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Okay so this isn't the greatest film in the world. It's not even the greatest horror film, but fans of Bill Paxton have got to check out this movie. Paxton puts his all into making every one of his characters entertaining and this film is no different. Bill really goes overboard with this character and it's a good thing because otherwise the movie would be pretty boring. My friends and I had to rewind one scene several times we were laughing so hard at Paxton antics. The film does contain a fair amount of suspense but it is "the great" Bill Paxton that makes the movie worth while.

Mortuary (aka Embalmed) is one of a number of American horror movies made around this time that feature places involved in the funeral business, Phantasm, One Dark Night and Mausoleum being a few other examples. It was made during the Golden Age of the Slasher Movie but sadly the only thing golden on offer here is Bill Paxton's enjoyable performance, he plays the son of a funeral director and he likes listening to Mozart, skipping through graveyards and has an unhealthy obsession with a girl called Christie. She is played by Mary Beth McDonough and I found her performance fairly wooden. The movie also stars Christopher George (in his final film role) and his real life wife, the very attractive Lynda Day George. Although primarily a slasher movie the plot does throw in a cult led by C George which appears to be a mix of black magic and seances, pretty pointless but fun to watch, especially the wobbly, moving table! We get the usual, cliche thunderstorms at night and the identity of the killer is so obvious though he does look very creepy, there was not a great deal of gore on show (could be that the Hokushin VHS release that I watched was possibly cut) but we do get some nudity. I liked the creepy musical score, and having some Mozart for the end credits was cool. As a slasher fan I found it to be reasonably enjoyable but it is only a rather minor entry.

Mortuary (1983)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A woman and her boyfriend think that there's something strange going on at a local mortuary and she believes it might be linked to the mysterious death of her father. Before long they discover that the mortuary owner (Christopher George) and her mother (Lynda Day George) are holding seances there and might know more than they are saying.

If you walked into a horror film in 1983 then you were more than likely getting into a slasher picture. The slashers were all the craze during this period and it was rare to see a film that didn't try to push the gore factor. MORTUARY is a film that isn't the most popular thing today and it's probably because there's not too much gore and violence. Instead of that stuff this film tries to deliver suspense and drama and it's actually a lot better made than you'd expect.

What I enjoyed about this film is the fact that it really did try to build up an atmosphere and scare the viewer. The film takes it's time telling its story and the mystery aspect of it was pretty good. Even better are the scenes where the killer, dressed in black and wearing a white mask, stalks the young girl. There's a sequence where he chases her around her house and it's very well-directed and it manages to have a great jump scene. The film also benefits from not going the gore route, although there are a few bloody murders scattered throughout.

The film also benefits from some nice performances including Mary Beth McDonough and David Wysocki. They played the lead kids doing the investigating and they at least keep you entertained and hold your attention. Bill Paxton is also very good here in a supporting role as the weird nerd who works at the mortuary. I've always been a fan of Christopher George and he too is good here. This would turn out to be his final film as he suffered a fatal heart attack before this picture was released.

MORTUARY has some flaws including the pacing and I'd argue that the ending doesn't work as well as it should have. Still, on the whole I thought the film was quite entertaining and especially when compared to what most horror films were doing at the time.

The movie itself was really quirky and slow... but it's definitely worth the watch to see what a young Bill Paxton does with the material. The most nostalgic thing however about this old film (credits say 1981) is that there are a few scenes from a roller rink named Skating Plus. Just for giggles after the film I happened to google it to see if any old photos existed. Turns out the rink is still in business and is in Ventura. They have FB & IG as well. What is bizarre is that there is no mention of the rink in the credits even though a lot of footage was shot there. Really cool to see the dated lingo and outfits of the early 80s too. Definitely worth a watch.

I think perhaps you know your film is in trouble when you have to disguise it as something it is not. The cover on the video cassette when we rented this movie read, " Before your funeral, before that last shovel of earth is put over you...make sure you are really dead." That sounds intriguing. This makes me think I am going to watch a film about some sick b**tard who is going to attack (whoever) and then attempt to bury them alive. That sounds interesting to me, more than that, it sounds like a great premise for a horror film. But as I watched the film, I kept waiting for something, anything to happen. But it never does. And that is unfortunate because there are some great elements to the film that could lend it the credibility it needs to reach cult status. Bill Paxton has one of his first starring roles, you have the husband and wife team of Lynda and Christopher George and you have a good premise. What this film does not have is execution.

