Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Twice Dead Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 10, 2021

Director Bert Dragin didn’t have much of a filmmaking career, but he tried his luck with scary movies in the 1980s, making his debut with “Summer Camp Nightmare” before quickly jumping into 1988’s “Twice Dead.” Dragin, along with co-writer Robert McDonnell, attempt to create a haunted house experience with the feature, which follows two siblings as they deal with the violent history of their new home. The helmer puts in the work to generate a modest level of suspense and a surprising amount of style, but his focus isn’t strictly aimed at the supernatural. “Twice Dead” is more of a “punks at war” viewing experience, keeping the endeavor from living up to initial expectations for a creepy event involving a malevolent spirit and its determination to disrupt domestic peace.

Harry (Sam Melville) and Sylvia (Brooke Bundy) are looking to create a new beginning after dealing with bankruptcy, moving from Colorado to L.A. to claim ownership of a dilapidated family mansion. Siblings Scott (Tom Bresnahan) and Robin (Jill Witlow) aren’t delighted with the change of neighborhood, especially when it becomes clear that punk gang leader Silk (Christopher Burgard) isn’t ready to give up the location, which has become a hang out spot for his collection of creeps. While Harry and Sylvia deal with money troubles out of state, Scott is left to defend the household against Silk’s growing antagonism, with enforcer Crip (Jonathan Chapin) especially drawn to Robin, determined to claim her as a lover. While a war breaks out between the two sides, haunted happenings occur within the house, as the spirit of original owner Tyler (Chapin), a Hollywood actor, remains inside the dwelling, looking to protect the property from outside interference.

The saga of Tyler serves as an introduction to “Twice Dead,” learning more about the demented man’s existence inside the mansion, where he slow dances with a dummy that resembles the wife that left him, soon stabbing her and committing suicide on the eve of his foreclosure. Such a horrible event is meant to inspire a ghost story, with Tyler’s spirit remaining in the mansion as Scott and Robin move in, ready to make something of a bad situation involving their father’s many failures. Dragin initially tries to summon spookiness, tracking the characters as they explore their new surroundings, dealing with power outages, rotted interiors, and for Sylvia, the worst possible nightmare: a frayed electric blanket cord. “Twice Dead” has the set-up for uneasy encounters with the other side, but Dragin repeatedly mistakes stillness for suspense, often following characters as they slowly inch around in the dark, failing to deliver any excitement with a premise that’s ripe for macabre events.

“Twice Dead” eventually reduces Tyler’s importance to the plot, concentrating on Silk and his goons as they try to make life miserable for the new family. The picture becomes a teen movie in many ways, with a lot of flared nostril overacting and minimal stakes as a war of escalation begins. The mayhem soon involves Petie (Todd Bridges), Scott’s new librarian buddy, and Dragin manages to work in a car chase to get the film going, involving a hearse that was left at the house. Juvenile delinquency has its highlights, with gang rage becoming more interesting than a ghost story, eventually putting Scott’s special effects makeup education to use as the brother and sister try to mastermind a night of horrors for Silk to scare them away. It’s a fun sequence.

Twice Dead Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shout Factory includes a note at the start of "Twice Dead," explaining how a film print was used as source material for the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation, and that one shot was missing, requiring footage from a tape master as a replacement. It's a much softer viewing experience for the feature, with fine detail elusive, finding even facial surfaces lacking compelling textures. Colors are respectfully refreshed, pushing bright primaries with period outfits and stylish lighting choices. Greenery is natural, along with skintones. Delineation slips into solidification at times, especially with black gang gear. Grain is heavier with some blockiness.

Twice Dead Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix carries some degree of age, but intelligibility isn't threatened, with performances reasonably clear. Performance excitability doesn't fuzz out highs. Scoring cues aren't sharp, but volume is balanced, and soundtrack offerings are equally emphasized with passable instrumentation. Sound effects support horror events comfortably.

Twice Dead Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writer/director Bert Dragin and actor Tom Bresnahan.

• "The Girl Next Door" (12:28, SD) is a 2010 interview with actress Jill Whitlow, who discusses her early start in Hollywood, drawn to the camera as a child before working her way into bigger projects, including "Porky's," "Weird Science," and "Night of the Creeps." For "Twice Dead," Whitlow details the location shoot, trying to use the house as performance inspiration, and she reveals a slightly colder camaraderie during filming, as opposed to the friendliness of "Night of the Creeps." Whitlow details her avoidance of nudity throughout her career, and shares her post- acting life, finding more fulfillment as a mother.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:40, HD) is included.

Twice Dead Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Twice Dead" doesn't become a ripping tale of ghostly happenings, though the climax suddenly pays close attention to Tyler's violent influence, which, of course, involves the deadly threat of an electric blanket with a frayed cord. There's intermittent fun to be had here, but what's impressive about the feature is Dragin's attention to screen style, pushing to create shots and use color in artistic ways, endeavoring to do something cinematic, which is a pleasant change of pace. "Twice Dead" looks nice and it works periodically, perhaps providing the most satisfaction for viewers who fully understand before sitting down for a watch that while terrors from beyond are included in the story, Dragin more interested in slow-burn house tours and the frustrations of high school dropouts.