Death Warmed Up (1984)

A kid is hypnotized by a scientist to kill his parents and ends in a mental institution. As a grown up he returns to seek revenge over the scientist.

Director:

David Blyth

Writer:

Michael Heath

Stars:

Michael Hurst, Margaret Umbers, William Upjohn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Hurst	...	Michael Tucker
Margaret Umbers	...	Sandy
William Upjohn	...	Lucas
Norelle Scott	...	Jeannie
David Letch	...	Spider
Geoff Snell	...	Jannings
Gary Day	...	Dr. Archer Howell
Bruno Lawrence	...	Tex
Ian Watkin	...	Bill
David Weatherley	...	Professor Tucker
Tina Grenville	...	Netty Tucker
Nathaniel Lees	...	Jackson
Karam Hau	...	Berry
Jonathan Hardy	...	Ranji Gandhi
Norman Fairley	...	Barman

Storyline

A kid is hypnotized by a scientist to kill his parents and ends in a mental institution. As a grown up he returns to seek revenge over the scientist.

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Plot Keywords:

female nudity | topless female nudity | sex in car | cult | ozploitation | 

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Taglines:

You have only one life to live...but there are many ways to die...

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Australia New Zealand

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 1985 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Death Warmed Over

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tucker Production Company, New Zealand Film Commission

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

At the beginning of the movie, when Michael's mother and father are watching the news in their bedroom.

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Alternate Versions

The BBFC required approximately a minute of cuts to grant a certificate in the UK. Also cut in Australia.

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Connections

Referenced in I'll Get You All - David Letch on Death Warmed Up (2019)

User Reviews

Strange, but good....

I bought this on Amazon.Com, and watched it last night, not knowing at all what to expect. And I must say, I liked it.

Ten years ago, Michael was hypnotized by a very unstable doctor into killing his own parents. Then he is locked up in the mental institution for it. In the present (or the present time of the movie) Michael, his girlfriend Sandy, and their friends Lucas and Jeannie head to an island for a vacation, where the doctor has moved his work to, and has started a new experiment in reprogramming people's minds. And Michael wants revenge for what was done to him, planning to kill the doctor. But they still plan to have a fun vacation, too. (I told you the movie was strange.) Anyway, when they get there, they see how the doctor has taken over the island, and then get themselves involved in some risky business to find the doctor, which leads to chases, attacks, and some all-around good scares.

I wasn't sure I liked this movie, but now I think I did. Some of it was weird, and I didn't understand every aspect, but it was still exciting. The chase scene in the tunnels was great, as was the attack on the pub. The characters were all likable, and the acting was surprisingly good. Of course, there's no denying that this is a B-movie, but it's well done. Towards the end, it gets sort of weird, and actually sort of tense, because you don't know if Michael is crazy or what, because he is pushed to the edge in this movie. But luckily, he isn't the only one in the spotlight. Everyone seems to be a star. Sandy, his girlfriend, is a great character, even though she manages to really set in with the waterworks towards the end of the movie. I think she cries for five minutes straight.

The actual ending is odd, but really good. I didn't understand what the deal was with Michael at that point, but it was still pretty cool, and the slow-motion of Sandy running seemed to have a weird effect. Overally, a pretty good movie. I'd recommend it, but don't try to understand it all.