The film begins on a promising note. A man is murdered in his backyard in broad daylight. Next, two friends enter a warehouse to collect some tires that one says his former boss owes him. They begin to hear voices and decide to check them out. They end up seeing what looks to be a black magic ritual and leading this ritual is one of the kid's former boss. His name is Hank Andrews and played by Christopher George, he is ripe with suspicion from the outset. Is he the killer? He could be since he is performing the mumbo-jumbo with a bunch of ladies dressed in black cloaks.

Soon the boys separate and then one of them dies, without the other knowing. This sets up the rest of the film where everyone is trying to figure out what the hell is going on. We are introduced to Bill Paxton as the mortician's son and then there are the usual players in the hero and the heroine.

The problem with this film is that it is not scary enough for horror purists, not nearly enough gore for a film about embalmment and another major problem with the film is it tells you who the killer is about an hour into the film and then for the last half hour all you have is the hero trying to stop him. I don't mean to be cynical but even an episode of Scooby Doo doesn't reveal the villain until the final two minutes of the show. I think this ruins the film because up until that point I wasn't thrilled with the film but I wasn't bored either. But the last half hour of the film is just the killer playing Mozart and talking to his victims he is about to kill while they are in a catatonic state. I don't see how the director could possibly see this as interesting, freaky, scary or entertaining. There are just too many plots cavities to make this a real cheesy classic like some of the other horror quickies that were offered to us in the early 80's.

There are some good elements to the film, one of them being the music and the other being Bill Paxton's performance as a mortician's son who just happens to be a couple cans short of a six pack. First, the music reminded me of Friday the 13th overtures and it worked quite effectively here. The few times that there was a little tension in the film the music contributes nicely to it. I cannot say it is on par with some of the greats like Halloween, but it certainly isn't a nuisance. Secondly, Bill Paxton is just about the finest thing in this mess of a film. I know there are many people out there that happen to think that Bill Paxton is one of the most under-appreciated actors working today (I am one of them). Here he gets to ham it up for the camera. He has a few memorable scenes which some of the other reviewers have commented on. There is a scene that has him running through a cemetery with flowers in his hand that had me cracking up. Also his final few scenes where is talking to himself, you can see he is doing is absolute best to pull off what the screenwriters have doomed him to say, and he almost does it without looking like a complete idiot. Bill Paxton is a credit to the film and without him it may not even be as good as it is.

All in all Mortuary is a waste of time. Many films tried to cash in on the horror craze of the 80's and this was one of them. There is really nothing to remember about this film as it created more levity surrounding it than sheer terror. And although that is not it's only problem, it is a major one. There are some very good cheeseball horror films that have entered my V.C.R. Some of those include The Prey, The Burning, The Forest and The Beast Within just to name a few. These are the types of films that aren't going to win any Oscar's but they will grace the pages of Fangoria. And although you may find Mortuary in one of the back issues, even they would have to admit that this is an unfortunate misfire.

5.5 out of 10--It receives a passing grade because of the eerie music and Bill Paxton.

