The Dead Don’t Die

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

What if we made a zombie movie where no one really cares that there are zombies? A sort of dull, apathetic acceptance to the horrific and odd world events happening around them. Legendary director Jim Jarmusch gave me pretty much exactly what I thought he would–an un-deadpan (ha ha) black comedy with an all-star cast: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, Chloe Savigny, and a slew of other cameos I won’t spoil here.

In the town of Centerville, USA (population 768), everything moves a little slower, even the apocalypse. When citizens realize the sun isn’t setting, people start talking. Radio reports come in about electricity failures and other oddities taking place globally; even the head of the Power and Energy Board comes on air to assure us all that these crazy events have “absolutely nothing to do with the increase of ice fracking.”

It’s a nice little message from Jarmusch; the message rolls into something a little more personal, as when the undead return, we see them going back to “the things they did in life.” We see ghouls holding cell phones they can’t use, muttering “wi-fi” and “facebook.” Undead children looking for toys and candy. Zombified soccer moms practicing tennis. Undead dads flocking to tool stores. It plays to a larger theme of mindless consumption–cheeky, albeit effective.

I feel like critics and audiences aren’t going to go crazy for this right off the bat; this is a slow burner, deliberately paced, unflinchingly sincere in its presentation, unwavering in its self-awareness, and steadfast in its brazen humor. You’ll know what I mean if and when you see it. I think Jim Jarmusch is a great writer, and the banter he creates will be quoted between friends as inside jokes 10 years from now. It’s 100% a cult film in the making.

In a time where multiplexes are filled with Avengers and Wicks and Dark Phoenixes, mammoth sized films with astonishing budgets and record breaking box office returns, it was refreshing to see a flick that was just as aware as the audience that it didn’t need to be made. Though I am glad it was.

– Felix Millan

Something strange is going on in the small town of Centerville, USA. News reports claim that polar fracking has caused the earth to spin off its’ axis and the planet is in dire trouble. No one can get a cell phone signal, pets are running away, it’s broad daylight when everyone should be getting ready for bed, and oh yeah, the dead are rising from their graves and feasting on unsuspecting citizens.

Chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray) and officer Ronnie Petersen (Adam Driver) are patrolling the town when the strangeness begins to unravel. Officer Petersen states in a matter-of-fact manner, “This is going to end badly,” and at that point, all you know, is that you should probably believe him. The townspeople are all represented here, fellow bespectacled officer Mindy Morrison (Chloë Sevigny), hardware shop owner Hank Thompson (Danny Glover), who possesses the knowledge of how to eradicate a zombie, nerdy gas station/convenience store owner Bobby Wiggins (Caleb Landry Jones), newly arrived mortician of Ever After Funeral Home, Zelda Winston (Tilda Swinton), who can wield a katana with the greatest of ease, farmer Frank Miller (Steve Buscemi), who dons a red baseball cap which reads, “Keep America White Again”, and homeless, hermit Bob (Tom Waits) who is the conscience of the film.

Jarmusch added a few touches that I really got a kick out of. I laughed when undead teens roamed around and muttered “wifi”, recently deceased and resurrected alcoholic, Mallory O’Brien (Carol Kane) groaned “chardonnay”, a child zombie murmured, “skittles” in a candy store. When the zombies were slashed or shot, they didn’t emit ooze, slime or blood, they simply expelled a black soot.

An all star cast with Murray, Driver and Swinton as the true stars of the film. If you’re expecting Dawn of The Dead, Zombieland, Walking Dead, even Shaun Of The Dead, then you won’t like this film, that’s a fact. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. Luckily for Jim Jarmusch, he doesn’t care what we think.

-AmazonJunkie

DVD Wholesale Main Features :   

Actors: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi
Directors: Jim Jarmusch
Writers: Jim Jarmusch
Producers: Joshua Astrachan, Carter Logan
Format: NTSC, Subtitled
Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: French Canadian, Spanish
Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: R-Restricted
Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 10, 2019
Run Time: 105 minutes
ASIN: B07SQ66W4S