Review: The Dead Pit (1989)

Do you like zombies?

Do you like movies set in insane asylums?

Do you like incredibly hot chicks who spend the whole film in their panties and a t-shirt?

Well, if you don't, there must be something wrong with you! For those who are not familiar with the film (like myself until recently), this late 80's cult classic zombie film has apparently had a dedicated following ever since it hit video store shelves with its famous light up video cover. The Dead Pit was the directorial debut of Brett Leonard who went on to direct such turd piles as Lawnmower Man, Virtuosity, Sigfried and Roy's the Magic Box, Man-Thing, and Highlander: The Source! Whew! Talk about living down to your potential. While it is somewhat heartbreaking that Leonard's best film is his first, The Dead Pit should still stand for a long time after he's gone as a simply damn fun little picture.


The story concerns a mad neurosurgeon who is killed after it's discovered he's been performing bizarre surgical/quasi-satanic magical procedures on his patients. We then jump forward twenty years to see a young woman, with a bad case of amnesia, named Jane Doe being admitted to the same mental institution. Soon, the buried secrets of Dr. Ramzi and his experiments begin to surface as Jane's forgotten past begins flooding back. Basically what you'll get is a pretty amusing slow burn thriller with a balls to the wall final act when the zombies finally come out of Ramzi's pit. One of the biggest attractions of this film for me is the the female lead Cheryl Lawson. Lawson apparently started out as a stunt woman but she gives a solid performance here, mostly in her underpants. So, not only is she talented, she's also a real knockout and can scream with the best of them. Think a sexier Heather Langenkamp. Plus, we get to see her boobs.


Another notable feature of the film are the zombies themselves. There's really no set of "laws" that apply to these zombies. Do head shots kill them? Who knows. The fact that they're a combination of surgery and evil magic make them quite unique in the annals of zombie film history. The other thing about this film I really loved was that it was set and filmed in a real decrepit insane asylum. I've always had a love affair with abandoned buildings and particularly asylums ever since I saw Brad Anderson's superb Session 9. Plus, I'm a big H.P. Lovecraft fan and the Danvers asylum from Session 9 is mentioned in a few of his stories. This creates a nice blend of 80's cheese, low budget horror, and creepy atmospherics, resulting in a film that, while not a cinematic masterpiece, has ended up on my fun flick short list.



Now, many of you who know the film, or who may never have seen it, know of it primarily from its distinctive VHS video box that we all saw numerous times on the Blockbuster, Movie Gallery, and mom and pop video rental shelves. For those who've never seen the film, the lead zombie, Dr. Ramzi, occasional has red glowing eyes; this ties into the whole supernatural/magic/satanic angle of the film. There's no doubt that this was a truly great video cover (see the above photo), that was probably responsible for most of the films cult success. However, if your pissed that the DVD does not feature the same cool light up googlie eyes, I'd suggest you take it up with Bill Olsen, owner of Code Red DVD. You can hear his hilarious thoughts and feelings about this issue in the video below.

(as heard on Dead Pit Radio)

Anyway, box art aside, you can probably tell that I really enjoy this film. Its nothing special in the long run, but I just can't help but love it. It's perfect for a boring weekend afternoon, a party with friends, etc. So please, support Code Red DVD and go pick up the exclusive 2-disc special edition at your local Best Buy (for only $14.99!). You'll be glad you did.