I finally came around to see this horror, I remember seeing vividly on the video shelves, over thirty years ago. I remember one of the stills on the back of the cover, vividly, where our two hotties are making out, in all their nakedness. This film really starts off well, with you guessing what the hell is going on, on all cylinders basically, where soon you begin to add up all their dots, especially with Bill Paxton's lovestruck, psychopathic character, and again this take notice actor, makes a meal of his role. For the last thirty minutes, it's all so apparent here (where it's no surprise, Paxton is the psycho) we totally know where the rest of the films going, with just a waiting process, not good for a thriller/suspense/horror. Mortuary is a major disappointment to me, especially in the gore department. I really expected this film to much more gorier, like a few other 80's shockers. The story has beautiful Mcdonough losing her father to a nutter (guess who?) with a baseball bat. Other strange happenings occur, her boyfriend's friend, strangely disappears, as she's having bad visions, as well as a stalker/nutter (guess who?) putting the scares on her at night, in some creepy cultish garb. We see at first hand, a little, how embalming works, and the sex scenes w're ere thankful for, as well as Mcdonough's beautiful presence. At some point, when trying to add up the dots, I really found this movie stupid, like the living hand sticking out of the casket, an strange occult scene, following, involving Mcdonough's mum (the hot Lydia day George who's supposedly having an affair with Paxton's father and owner of the mortuary (the late Christoper George, where him and Lydia previously starred in the ultra sicko chainsaw flick, Pieces. I did like the movie's score, but of course the best thing about this film, can be summed up in two words: Bill Paxton, who does relievedly make the last ten minutes, worth it, in what is just a grave-ly disappointing flick. Sorry about the pun.

After her father's mysterious death Christy suffers from sleepwalking and night terrors.Making things worse,no one beliefs her claims of a ghoul faced killer lurking in the shadows.When she learns her mother is in a coven of witches,Christy begins to distrust everyone in her life.It's up to Christy's boyfriend to save her from the hands of crazed embalmer played by Bill Paxton,who looks like black metal musician.Fairly decent slasher flick with several jolts of suspense and gruesome deaths.Not a lot of blood and gore,but plenty of breasts both living and cadaver to enjoy.The ending is kind of quick after all the build up,but it is also pretty surprising.Fans of early 80's slasher flicks should give this one a try.

ARC, Artists Releasing Corporation, stands behind yet another film from the early '80's as a distribution company. These were the same guys responsible for releasing 1981's Incubus followed up by another Slasher in 1982 entitled Pieces (aka Mil gritos tiene la noche). This title falls in line with the familiar Slasher recipe, one of which you've seen quite often.

The story opens with two friends, Greg and Josh, that travel to the local mortuary; a point of employment before Josh was unexpectedly fired. While breaking and entering, the two men notice a strange ritual taking place in the lower levels of the establishment. The two are eventually separated long enough for Josh to be brutally murdered by the hands of a black-hooded fiend who dons white facial powder and black makeup. Greg quickly escapes and notices his van, which is parked outside, drive off; causing him to believe that Josh left without him. He manages to escape with the help of his girlfriend, Christie Parson, who is still mourning the supposed accidental death of her father. The young couple attempt to fit the pieces of the puzzle together by inspecting overlooked details. Periodically they are met by the mortuary owner's son, Paul Andrews (a 28-year-old Bill Paxton). Paul has an obvious crush on Christie but due to his awkward disposition and banal persona he is denied outright. With various clues to throw you off the beaten path you are left to decide the identity of the killer along with his modus operandi.

In my opinion, there are two different types of Slasher films. The first and most common would be the "whodunit" film where the murderer plays a role in the group that's methodically killed during the course of the story. Usually the audience is led down false channels to divert their attention of who the killer really is. The motive is usually jealousy or rejection but almost always caused by psychotic tendencies. The second type of Slasher film involves more of a rudimentary approach; a crazed, anonymous individual is on the loose, savagely butchering the "fish in the barrel" as it were, until finally a plot detail is uncovered and some connection can be drawn. Of all the Slasher films I've seen (I've seen over 25 from the 1980's alone), these formulas, sometimes even a combination of the two, are almost always represented in some way or another. Mortuary adheres to the first equation I mentioned: a group of actors are introduced, certain characters show up at convenient times, and the true villain is revealed.

One of the biggest problems with Mortuary is that it starts off well enough by building a dash of suspense and intrigue; a well done approach and clever contrivance that'll serve as a platform for merriment rather than sensory detainment. Okay...so why is this a problem? Well, it's not long before the film starts loosing momentum and the competent devices aforementioned start abandoning ship faster than the crew of a sinking vessel. This occurs instantly when Mortuary decides to take it upon itself to reveal the killer halfway through the story, ruining the shocking outcome you were hoping for.

