Ben Macswan
From the eerie suburban compliance of The Stepford Wives (1975) to the town of Twin Peaks (1990) which buries its dark secrets under its picket-fence facade, small towns have bred many an inspiration for horror-filmmakers. But none capture the dreadful conformity of a tight-knit community quite like Dead & Buried (1981).
For those unfamiliar with the cult classic, Dead & Buried follows small-town sheriff Dan Gillis (James Farentino) who slowly begins to uncover a mystery involving the town coroner William G. Dobbs (That’s Jack Albertson, known for his performance as the eccentric Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka!). There is also an early pre-Krueger Robert Englund here in a small role so viewers should look out for that.
An eerie slow burn
The film blends elements of the supernatural and zombie flicks seamlessly. It may look like an unassuming film on its surface, but its core runs deep. As more victims are brutally murdered, they return to life to the town of Potters Bluff, however, their identities are purger and they have no memory of their past. The film is a slow burn but stick with it and it is a ride you will never forget.
It is a deeply unsettling portrait of a soulless existence. Revived back to life by Dobbs, the townspeople’s only function now is keeping their perverse sense of harmony. These ‘zombies’ murder for this collective goal, showing the extremes they will go to maintain their town. Dare to get in their way? I certainly would not want to.
The terrifying consequences of forced conformity
Dead & Buried is still a perfect example of how the Horror genre can comment on aspects of everyday life we are unusually unwilling to address. Dobb’s control of the town is authoritarian with fascistic overtones. His fingers pull on every string; he demands total conformity through violence, and he erases the townspeople’s sense of individuality.
Despite the film being over 40 years old, we are seeing an invasion of authoritarian ideas and dangerous right-wing politics around the world at an alarming rate. And countries and communities dominated by opportunistic leaders wanting obedience more than anything else. Not all of them remain unseen but this can be scarier. Is a monster scarier, buried in the shadows; or is it more terrifying when the mask it hid behind rots to reveal what is underneath?
A shock surprise
In a surprise twist, we discover that the sheriff himself is one of the undead. He may have been unaware, but he is one of them.
Conformity can lapse in slowly, luring you in until one day you may not be able to recognise yourself anymore. A parasite which has embedded itself into the darkest depths, the most vulnerable parts, of our psyche.
If you are a fan of the zombie & supernatural genres, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not giving Dead & Buried a go. It’s hybrid of both genres served with the eeriness of a good campfire story makes it a film that is sure to bury itself in your brain for a long time.
