DVD Corner

Cemetery Man 4K UHD Review

Severin gives cult favorite “Cemetery Man” the 4K treatment.

1994’s “Cemetery Man” (AKA “Dellamorte Dellamorte”) is an oddball Italian horror comedy based on the novel by Tiziano Sclavi. The story follows Francesco Dellamorte- a jaded cemetery watchman who works with his mentally disabled friend/assistant Gnaghi. The cemetery (which is located in the small town of Buffalora, Italy) has a big problem- the dead come back to life (AKA the Returners). Francesco and Gnaghi are tasked with slaying these zombies by splitting their heads open. One day during a funeral, Francesco sees a woman (only known as She) mourning her husband that he instantly falls in love. The two eventually make love on the grave of She’s former husband, but he comes back from the dead and bites her. Through a series of circumstances, She ends up dead, but the story doesn’t end there. Francesco begins to see 2 other women who look strikingly like She. On top of that, Death confronts him and tells him to stop killing the dead. Francesco instead starts to kill the living or does he? Is Francesco losing his mind or is something far stranger going on?

Best known for helming “Stage Fright” and his behind-the-camera work on various Dario Argento films, director Michele Soavi’s biggest solo success was arguably “Cemetery Man.” It’s a truly strange zombie comedy/love story that is filled with distinctly warped and morbid visuals like undead romance, a zombie motorcycle rider (who was buried with his bike), a flying and talking decapitated head, and the Grim Reaper. The film starts off promising enough with its myriad of zombie death sequences and wonderful shooting locations and production design (specifically everything tied to the cemetery property), but the Gianni Romoli script goes off the rails a bit. 

While fans of ‘Cemetery’ appreciate its unpredictability and originality, the disjointed structure makes it feel like a series of smashed together ideas. It starts off as a zombie slaying romance and then loses the plot as it were (although there is barely one to speak of). The story veers into some very trippy territory and it all starts to feel like 2 very different movies. It’s as if something is missing here to connect the first and second half. With that said, “Cemetery Man” still deserves props for its imaginative exploration of mortality, desire, and isolation no matter how off the wall it may be (see the ending).

Cast wise, there are a few notable performances here. It’s hard to believe that Rupert Everett of “My Best Friend’s Wedding” fame starred in this, but he’s perfect as Francesco. It would be nice to see the actor appear in more genre fare. He may not have much to say, but Francois Hadji-Lazaro is memorable as Gnanghi. Lastly, Anna Falchi steals the movie in not one or two but three roles. She should have had a bigger film career to be sure.

“Cemetery Men” is available on Severin’s website here: https://severinfilms.com/collections/uhd/products/cemetery-man-2-disc-4k-uhd

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.66:1 2160p. How does it look? This new print features a 4K scan from the Cinecittà negative. Despite a few scratches and dirt specs, the transfer is top notch. The image is cleaner (especially the daytime exterior scenes), the colors pop, and the natural grain is not erased.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? The Atmos track is nothing short of lively. The score is particularly potent. Other audio options: English 5.1 English Stereo, and Italian Stereo.

Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* Italian and English trailers (on the 4K).
* Commentary by director Michele Soavi and writer Gianni Romoli (on the 4K and Blu-ray.
* 3 separate interviews with director Michele Soavi, actor Rupert Everett and actress Anna Flachi (on the Blu-ray).
* Archival making of featurette on the Blu-ray.

May 27, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Cemetery Man, Cemetery Man 4K UHD Review, Dellamorte Dellamorte, horror, Horror Comedy, Rupert Everett, Severin