As the sub-title of my review indicates, Mortuary attempts to seduce you with its impressive-looking box art but unfortunately the story doesn't play up to what you'd expect. In fact, you'd be doing yourself a great service if you choose not to even acknowledge the artwork and that's a sad state of affairs coming from me. Unfortunately, you're here on IMDb and undoubtedly examined it anyway, thus rendering my warning useless and all for naught. The presentation and graphical layout of a film's box art is essential to all movie-goers; the experience is not exclusive to fans of the horror genre. I believe that since this genre can be credited with visual expressiveness more than 50% of the time the accurate depiction of the film via artwork is a crucial step in forming our first impression. Shame on you Mortuary! Your adept use of artistry on the front cover holds dominion over our judgement! How dare you!

In closing, I thought it'd be decent of me to rate Mortuary fairly. Although I chose not to discuss in explicit detail the musical score, it's wonderful and a joy to listen to. It's a prime example of what a suspenseful chiller should employ to elevate or enhance the apprehensive sequences that follow. The acting just simply "gets the job done" along with an above-average lighting approach that heavily compliments a rich set construction. If the portions discussed precendently chose to pan out differently I may have loved this film - sadly, it's quite content on subsisting in the mid-ranged array of films that comprise my vault of horror.

Last year, I was looking for some obscure horror films, when I caught a glimpse of 'Mortuary'. The cast was good, but I decided to download it only because it had Christopher and Lynda Day George in it. I never grew up beyond the early 80s and have watched tons of those famous and forgotten gems that were released between 1980 and 1990. I usually watch them because they give me a kick and throw me back to my childhood days, when the censor boards used to be so raw and wild. As far as 'Mortuary' is concerned, it has very little gore and few intense murders, but it's nothing compared to Lucio Fulci's classics like 'The Beyond', 'Zombie 2,' 'The New York Ripper' and 'A Lizard in Woman's Skin'.

'Mortuary' begins with a huge mansion with a swimming pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Yes guys! It's the Gulls Way Estate located in Malibu, California. The scene is picturesque, but what actually makes this scene outlandish is the marvelous synthesizer tune by John Cacavas. I really want to credit him for bringing a special flavor to 'Mortuary' as without his music, 'Mortuary' couldn't have become a mini-cult classic. Back to the story, so it begins with a young lass Christie Parsons (Mary Beth McDonough), who has just been back from somewhere around and probably witnesses her father Dr. Parsons (Danny Rogers) being smashed by a baseball bat by an unknown assailant. Dr. Parsons falls into the pool and drowns. A month later, everybody believes that Dr. Parsons, a renowned psychiatrist, fell prey to an accident but Christie still believes that it was a cold- blooded murder. Tensed and depressed, she develops a strange habit of sleepwalking. Christie's mother Eve (Lynda Day) also thinks that her husband died a natural death and often tells Christie not to over imagine. She thinks that Christie is a victim of trauma and whatever she says is just her imagination.

A few days later, Christie feels that someone is stalking her. She is not very sure about who he is, but believes that he must be the person who killed her father. Christie often opens her heart before her handsome boyfriend Greg Stevens (David Wallace) and thoroughly believes on him. One day Greg and his friend Josh (Dennis Mandel) happen to sneak inside Hank Andrew's (Christopher George) warehouse. Mr. Andrews is a respectable citizen and a popular man in the community. Trolling around, the friends discover that Mr. Andrews is conducting a séance with few women. Greg finds that one of the women is Eve, Christie's step mother. Josh tells Greg that he has come to Mr. Andrews's warehouse to snuck a pair of tires because he was previously an employee at Mr. Andrews's mortuary but got kicked out for his 'peeping' habits. Josh believes that Mr. Andrews owes him some money and stealing tires would even their accounts out. Leaving Greg behind, Josh goes to the adjacent room to collect tires. Suddenly, the door behind him closes separating him from Greg. A hooded figure with a huge embalming trocar springs out of nowhere and stabs Josh to death. The door opens and Greg finds that Josh is nowhere around. He also gets a glimpse of his van rushing out of the Mortuary premises and thinks that Josh left without him. With the help of Christie, Greg manages to get out and then discusses the incident with her.

