The Dead Next Door (1989)

Director:

J.R. Bookwalter

Writer:

J.R. Bookwalter (writer)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

How do you kill something that won't die? Where do you run when they're everywhere?

Plot:

The government sets up a Zombie squad after an epidemic has made the world run rampant with living corpses...

Plot Keywords:

Zombie | Virus | Extreme Violence | Undead | Tongue

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Pete Ferry	...	Raimi (as Peter Ferry)
Bogdan Pecic	...	Dr. Moulsson (as Bogdan 'Don' Pecic)
Michael Grossi	...	Mercer
Jolie Jackunas	...	Kuller
Robert Kokai	...	Rev. Jones
Floyd Ewing Jr.	...	Capt. Kline
Roger Graham	...	Dr. Franklin
Maria Markovic	...	Anna
Jon Killough	...	Vincent / farmhouse zombie
Scott Spiegel	...	Richards
Jeff Welch	...	Cmdr. Carpenter
Michael Todd	...	Jason / Van driver
J.R. Bookwalter	...	Lloyds
Jennifer Mullen	...	Powers
Joe Wedlake	...	Dr. Savini

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:(Banned) (2002) | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18 | Spain:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Akron, Ohio, USA

Company:

Amsco Studios

Trivia:

The movie that Randalls and the others are watching, that he says Raimi can improve his zombie hunting skills with, is The Evil Dead (1981).

Movie Connections:

References The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Soundtrack:

Louisiana Love Purchase

There's no budget, there's no talent either

This movie can claim to be a low, low budget gore movie without any attempt to actually any talent even though it thinks it has. The plans were just too big for the director J R Bookwalter to handle, he also covers most of the other production roles from cameo to credits designer, evidently everything he touches, he has no talent to back up whatsoever. The movie has no pace, tension, shock value, nothing at all. The ideas are great but Bookwalter, one can only assume was exercising sloppiness, chose not to care much about them. 85 minutes long and it feels like three hours; the acting is truly awful Scott Spiegel turns up in a small role, ruins the scene and then years later directed From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money, easily one of the worst movies ever made.

I may be a tad harsh, after all these types of horror movie aren't meant to be serious, but that's the rub, I think Bookwalter is so convinced that he was making a classic that he, and the large cast could not see that he couldn't handle the scope and the end result is so bad it's bad.

The gore parts, which is why most people watch these types of movies are good for the tiny budget, every penny spent us up there on the screen, but that is it's only saving grace. Mr Bookwalter, go and learn how to make movies before actually making one, The Dead Next Door entertained me for all the wrong reasons turning what was meant to be a serious stab at filmmaking, into a camp classic for the 'Don't care' generation. Sorry mate.