Buried Alive

This really is one of my favourite films and is definitely the best Tim Matheson film I have seen so far. If you haven't seen it then I can't recommend it enough! The sequel to this film isn't as good but worth watching if you enjoyed the first. Scenes where Tim Matheson's character is seen to move when inside a zipped up body bag in the morgue, and when he is on the undertaker's embalming table are chilling, and when he eventually wakes up after he's been buried and subsequently digs his way out, the film totally delivers on its promise to thrill. The music when he's stumbling through the cemetery is just perfect and will have you rooting for him as he plots his revenge on his uncaring wife. MUST SEE! :-)

I remember seeing this movie years ago, flipping through the channels and landing on it about 10-15 minutes into it. I got interested as it progressed, kind of keeping me on the edge of my seat. It was pretty believable until you see the way Tim Matheson's character exacts his revenge on his cheating wife and her doctor lover, kind of far fetched but fun non the less. Hoyt Axton plays a good role as the sheriff. This movie is not bad late night tube fodder, and I think is worth taking a look at. Tim Matheson (Otter from Animal House fame) plays a hapless hardworking husband who does not expect that his wife is having an affair and her and her lover are plotting his demise. Tim Matheson is a great character actor and was actually the voice of Johnny Quest the Hanna Barbera action adventure cartoon of 1964-65.

'Buried Alive" is one of those films that has some different ideas, but problems arise in transposing those ideas to the screen. While the performances by Tim Matheson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, William Atherton, and Hoyt Axton are totally acceptable, there is a gnawing distraction called lack of logic, that permeates the film. The shallow burial, and the amazing carpentry work, to name just a couple things that are bothersome. Nevertheless, if you suspend disbelief, the movie maintains interest, and the ending is very satisfying. Sometimes it's worth sacrificing logic in the name of entertainment. ........................ - MERK

This is a film, which although having a somewhat implausable story line, is

entertaining enough to keep you watching until the end. Joanne (Jennifer Jason Leigh) plays the villianess of the film, administering the poison in an attempt to kill her husband and make off with the loot. She plays the part well, right up to the last part of the film which ends in an unliely manner with the interior of the house undergoing structural changes which would take weeks to do in real life.

Notwithstanding this it does enough to be worth watching, indeed I have seen it on several occasions when there has been nothing to watch on the TV.

The joiner Clint Goodman (Tim Matheson) is a man that has built his comfortable house and his construction company in his hometown with hard work. He loves his wife Joanna (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and they have been unsuccessfully trying to have a baby. Clint's best friend is the Sheriff Sam Eberly (Hoyt Axton) and every now and then they spend the night fishing in the lake.

Clint does not suspect that Joanna is having a love affair with the local doctor Cortland 'Cort' van Owen (William Atherton). The lovers plot to kill Clint and sell his company and his house, and then they would move to New York City. Cort gives a poison to Joanna and she spikes Clint's wine with the drug. Clint has the effect of a heart attack and is immediately buried without autopsy in a cheap coffin.

During the night, Clint awakes buried alive, but he succeeds to escape. He goes to his house and he finds the truth about his wife and the doctor. Further, he learns that Joanna was pregnant and Dr. Cort had made an abortion of his child. Clint plots a dark revenge against Joanna and Cort.

"Buried Alive" is a dark tale of betrayal and revenge for television by Frank Darabont in the beginning of his career. I saw this B-movie for the first time in the 90's on VHS and today I have just seen on DVD. The good thing is this film has not aged and is still great. Jennifer Jason Leigh is excellent as usual and Tim Matheson and William Atherton had good performances.

The plot has many coincidences, but is engaging. The unforgettable conclusion in the cemetery explains the title of this film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sepultado Vivo" ("Buried Alive")