Product Details

• Actors: Alan Ormsby, Valerie Mamches, Jeff Gillen, Anya Ormsby, Paul Cronin
• Directors: Bob Clark
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: VCI Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: September 18, 2007
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000TV1SWE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,283 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

The story focuses around a theater troupe, led by Alan (Alan Ormsby) a mean-spirited director, who travels by boat to a small island for buried criminals. Using a grimoire, Alan begins a séance to raise the dead after digging up the body of a man named Orville Dunworth. Afterwards Alan goes to extremes to degrade the actors, using the corpse of Orville for his own sick jokes. The dead return and force the troupe to take refuge in the old house. They must decide whether it's best to stay put until day, provided the old house holds up against the undead onslaught, try to all flee through the pitch black cemetery and forest to the boat, or have one person brave the obstacle in hopes that they can bring back help in time. Bonus Features: Photo Gallery, Exclusive Music Video from "Freak 13," Exclusive music video from "The Deadthings" Australia's #1 Glam Band, All New Commentary with Alan Ormsby, Jane Daly, and Anya Cronin, Bonus tribute to Bob Clark, Trivia, Much More. Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital; 87 minutes; Color; 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - PG; Year - 1972; SRP - $19.99.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of My Personal Favorites - Zombies Chills + Some Humor, December 8, 1999

By 

Peter Correnty - See all my reviews

This review is from: Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (DVD)

I own multiple copies of every version of this film available on VHS, LD and DVD. VCI's version on VHS and DVD is the most complete version I've seen (running 87 minutes, 1 - 2 minutes longer than previous pre-records) AND it's letterboxed, and nicely packaged.

CSPwDT is one of those rare horror films that is truly terrifying. I've often tried to pinpoint exactly what frightens me the most about this film: the atmospheric, creepy setting; a remote, island cemetery where tufts of mist sweep across an eerie graveyard, or the weird electronic synth music with shrills and screeches, and human moaning in the background, or the incredible 'revival of the dead scenes' with some of the most effective make-up ever committed to celluloid, or the wild cinematography and lighting, ...

It all works together to create, in my opinion, an impossible-to-forget masterpiece. Reportedly the film cost $70,000 to make in 1972, but it has more scares and is more effective than any recent big-budget horror film that I can remember. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. Watch it tonight alone with the lights out!

30 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FUN! FUN! FUN!, July 29, 2004

By 

R. L Templeton - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (DVD)

I saw this at the theater when it first came out. It was great then and it's still great now. I've read reviews complaining about the picture quality on this DVD but I really don't think it can be much better than it is. It was obviously shot cheap and this is what you get. The mood and the atmosphere that this sets up at the very beginning is genius. The film really delivers at the end. In my opinion there were so many great horror movies made in the early seventies and this is one of them.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC OF THE 1970's, November 12, 2000

By 

Gregg Taylor (Branchville, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (DVD)

I'd hesitated in purchasing this DVD because of the 1.5 rating the quality had received, and another review that had bashed its inferior transfer. I finally caved in and spent the bucks--and found it to be EXACTLY like the old VHS version--only letterboxed!--Which is great, and yes, the quality is dark and smudgy at times, but that's ONLY BECAUSE of the original film stock used!! Remember folks, this is/was a low-budget (somewhat independent) horror film, and the original master has suffered some fade, but it's exactly what I remembered it as being when the film was the "Million Dollar Movie" on Channel 9 YEARRRS ago. It's a great addition to my DVD collection, and a great source of some really chilling sequences! For the first hour, it's all talk-talk-talk, but there's atmosphere!--And the dialogue is pure camp--the clothes are SO 1970's--but the last half-hour (when the zombies arrive), the hair really starts to rise. Have fun with it!