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“Cemetery Man” * (1994, Severin Films) “I’d give my life to be dead,” says cemetery groundskeeper Rupert Everett, and who can blame him: the locals in his small Italian town are either idiots or bureaucrats and his attempts to find love go disastrously wrong. The dead would seem to offer less problems, but those buried at his cemetery have the unfortunate habit of returning to life, and require violent dispatching. Italian horror-comedy from Michele Soavi and based on the comic by Tizian Sclavi is largely satisfying on both sides of the genre equation, offering impressive makeup effects (by vet Sergio Stivaletti) and an off-kilter script that revels in upending audience expectations (especially the explanation-proof ending). That approach may not work for the hardcore zombie crowd (“Cemetery Man” did poorly during its U.S. theatrical release), but those seeking alternatives to the shoot-them-in-the-head approach (though there’s also enough of that here) may appreciate its lighter, weirder touch; Severin’s 4K/Blu-ray offers a Soavi-approved 4K scan from the original negative and features commentary by the director and writer Gianni Romoli, who detail the production challenges, criticism leveled at the film and that curious ending. New and archival interviews with Soavi, Everett, and co-star Anna Falchi, as well as English and Italian-language trailers, are also included.
