little hiking. The only thing passably interesting in the screenplay is how everyone seems to loathe one another, with character introductions involving arguments, and physical movement toward a recreational goal is pretty much the last thing anyone here wants to do. That’s it for unusual activity, with the rest of the picture falling into routine quickly as Mel takes the diary and Kyomi breaks down, explaining how one “can’t take pain from the dead.” However, before the dead rise again, Malanowski has to pad his run time, using real-time walking to do the trick, and character banter is mostly tedious, listening to people who clearly hate one another debate details of the trip and the afterlife.

“The Curse of the Screaming Dead” is fairly amateurish, from bad editing to limited performances. Excitement should arrive with the Confederate Army zombies, but it doesn’t, with Malanowski determined to focus on their slow movement and slower feeding to help beef up the run time. There’s the fun of exploding bullets used by the campers, but the thrill is fleeting, and more sluggishness is added with two cops investigating the scene, with one determined to explain how all this zombie stuff is the work of a prank, repeating himself to the campers. As a viewer, there’s little here that’s inviting, with most of the endeavor an exercise in filler.

The Curse of the Screaming Dead Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Curse of the Screaming Dead" is "newly restored in 2K" from its "16mm camera reversal." Clarity reaches as far as possible here, with a softer sense of character appearances and location depth, but frame particulars are appreciable, along with makeup efforts. Colors are tastefully refreshed, with distinct primaries on costuming and greenery. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy but film-like. Source is in good condition, with some light wear.

The Curse of the Screaming Dead Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Vinegar Syndrome provides information that audio elements for "The Curse of the Screaming Dead" have been lost, forcing them to use a video master for sound. The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix certainly hits some trouble spots in quality, but the production is generally fighting an uphill battle with intelligibility to begin with. Precision isn't present, but a general appreciation of dialogue exchanges is here. Scoring remains maddeningly repetitive, but jazzy support is acceptable. Sound effects are pronounced.

The Curse of the Screaming Dead Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc #1

• Commentary features writer/director Tony Malanowski and actor Steve Sandkuhler.

• "Night of Horror" (72:44, HD) is a 1981 film by writer/director Tony Malanowski, featuring commentary from Malanowski and actor Steve Sandkuhler.

Disc #2

• "Scream On" (50:32, HD) is a making-of for "The Curse of the Screaming Dead," featuring interviews with writer/director Tony Malanowski, and actors Steve Sandkuhler, Chris Gummer, and Rebecca Schrader. After "Night of Horror" failed to thrill distributors with its nothingness, Malanowski nixed a plan to add gore to the original picture, instead mounting a new film, with "The Curse of the Screaming Dead" soon entering production. Casting is explored, with most of the "Night of Horror" players returning, and the production experience is discussed, including cold weather, cast relationships, locations, and technical inconsistencies. Zombie activity and gunplay are also dissected. The interviewees do retain a sense of humor about the movie's shortcomings, pointing out mistakes and budgetary limitations.

• "Oh, What a Night…of Horror" (43:50, HD) is listed as a "remembering cast and crew" featurette, offering interviews with writer/director Tony Malanowski, and actors Steve Sandkuhler and Rebecca Schrader. Early careers and ambition are detailed, with Malanowski part of the production team on "The Alien Factor," getting a career boost when "Star Wars" was released. A job at the Maryland State Highway Administration brought Malanowksi and Sandkuhler together, with a "splinter group" formed, setting out to create "Night of Horror." The production experience on the low-budget film is recalled, with various technical challenges and performances to manage, with most of the shoot fueled on cheap beer to keep everyone happy. Finishing a cut of "Night of Horror," Malanowski realized he only had a 60-minute-long picture, requiring additional shooting to bring the endeavor to a sellable run time. The feature's journey to home video is recalled, with the helmer quite happy to see his original image restored on Blu-ray, while Sandkuhler openly wonders why anyone would want to buy the movie.

• "The Man Behind the Masks" (12:33, HD) is an interview with special makeup effects artist Bart Nixon, who grew up as a "monster kid," eventually trying his luck in the film industry, working out of his home in Houston. Finding his way to "The Curse of the Screaming Dead," Nixon was hired to make zombie masks, experimenting with designs. The interviewee seems happy with his work, and he admires writer/director Tony Malanowski for actually completing the endeavor. He closes with a summary of his career, working on 1990's "It" and "X-Men: The Last Stand," and he pulls out a box containing a wax copy of one of the masks.

• "I Put a Spell on You" (29:13, HD) is an appreciation piece from film historian Stephen Thrower.

• "A Morning After 'A Night of Horror'" (20:42, HD) is an appreciation piece from filmmakers Autumn Nakamura Neal and Rosie Nakamura.

• "The Score of the Screaming Dead" (15:08, HD) is an interview with composer Charlie Barnett and recording engineer Jim Crenca.

• Outtakes (8:31, HD) are offered.

• And a Video Trailer (3:08, SD) is included.

The Curse of the Screaming Dead Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Blood and guts eventually arrive in "The Curse of the Screaming Dead," and the feature is appropriately gross, possibly fulfilling requirements for genre fans. Beyond that, there's nothing here that captures the imagination or rewards patience. Malanowski fumbles his way through this boring endeavor, which doesn't have much in the way of technical achievements to keep visuals alive. Even for those who adore any type of zombie film, no matter the quality, as long as it contains the grinding shuffle of white-painted ghouls on the hunt for human flesh, "The Curse of the Screaming Dead" may remain too much of a slog to enjoy.