Twice Dead

As I'm writing this, in 2025, there's still a huge 80s horror-revival going on. Since several years already, in fact, and it looks as if it's becoming a subgenre on its own. Either the movies and TV-series supposedly take place in this great decade, OR the style and themes pay tribute to the wild & glorious horror flicks of the era. Many of these movies are great, or fun at least, but when I then see a genuine effort of the 1980s - like "Twice Dead" - I realize that nothing beats the real thing!

Some typically 80s guff can never be equaled, like an allegedly "tough" LA street gang of which the leader has a Flock of Seagulls haircut. Another member is a complete weirdo, and yet another one is a fat and clearly overaged guy who never steps off his bike. And, of course, there's the ravishing babe who gratuitously takes her top off for casual sex. Only authentic 80s movies can provide real 80s entertainment; - and that is that.

Okay, enough whiny nostalgia and misplaced romanticism, because "Twice Dead" obviously isn't a big masterpiece. It's a forgettable but more than fun enough combo between slasher, supernatural horror, and street gang action. A financially struggling family is relieved to move into an old and dilapidated mansion in Beverly Hills, which they inherited from an uncle. The house has a dark and more sinister family background, though, as we witnessed in the intro. Stage actor Tyler Walker committed suicide here in 1935, because the love of his life chose to be with another man, and his tormented - and excessively theatrical - ghost still haunts the place. But hey, since a violent gang of street thugs claimed the house as their own and terrorize the new owners, the bloody help of a vengeful ghost might even be useful!

There's zero tension, atmosphere-building, or plausibility. However, this gets widely compensated via a few brutal deaths, the presence of the cherubic Jill Whitlow (in love with her since "Night of the Creeps"), the perfect breasts of Charlie Spradling, and - once again - the authentic 80s vibes.

A bankrupt family are forced to move into an abandoned home in Los Angeles that they have inherited, only to find it occupied by a street gang when they arrive. The gang is ousted, but that doesn't put an end to the conflict. Complicating matters ... the house is haunted. While I admire the attempt to mix two genres here, neither genre is done particularly well. Still ... between the two, there's enough here to keep you moderately entertained. The actor and actress playing siblings in this film seem to forget these characters are related and play them as disturbingly flirty. The only actor you'll recognize here is Todd Bridges, which says volumes about the quality.

This movie was definitely cheesy. I saw this movie a long, long, long time ago on cable television. I enjoyed the movie because I was a child watching a rated R movie. It was a typical B-rated movie with blood and gore and sex and drugs and violence. You know, the essence of the 80's.

I recently watched Twice Dead (1989) on Tubi. The storyline follows a family that moves into a haunted house once owned by a deceased actor-or is he really gone? Meanwhile, a local gang takes a disliking to the kids in the family. When the parents leave the kids home alone, the gang breaks into the house to harass them, possibly with worse intentions. However, the gang doesn't realize they've intruded into a haunted house with a ghoul that might be deadlier than they are.

This film is directed by Bert L. Dragin (Summer Camp Nightmare) and stars Tom Bresnahan (The Kingdom), Jill Whitlow (Weird Science), Jonathan Chapin (Sixteen Candles), and Christopher Burgard (Border).

Twice Dead saves all the "good parts" for the end. It features classic 80s horror characters, attire, dialogue, and circumstances. The gang's outfits are hilariously fun. The acting is just okay, but the film makes good use of lighting, shadows, and colors to create intensity. For most of the film, kills and gore are limited, often showing someone about to die, then cutting to a corpse with blood. The motorcycle scene is hilarious and fun, and there's a memorable sex sequence kill. The film includes classic 80s horror nudity, and the absolute final scene is the best part of the movie.

In conclusion, Twice Dead is a fairly cliché and straightforward 80s horror film that doesn't stand out in the genre but is a must-see for fans of horror from this era. I would score this a 5/10 and recommend it only with appropriate expectations.

One of the better examples of the 80's on how to mix the horror and comedy genres successfully. This film is about a family moving into a house that is haunted by the ghost of a once great actor. A few neighborhood punks cause trouble though and eventually try to take the house over and kill the family, but the ghost helps them out and dispatches of the punks in violent and creative ways.

Very low budgeted, but fast paced thriller with only average to poor performances and ok direction. It is extremely entertaining though with some very good f/x and an especially exciting finale.

Rated R; Graphic Violence, Nudity, Sexual Situations, and Profanity.