Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things main backdrop
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things main poster

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

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5.4/10 • 99

1972-06-091h 26m

HorrorComedy

You're Invited To Orville's "Coming-Out" Party... It'll Be A Scream... YOURS!!

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.

Directors
Bob Clark
Writters
Bob Clark
Editors
Bob Clark, Gary Goch

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Alan Ormsby

    Alan Ormsby

    Alan

  2. Valerie Mamches

    Valerie Mamches

    Val

  3. Jeff Gillen

    Jeff Gillen

    Jeff

  4. Anya Ormsby

    Anya Ormsby

    Anya

  5. Paul Cronin

    Paul Cronin

    Paul

  6. Jane Daly

    Jane Daly

    Terry

  7. Roy Engleman

    Roy Engleman

    Roy

  8. Robert Philip

    Robert Philip

    Emerson

  9. Bruce Solomon

    Bruce Solomon

    Winns

Reviews1

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Wuchak Avatar

Wuchak

May 5, 2022

6/10

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-

Media

  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster
  • Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$70,000.00
Revenue
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Keywords
islandzombieliving deadgraveyard