Paul (Bill Paxton) is Mr. Andrews' son. He holds a silent but overwhelming obsession about Christie. He is not so bold to say this on her very face and is always uncomfortable to see Greg around her. Christie sympathizes with him because as a child Paul's family was a dysfunctional one and he was often punished by his parents. On silly mistakes his parents would lock him up with the dead bodies the horror of which gradually made Paul a psycho. Since nobody likes Paul due to his daft attitude, he usually finds solace in Christie who likes him the way he is. After Paul's mother (whom he loved dearly) committed suicide, Paul lost his mind and Dr. Parsons had suggested Mr. Andrews to put him in a mental asylum. Mr. Andrews, however, rejected his offer by telling him and the other community members that he alone can take care of Paul. Now a hooded figure with a white mask and a huge trocar is stalking Christie everywhere. Greg and Christie team up together to unfold the mystery behind those dramatic and illusionary episodes of stalking, which Eve strongly believes are the part and parcel of Christie's sleepwalking sessions. Their investigation leads them to Mr. Andrews' Mortuary where they may get all the answers they ever wanted.

I fell in love with 'Mortuary' at once and it has now become a guilty pleasure of mine. I can't put my finger specifically on what I like most about this flick, but I guess it has been filmed in brilliant locations and the Gulls Way Estate is surely something I wouldn't like to visit in the dark! Moreover, the roller disco scene and the absolutely soothing track 'Be My Lover' that plays alongside gives it a nice nostalgic touch. Actors have acted well but David Wallace needed more space here to show his talents. The storyline doesn't have much scope for David's character and leaves many questions unanswered. Howard Avedis begins it nicely and also introduces some sub plots (séance and the witchcraft scenes) that ultimately wash out somewhere and are never harnessed. Bill Paxton is great as usual and the way he maintains his plain face is worth a look. Overall, 'Mortuary' is a good return on investment and one of the decent ways to get drowned in nostalgia of those years we call early 80s. Wonderful!!

(**1/2 out of *****) In spite of some mediocre acting and a somewhat rambling storyline, this tasteless sickie has enough suspenseful and shocking scenes here and there to at least make it interesting. Christopher George (who was in several of these kinds of movies around this time) runs the title establishment, where he holds seances with community mothers and yells at his son (Bill Paxton!) for taking too long to embalm the cadavers. Mary Beth McDonough (from "The Waltons") plays a sleepwalking teenager who witnesses her father's murder (although no one believes her), and George's real-life wife, Lynda Day (who was in the awful "Pieces" with her hubby in the same year), plays her mother. Oh, and there's a creepy, pale-faced killer in a hood and cape running around stabbing and draining people with a large embalming needle. There are gratuitously prolonged shots of needles piercing stomachs, but there are also some genuine scares and a pretty good climax. Plus, you get Bill Paxton (who deserves the credit for this movie's two and a half stars) in an early, over-the-top performance, before he toned down for big-budget blockbusters (and yawn fests) like "Twister" and "Titanic." David Wallace plays McDonough's blonde-haired, beef-cake boyfriend, and, supposedly, Michael Berryman (from "The Hills Have Eyes") is in this thing, but I'll be damned if I spotted him.

HIGHLIGHT: Paxton, with full manic glee, conducts an imaginary Mozart symphony with an audience of dead bodies slumped in chairs behind him (the climaxes of both "Happy Birthday To Me" and "Madhouse" -- also ‘81 slasher films -- are curiously similar. I guess homicidal maniacs love an audience, dead or alive.)

Maybe a performance by a young Bill Paxton is the only plus for this rubbish. One of my 'rule of thumb' is if a film has a painted box cover, you're in for trouble. Usually means the film is so bad, they can't find a decent shot to put on the cover.

Poor Chris George just sleepwalks his way through the film, obviously either ill (he died after the film was completed) or just bored and thinking of the paycheck he was getting and what to spend it on.

The young leads are two of the most nauseating teens I've ever seen on screen, "Boo, I'm Dracula!" "Oh, you're sooo crazy!" Cak!! Hand me the killer's knife, I'll stab them myself!

