Dead Heat (1988)

A cop and his undead partner must chase down the diabolical villain who killed him.

Director:

Mark Goldblatt

Writer:

Terry Black

Stars:

Treat Williams, Joe Piscopo, Lindsay Frost

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Treat Williams	...	Roger Mortis
Joe Piscopo	...	Doug Bigelow
Lindsay Frost	...	Randi James
Darren McGavin	...	Dr. Ernest McNab
Vincent Price	...	Arthur P. Loudermilk
Clare Kirkconnell	...	Rebecca Smythers
Keye Luke	...	Mr. Thule
Robert Picardo	...	Lieutenant Herzog
Mel Stewart	...	Captain Mayberry
Professor Toru Tanaka	...	Butcher
Martha Quinn	...	Newscaster
Ben Mittleman	...	Bob
Peter Kent	...	Smitty
Cate Caplin	...	Saleswoman
Monica Lewis	...	Mrs. Von Heisenberg

Storyline

Roger Mortis and Doug Bigelow are cops that are chasing crooks that are dead serious about crime. Or should I say they are chasing dead crooks perpetrating serious crimes? Seems some nutcase has learned how to bring back the dead and is sending them on crime sprees. Now these indestructable goons are in the way of officers Mortis and Bigelow. To even things up, when Mortis is killed (in the line of duty, of course) he gets a jump start from the Resurrection machine and takes the fight to the zombie bad guys.

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Plot Keywords:

armed robbery | police partner | morgue | suicide | uzi | 

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Taglines:

These cops are on the biggest murder case of their lives... their own.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 May 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dead Heat

Filming Locations:

Japanese Garden, Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant - 6100 Woodley Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,667,036, 8 May 1988

Gross USA:

$3,588,626

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,588,626

Company Credits

Production Co:

Helpern / Meltzer

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Body Count: 32.

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Goofs

Treat Williams is repeatedly shot in the chest and back by the zombie thugs, resulting in many bloody wounds. In the next scene he's shirtless and there are no bullet holes in his body.

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Quotes

Det. Doug Bigelow: Roger, maybe you ought to get yourself a change of clothes. Being dead isn't something you should advertise.
Randi James: I might have something in my closet.
Det. Doug Bigelow: Something for that unexpected overnight guest, Miss James?
Randi James: From an ex-boyfriend, Mr. Bigelow. A very ex.

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Alternate Versions

TV versions have additional scenes that were cut out of the original release. Included: The Mausoleom part is longer (and includes an appearance by Dick Miller), Mortis having a nightmare about his Death Day Party (with Piscopo in Zomibiefied makeup). These scenes and more are included on the 2004 DVD release (in rough but watchable quality).

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Connections

Edited into Cent une tueries de zombies (2012)

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Soundtracks

Dead Heat
Written by John Huckert (as John W. Huckert Jr.), Patrick Read Johnson & Phil Settle (as Philip J. Settle)
Performed by Phil Settle
Copyright © 1987 by: Sarah Beth Songs BMI

User Reviews

What a goofy action / comedy should be

One of Joe Piscopo better movies, Dead Heat is a fun ride that is filled with action and wild comedy. Treat Williams stars in this interesting story about the walking dead. Not a horror movie about zombies, but the living dead committing crimes. Williams and Piscopo do justice to this low budget movie. The story itself holds its own as the limited special effects can only take the audience too far. The comic relief of Piscopo fills in the gaps where the gun fights and walking dead miss. Treat Williams shows his leading man qualities in Dead Heat while he has failed to do so in other movies. In the end, the movie produces an enjoyable ride for action fans. One of Vincent Prices' last movies, he is the icing on the cake of the b-movie that Dead Heat is.