Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1972)
Six actors go to a graveyard on a remote island to act out a necromantic ritual. The ritual works, and soon the dead are walking about and chowing down on human flesh.
- Bob Clark
- Bob Clark
- Alan Ormsby
Rating: 5.379/10 by 95 users
Alternative Title:
Revenge of the Living Dead - US
Things from the Dead - US
Things from the Grave - US
Zreaks - US
Cemetery of the Dead - DE
Zombie Graveyard - SE
La noche de los muertos vivientes II - ES
Трупы детям не игрушка - RU
Los Ninos no Deben Jugar con Cosas Muertas - ES
Der Friedhof der Lebenden Toten - DE
Otan Anoitoyn Ta Mnhmata - GR
孩子不能同鬼玩 - CN
Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 26 minutes
Budget: $70,000
Revenue: $0
Plot Keyword: island, zombie, living dead, graveyard
_**A cabin in the woods on an island with a book of spells and a graveyard**_ A theatre troupe is misled by their crackpot leader (Alan Ormsby) to spend the night on an infamous isle off the coast of Miami known for its cemetery of outcast criminals. There he tries his hand at raising the dead using a grimoire. "Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things” (1972) is a horror indie by Bob Clark (director/writer) & Ormsby (writer) inspired by “Night of the Living Dead” (1968). It only cost $70,000 (about $45,000 less than “Night”), but the spooky atmosphere is effective (with eerie sounds for the soundtrack rather than conventional music), the zombie make-up is well done and the amusing characters were written & performed with personality and spunk. Brunette Jane Daly stands out in the female department as Terry (the girl with the yellow shirt) while Anya Ormsby is reminiscent of Parker Posey as the spiritually sensitive lass (she was married to Alan at the time of shooting). Meanwhile Valerie Mamches is entertaining as the quasi-Gypsy woman. While watching I couldn’t help think of Steve Gerber’s Man-Thing comics from 1973-1975. The location and vibe are similar, just without a swamp monster. He was obviously influenced by this cult flick. The film runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot in the Coconut Grove area of Miami. GRADE: B-