When you don't like the supposed heroes, it's hard to care what happens and when the plot, acting, writing, directing are all dull too...well, it's finger on the fast-forward button time. But I resisted and saw the film out to it's silly ending, senseless 'lets have a shock ending!' It's not..it's just stupid.

At least I bought the tape secondhand in a charity shop, so, at least the money went to a good cause.

This movie is about a college-aged girl named Christie (played by Mary Beth McDonough best knows at that time for her work on the show "The Waltons,") whose father, a psychiatrist, dies in his pool, but, through dreams, Christie believes that his death was no accident. She is dating Greg, who recently went to a warehouse with his friend Josh where they discover that Christi's mom and Josh's boss (a Funeral Home owner) are involved in some sort of dark ritual. Josh does not make it out of the warehouse, but Greg does.

Christie also sleep walks and upon coming out of one of her trances, she sees a dark figure attempting to stab her.

Now convinced that that same person responsible for her father's death is after her, she becomes even more paranoid.

Ok, now my thoughts. The way the movie reads when I wrote it sounds like a group of 10-year-old girls sat around in a circle and made up a movie. It is silly, there are plot holes everywhere, the acting is terrible, the story is terrible but I absolutely loved it! I can't explain why, maybe because, watching the movie as a 50 year old man instead of a 9 year old will change the lens through witch you watch the movie. I laughed out loud many times, whereas when I watched it as a child I was terrified.

The bads: The writing, editing, storyline, special effects, acting, directing and production

The goods: It's laughable in a good way, it's old school horror/slasher so if your into that you'll love this one, the house (even back in the early 80s that house was beautiful), Bill Paxton! Bill Paxton delivered quite a few over-the-top performances back in the 80s and this one delivers. His character is kind of a creepy mis-fit and he plays it well.

Don't watch this if you're expecting "Halloween" but do watch it if you want to giggle at bad 80s clothes, movie production, and storylines with a few slasher elements included...and Bill Paxton!

The Mortuary (1983) is a movie I recently watched on Shudder. The storyline follows a young lady whose father was murdered but police don't seem interested in investigating how and why. The young lady and her boyfriend start investigating the murder on their own which takes them to a mortuary where something peculiar seems to be going on...

This movie is directed by Howard Avedis (The Teacher) and stars Mary Beth McDonough (The Waltons), David Wysocki (Gold Dust), Bill Paxton (Aliens), Lynda Day George (Mission: Impossible) and Christopher George (Pieces).

This is a bit of an uneven horror film. The cast is awesome, especially Bill Paxton. Lynda Day George is a smoke show as Mrs. Parsons. The horror elements is where this film struggles with consistency. The opening kill at the mortuary is fun. The special effects and gore could have been taken up a notch. Some aspects are predictable and the ending was just okay, but this was worth a watch.

Overall, this is a fun addition to the horror genre that's far from perfect but worth a viewing. I would score this a 6/10 and strongly recommend seeing it once.

After the death of her father a young woman suffers nightmares while a robed killer stalk her and. By all means I wouldn't nessacraity call this a good movie however while watching it I could see the potinal it could of had with it setting and characters. For the most part the films really generic with very generic although some offer an interesting early appearance from Bill Paxton. The aren't really alll that interesting. The first half of the films try to play off more of a mystery of what's happening and then near the and feels more like a basic slasher. The killer who all honestly there's no real mystery to who it is. Uses a embalming tool which is kinda unique I'll give that, but honestly there's so little death going on that it's kinda disappointing. For a film called mortuary you really don't spend that much at the mortuary. Honestly the film phantasm swould have work better named Mouturay and vice versa.

"Mortuary" is a pleasant, entertaining and competently made 80-s slasher movie with a killer that looks like a prototype Ghostface. It falls apart a little as it nears it's end because it devolves into cringe try at a family drama, but it's still a great watch for the sub-genre fans. There is also some nice nudity from Mary Beth McDonough and Lynda Day George presents us with a cleavage that is out of this world. In conclusion, while "Mortuary" is not a slasher masterpiece, it's a must-watch for slasher fans and not that bad watch for casuals either. I give it a 6.5/10!

