One of the greatest losses to stem from the absence of physical video stores is the aimless browsing of aisle after aisle in hopes of discovering some undiscovered gem. Horror fans of a certain age especially know this feeling, as it was that section where you would find the most scattershot assortment of covers that would work overtime to try to hide the often forgettable quality of the feature itself. This was all a part of the experience, though, and it is something streaming just cannot capture in the same way. Thankfully, companies like MVD Entertainment have lines such as the MVD Rewind Collection to capture a bit of that old-school magic by releasing films of this type with covers meant to replicate those videos of yore. Much like back in the day, stumbling across the cover of the 1983 flick Mortuary conjures up some very specific expectations which this film delights in dismissing almost entirely. The film is not great, but it is one worth exploring if you enjoy messy fun.
The best that can be said about Mortuary is that it feels like the product of two entirely different creative visions. The film opens with the bludgeoning of a wealthy doctor by an unseen figure that is made to look like a drowning in a pool. His daughter Christie (Mary Beth McDonough, The Waltons) just barely misses witnessing the attack, but she is sure that her father was killed. Everyone else, including her mother Eve (Lynda Day George), assures her that it was an unfortunate accident. You almost forget about this initial death entirely as you start to follow Christine’s boyfriend Greg (David Wallace) and his best friend Josh as they sneak into Josh’s old place of business, a mortuary warehouse, to steal some tires. The simple plan gets complicated when they see what else but the owner, Hank Andrews (Christopher George), performing a “seance” in the basement (looks like a coven meeting to us, but who are we to split hairs?). The boys split up and let’s just say Josh is not seen again with a pulse. There is a lot of weirdness going on in this town.
The cover of Mortuary features a hand thrusting out of a grave, so you naturally think it is a film with some kind of undead aspect, right? But then you watch a little bit of the film and are surprised to learn we are delving into the occult supernatural territory. Not so fast! We are actually in a slasher film, baby, and there is a mysterious hooded figure going around town that seems a bit fixated on young Christine. Just when you think Mortuary is going to zig, it disappears into a puff of smoke leaving you to wonder if it ever existed in the first place. The screenplay of the film is erratic as all get out and will leave you perplexed at more than one point. Yet, there are elements to really have fun with if you give into the almost comical nature of the film. The hooded figure actually looks pretty creepy as he not-so-stealthily sleeks around outside certain houses – also revealing his identity a bit sooner than anticipated for eagle-eyed viewers who can peer behind the makeup. The slasher elements don’t go overboard on the gore, but the sheer gusto with which the killer delivers his blows should garner a smirk from the audience.
The performances in the film are about what you would expect from a low-budget early 80s slasher flick – varying degrees of bad. A young Bill Paxton makes the most interesting choices in the film as Paul, the awkward son of Hank Andrews who works in the mortuary alongside his father. You hear some stories about how Hank mistreated Paul as a kid, but what we initially see is a young man who has a bit of a crush on Christie and is eager to show off some records he picked up – that all seems above board. The film likes to set up plot threads only to throw them away a few scenes later. Some of these may have had payoff in a different version of the script, but this version of the film is focused on getting to a finale that has a high ick factor and a final jarring development that seems to want to get a Friday the 13th-esque reaction but does not quite reach those highs. Mortuary is deeply flawed, but hardcore horror fans will likely find fun in picking it apart.
Video Quality
Mortuary returns to Blu-Ray via the MVD Rewind Collection with a 1080p transfer. The source of the transfer is unclear, but it would appear to be quite similar to the one used for the Scorpion Releasing Blu-Ray before it went out of print. The results are pleasing enough given the low-rent nature of the production with an organically filmic presentation that only occasionally suffers from artifacts and hazy looking shots. For the majority of the film, the transfer is moderately detailed, but there is the occasional shot that runs on the soft side or experiences some fluctuations in density. The presentation features some pleasing detail in the production design and texture of clothing. Colors are fairly vibrant and bright, especially in the daytime portions of the film. The black levels could be a bit stronger as they struggle with depth. There is the occasional nick or scratch present in the print, but overall this is free of blatant damage. This is a fairly solid presentation for a film that was probably not ever that gorgeous to begin with.
Audio Quality
MVD Visual brings us this new Blu-Ray with an LPCM 2.0 track that offers a very strong audio experience. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the chatter at the skating rink and the sound of a body falling into a pool. This track does not present with any glaring instances of age related wear and tear. This is a track that represents the film in a very pleasing way. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Interview with Composer John Cacavas: A 15-minute interview moderated by Nathaniel Thompson in which the composer does not remember too much about Mortuary but still delivers some fun stories about other works in his interesting career.
- Trailers: A two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided for Mortuary which gives away nearly all of the film including the killer. There are also trailers provided for House on Sorority Row, Dahmer, Mikey, One Dark Night and Mortuary (2005).
- Poster: A fold-out poster of the cover art is included in the case.
Final Thoughts
Mortuary is a fairly watchable bad horror movie that is all over the place with its plot, but creepy enough to keep you interested. Bill Paxton steals the show in what will be a surprise to no one, and the rest of the cast deliver their passable best to get from A-to-B. This one seems like it would be good with a group of friends who know exactly what kind of movie they are getting into. MVD Entertainment has kept the video store culture alive with the lovely new Blu-Ray which sports a decent A/V presentation, a couple supplemental elements and some spiffy packaging.
Mortuary is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
