And Then They Were Dead... (2004 Video) User Reviews (7)

So bad, its bad... But has its moments.

[Jim-D · 5/10 · 25 February 2005]

This is the kind of film that is obviously a labor of love. When watching And Then They Were Dead, the apparent directorial debut of Rey Schwetz, it becomes quite apparent that money was tight and aspirations were high. Unfortunately, some of the aspirations were a little too high. Couple that with some of the most inane ideas ever set aside for a film and you've got a recipe for disaster... or this.

The film follows a basic Agatha Christie-style murder mystery, with shades of Italian giallo films and good old fashioned American slasher flicks. A group of people end up in a big house and, one-by-one, begin knocking each other off. Sounds fun - and is for the most part...

Where this film runs awry is the rationale behind it. The characters have absolutely no qualms with their strange weekend trip, which should seem mighty peculiar to virtually anyone who doens't spend their Friday nights in strangers' homes. They speak to each other like horny teenagers although they are all middle-aged adults. The french maid, complete with hilarious outfit, looks like she fell out of a schoolboy fantasy. The icing on the cake, however, is the sex scene which takes place only moments before the visitors plan on taking down the murderer. Its like the film decided to stop dead in its tracks so two people can get it on behind a pile of empty U-haul boxes. It wouldn't have been so bad if we would have at least had some nudity, but all we get is a shirtless guy with a huge tattoo scrawled over his back on top of a fully-clothed woman.

But, before I completely shut out the film, I should address the good points. The effects are a blast, but I wish I could have seen more gore in the film. Joe Zaso is a riot, as usual. Willie Hill is fun as a mysterious butler. Darian Caine is lovely, as always... So, if you're in the mood for some camcorder cheese, this might be the perfect way to spend 90 minutes. If you seek high art, or even a good horror flick, look elsewhere.

It was Colonel Mustard, in the bathroom, with the straight razor!

[PlanxtyMacGonnagal · 7/10 · 31 January 2006]

The makers of this film seemed like they were trying to make CLUE, only with more gore and nudity than the simple board game would allow.

Its a one-note slasher who-done-it with the token characters you've come to love - the boorish husband, the sleazy french maid, the weird butler, the sex-starved 'dude', etc... - And one-by-one, they get their's!

Its a goofy, z-grade romp, but still manages to be a lot of fun. - And if its got Joseph Zaso in it, I'm sold. Honest to God. The guy is simply a hoot in everything I've seen him in.

Good stuff here, people - just don't try to wrap your mind around it and you'll have a darn good time.

A delightfully gorish low budget film which delivers in entertainment what is lacks in funding.

[zervako · 9/10 · 20 July 2004]

A delightfully gorish low budget film which delivers in entertainment what is lacks in funding. A good story with some wonderfully amusing scenes that kept me either completely disgusted or hysterically laughing throughout the entire film. This film has many deliberate camera shots and deliberate (I hope) overacting that exhibit a sense of creativity. You need to look for what the director is trying to do with it before you pass judgment. The musical background is a perfect example as one can lose himself in the shower scene and forget about horror films altogether. Some of the lighting becomes low at times and sound levels can fluctuate but what do you expect for a low (and I mean low) budget. Overall great work and I am hoping to see more from Ray Schwetz.

A very entertaining film

[njkelly · 8/10 · 4 July 2005]

I viewed this movie with my room mate the other night and found myself quite entertained. As a fan of the old time gory horror movies, it was great to see this film return to that genre. So many films shy away from blood but not this one. The plot will keep you on your toes, waiting for the next scene to come along. While some of the acting may be over the top, it doesn't take away from the story and you will actually find yourself enjoying the movie more. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good old fashioned horror movie, one with a plot, and one that doesn't shy away from the gore! This film is reminiscent of the House on Haunted Hill premise, where many different guests are all called to a single house without any knowledge as to why. Watching them interact with each other is as entertaining as the rest of the film. But the biggest thrill for me was watching the guests reach their ultimate demise one by one. This film will surely become a cult favorite amongst all fans of the horror genre.

Low Budget Shocker!

[zillafan666 · 9 July 2004]

Unlike most "camcorder" microbudget movies, this one has a fun (if familiar) plot, decent special effects, good acting, great music, and just the right amount of gore and sex (thanks to a hot, gratuitous Darian Caine shower scene!!!). It's obviously a labor of love for writer-director Ray Schwetz and the cast/crew. Seven strangers go to a run down mansion to attend a dinner party for a mysterious business opportunity. When one of them is murdered by a killer in black (shades of Argento giallo films!)and a secret to the dinner is revealed (yuch!) the guests and staff begin murdering each other! Who will survive? Where is the host? It's Agatha Christie formula, but done with a modern spin on a very low budget, and it delivers! The DVD is great! Lots of extras, and it's paired with another fun low budget anthology film called "Guilty Pleasures"! I wasn't expecting much, and the film does have some bad lighting and camera-work in spots (things that plague most of these "indie" features), but overall it's a surprisingly funny, gory good time! I look forward to the next Cinema Image movie!!!

Entertaining micro-budget mystery thriller trash

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 12 November 2013]

Seven strangers assemble for a lavish dinner party hosted by a mysterious unseen person at a big posh house. Pretty soon the guests start getting bumped off left and right as they are overwhelmed by greed, lust, and fear. Writer/director Ray Schwetz relates the enjoyably tawdry sub-Agatha Christie premise at a steady pace, delivers a satisfying smattering of cheesy over-the-top gore, adds seedy elements of voyeurism, necrophilia, and cannibalism to provide an extra sordid kick, and further enhances things with amusing bits of dark humor. The competent acting by a cast of familiar B-pic faces helps a whole lot: Tina Krause does her customary sturdy work as sultry and shifty call girl Sara, Joe Zaso positively oozes as smarmy creep Dr. Mark Reibolt, Lynn Marci bitches it up nicely as Reibolt's snippy spouse Rebecca, Willie Hill exudes smooth charm as suave butler William, and Devon Mikolas contributes a likable turn as the nerdy Hunter. Best of all, ever-delectable softcore starlet Darian Caine not only looks mighty fine in a skimpy French maid outfit, but also bares her yummy body in a deliciously gratuitous shower scene prior to meeting a bloody'n'brutal untimely demise. The crude shot-on-video cinematography by Fred Cerneglia and Hugh C. Daly gives this picture an appropriately grimy look. Function Zero's funky throbbing score hits the groovy spot. Good seamy fun.

The music score is awesome

[sgmack29 · 23 September 2002]

The music score for this film is great. It's dark and creepy, but yet energetic, and even humorous. An excellent soundtrack.

The film is also well done for something that was done on such a low budget. It's suspenseful but funny. Thrilling and enjoyable. A really fun film.