My friend and I originally saw this movie while looking at old Bill Paxton movies and this did not disappoint. It's the kind of bad that prompts a great interactive viewing. The glaring shortcomings of the acting, plot, and production quality are deeply entertaining and even if it's bad, it's so fun to make fun of. My friend and I found ourselves quoting even the worst parts of the movie and ugly laughing. "CHHHHRIIIIIIIISTTTTTTIIIEEEEEEE!"

Mortuary came out right at the end of the first big wave of slasher films, but it seems as if its influences are a bit more old fashioned than, say, Halloween or Friday the 13th. For starters, Mortuary actually has a pretty solid and interesting plot. The kids involved aren't the usual oversexed buffoons (although, there is one sex scene with a hilariously obvious body double) and the adults (featuring Christopher and Lynda Day George of Pieces infamy) even get something to do for once. There's slicing and dicing (the killer's weapon of choice is an embalming needle), but it's not too extreme on the gore and it all feels like a better than average TV movie from that time period.

Mortuary is well made, well acted, and even a little creepy in parts (when the killer's face first appears, it's genuinely jarring). Definitely worth seeking out.

After her father's dubious death at his manor in Malibu, a young woman and her beau (Mary Beth McDonough & David Wysocki) trace the truth to a mortician who holds cult-like seances (Christopher George), not to mention his psychologically troubled son, an embalmer (Bill Paxton). Lynda Day George is on hand as the mother.

"Mortuary" (1982/1983) starts as occult-oriented horror akin to "Midnight Offerings" (1981), which also starred Mary Beth, but it takes a different path, morphing into a horror-thriller mystery à la "The Night Strangler" (1973) with slasher elements in a mortuary/cemetery setting. The last act throws in something reminiscent of "Don't Go in the House" (1979). "One Dark Night" (1982) also comes to mind.

Speaking of "Midnight Offerings" and "The Night Strangler," this has a made-for-TV vibe except for the explicit embalming sequences, gore and sex scene (using body doubles, of course). The score is notable in an early 80s way and unrecognizable young Paxton is a highlight with his over-the-top performance. But the weird cult bits at the beginning are curiously never elaborated on and the lights going off-and-on at the Malibu mansion is annoying padding.

Nevertheless, there's enough good here to entertain those who appreciate some of the aforementioned flicks.

Beth Scheffell is notable as Bonnie at the skating rink (the blonde in the red shorts), but her role amounts to being a wallflower cameo.

The film runs 1 hours, 33 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles (cemetery and mortuary), Malibu (Christie's house), Burbank (florist shop) and Marina del Rey (driving/plaza scenes).

GRADE: B-/C+

You've seen this movie before perhaps in a different setting - rejected introvert's jealousy for an unrequited romantic interest becomes a murderous obsession, in this instance, one he attempts to galvanise through his unique embalming skills honed from working at his father's mortuary.

Thin storyline attempts to pad things out with some weak and disconnected satanic rituals, and the plot contains little depth or imagination although the film manages to hold the interest when it focuses on the genre fundamentals.

Future film star Paxton performs his first leading role with apparent conviction albeit little assistance from the banal dialogue, whilst veteran movie couple Lynda Day (stunning in a particularly low-cut negligee) and Christopher George sleepwalk through their lead roles, headlining a competent cast that also includes Alvy Moore and co-producer Marlene Schmidt playing Wallace's parents.

Schmidt and husband Avedis ('The Teacher', 'The Fifth Floor') demonstrate they understand the formula well enough to make a passable slasher film, although the suspense doesn't always work; the climax in particular seemed poorly orchestrated with a lacklustre resolution (although possibly redeemed somewhat by the surprise ending) whereas the lengthy confrontation at McDonough's house is well-staged and delivers a few well-timed scares.

McDonough has a physical role notwithstanding a body double in the more revealing moments, Wallace as her concerned boyfriend has a natural ease about him and handles the lighter moments well although his character isn't as effective in the action sequences.

Between the scenes of frenzied mayhem (no exaggeration) there's disco roller boogie and the familiar college humour synonymous with slasher movies, but overall 'Mortuary' is mediocre and almost as soporific as it's expired residents.