The Dead Center comes to us from director Billy Senese and provides a psychological horror trip involving a recently undead mental patient John Doe (Jeremy Childs) and the psychiatrist (Primer actor Shane Carruth) trying to help him until he realizes that humanity might be safer with John Doe staying dead. Something evil has come back with the mysterious John Doe, and it’s slowly taking lives one by one. Can it be stopped or is it too late?
The Dead Center is a blending of different genres that come together quite well. There is the psychological tension of figuring out the mystery behind the patient, and as the story unravels, we steep our toes into direct horror territory with an ending that leaves the film open for more. The film, however, doesn’t spend much time providing much on the mythology. There are a few heavily filled scenes of exposition involving a coroner who is investigating the mental patient who he thinks is dead and missing, but other than that, we are left to figure out what happened. A bit more fleshing out would have greatly benefited the film. Nevertheless, fans who enjoy their horror with some psychological tension will have fun with this one.
Blu-ray
Arrow Video releases The Dead Center on Blu-ray with solid audio and video. There are times where it seemed the blacks in shadows were crushed, but it’s not often. Audio is presented in both 5.1 DTS-HD and 2.0 lossless stereo audio. The 5.1 track makes good use of the rear channels.
As usual, Arrow Video packs this Blu-ray release full of extra features. Multiple audio commentaries, a lengthy making-of, deleted scenes, cast interviews, short films, and trailers are just some of the many features you will be watching.
Packaging Details
Extra Features
High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation
5.1 DTS-HD master audio and lossless stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Commentary with writer-director Billy Senese, producer-actor Shane Carruth and co star Jeremy Childs
Commentary with writer-director Billy Senese, producers Denis Deck and Jonathan Rogers, and cinematographer Andy Duensing
A Walk Through The Dead Center, an in-depth making-of documentary featuring new interviews with writer-director Billy Senese, producer-actor Shane Carruth, cinematographer Andy Duensing, and many others revisiting the locations and discussing the production (38:27)
Nine deleted scenes, including an alternate ending (6:50)
On-set interviews with actors Shane Carruth and Poorna Jagannathan (10:17)
Head-Casting with Jeremy Childs, a brief look at the creation of the make-up effects seen in the climax of the film (1:43)
Intruder, a short film from 2011 directed by Billy Senese and starring Jeremy Childs (19:58)
The Suicide Tapes, the original short film from 2010 directed by Senese and starring Childs that later inspired The Dead Center (24:53)
Midnight Radio Theater, six chilling radio plays (“Insomnia” (26:01), “The Long Weekend” (23:01), “Disposable Life” (31:30), “The Suicide Tapes” (26:15), “The Woman In The Basement” (32:56), “Blood Oath” (36:39), “Flu” (40:23)) written, produced and directed by Billy Senese
Theatrical trailer (1:06) and teasers (1:04, 1:31)
- Two Easter Eggs (0:38, 3:42)
Image galleries (375 images, 206 images)
Reversible sleeve featuring new and original artwork
BD Info
