User Reviews

THE DEAD MATTER is a thoroughly embarrassing Z-grade B-movie about vampires, featuring a local American town menaced by the undead. It makes Charles Band's SUBSPECIES series look like a masterwork of modern cinema by comparison, and from the first scene in which a cameoing Andrew Divoff sports an awful long blonde wig you just know it's going to be total trash.

And so it proves. This is an attempted mix of exploitation values but generally it appeals to the lowest common denominator. The acting is trashy, the script stupid, the direction non-existent. Tom Savini shows up to give a typically hammy performance but you actually feel sorry to see him mired in this mess of a movie. A bit of sexual content and zero horror is all this has to offer.

Oh. My. God.

I watched this movie for two reasons...Jason Carter and Andrew Divoff.

What a pathetic and ghastly waste of their talents.

Whoever put Andrew Divoff in this role, should give up filmmaking.

Andrew Divoff is a lovely person (I've met him) and to see him so disrespected in such a silly role, with a cheap, doll looking wig, was disgusting.

Jason Carter is endearing in any role, and Tom Savini seemed to be in his element, but what an appallingly disgusting waste of time and money...my time in watching it and the money blown that they'd have just been better off flushing down the toilet.

I've seen child actors perform better than the lead actress. I'm not sure if she just couldn't​ act, or had taken far too much Valium before her performance, but...dang.

If this is Midnight Syndicate's idea of making a movie, and this is what they consider an attempt at one, they need to just stick to music.

Not even their music can save this absolute abomination.

Avoid...by all means...avoid at all costs.

The Dead Matter...

This is the imagination of Gothic/Halloween band Midnight Syndicate founding member Ed Douglas at work. Being creative always starts with an idea and a vision. In the mid 1990s he had an idea. He had a vision. He had a dream. He had $2,000. He had...............a Super VHS camera that he borrowed. It was used to film the first version of The Dead Matter, released in 1996. You have to start somewhere. A decade later an opportunity to re-make The Dead Matter with a much larger budget was realized (about $1.5 million). The script was co-written by Ed Douglas and Tony Demci, just as it was in the original 1996 film. Shooting took place in August and September 2007 in the Mansfield, Ohio area. To make this movie, Douglas went to the well and drew on his many talents, knowledge, creativity, interest in horror films, and prior background as a filmmaker and musician/composer, not to mention a college degree in theater and filmmaking. The end result is a dream realized. An excellent independent horror film with excellent actors, an excellent musical score courtesy of Midnight Syndicate themselves, not to mention contributions from other artists in the form of rock & roll songs (Lazy Lane, Eternal Legacy, and HipNostic).

This movie stars Andrew Divoff (CSI: Miami, Lost, also movies such as Wishmaster, Air Force One, The Rage, Indiana Jones 4), Jason Carter (Babylon 5, Beverly Hills 90210, Angel, Charmed, Third Rock From The Sun), special effects legend Tom Savini (From Dusk Till Dawn, Dawn Of The Dead, Lost Boys 2, Grindhouse, Friday The 13th), Sean Serino (The Rage), Tom Nagel (North Mission Road, Beast Of Bray Road), CB Spencer (Passions, Ally McBeal, the movie Ballistica) Christopher Robichaud (the original 1996 version of The Dead Matter, plus voices on Midnight Syndicate albums), Brian Van Camp (New World Disorder), Donna Williams (The Rapture), Jim O' Rear (Hell House, Vampyre Tales), Meredith Beardmore (CSI: NY, A Family Matter), Kenyatta Foster, and "Big Chuck" Schodowski (American Scary), to name just a few, along with special effects/makeup artist Alan Tuskes (Star Trek, Vanilla Sky, The Rage). The narrator is Richard "Count Gore De Vol" Dyszel (The Alien Factor, Chainsaw Sally).

What is this movie about? It's about a grief-stricken young woman named Gretchen who will do anything to contact or "reconnect" with her deceased brother. She stumbles upon an ancient Egyptian occult relic that leads her into the dark world of vampires and the living dead. She gets more than she bargained for, as all hell breaks loose. Two warring vampire lords are in search of the relic, which can control the dead. A vampire hunter is trying to stop them from obtaining the relic. This movie is unique in that it mixes both zombies and vampires. If you're somebody who is a fan of the Halloween season and its darker aspects, yet also embraces the lighter side of Halloween, then this movie will entertain you, as it is both on the dark side and lighter side. This movie has horror, humor, twists and turns, and keeps you guessing. The atmosphere is dark and creepy in parts, while at other times everyday activities and locations are used, such as in houses, bars, office buildings, etc. Midnight Syndicate doesn't hesitate to embrace the lighter side of horror/Halloween once in a while, and this movie proves it. You can't go wrong. I don't want to reveal too much. Watch it and be entertained. It's destined to become a Halloween classic, one of those movies that you'll want to watch every year during the Halloween season or on Halloween night after the trick-or-treaters have gone home and the jack-o-lantern has been extinguished. While not that scary, it does have its moments that will catch you off guard.

Ed Douglas and Tony Demci were inspired and influenced by horror films of yesteryear, particularly from the '30s, '60s, '70s, '80s, Creepshow, and the Hammer films, but the bottom line is that The Dead Matter is ORIGINAL. The movie takes the "old school" approach of yesteryear, and it works. I personally think it's a great movie and I think you will, too. It doesn't take a lot of money to accomplish the primary goal, which is to scare or at least entertain the audience. Think of films like Carnival Of Souls (1962), Night Of The Living Dead (1968), and Halloween (1978). These are perfect examples of independent films that make their point and get the job done by scaring and entertaining you and creating the perfect atmosphere with minimal money.

The Dead Matter is 89 minutes long and is presented in widescreen format.

The extras on the DVD are excellent. There are two Midnight Syndicate music videos ("Dark Legacy" and "Lost", both of which appeared on The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates album, released in 2008), three finalists' music videos from the Midnight Syndicate 13th Anniversary video contest, gag reels, audio commentary by Ed Douglas, Robert Kurtzman, and Gary Jones, a feature called Maximum Dead Matter that allows you to watch a scene in one corner of the screen while simultaneously watching the actual filming of the scene in another window, interviews with cast and crew members, locations, and concept art.

Robert Kurtzman (producer, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Rage, Wishmaster), Gary Jones (Xena, Hercules, Boogeyman 3), and Ed Douglas all co-produced this movie.

Yes, there is still hope when it comes to the making of quality horror movies. Thankfully, there are still a few people out there who actually have their own ideas and imagination. This is a standout independent horror movie gem released during the Age of Horror Remakes that we're currently living in. As good as this movie is, I believe that time will elevate this movie's status even more.

It's a bit weird to me when a movie that's less than a year or at least a year old passes me by, or that I've heard of it but haven't seen it. Case in point: last year's "The Dead Matter." Directed by Midnight Syndicate main man Edward Douglas, and a remake of sorts of his earlier film of the same name that was shot on camcorder, I had heard good things about this movie, with Fangoria, Arrow in the Head and FEARnet singing its praises. So, does it live up to the hype? For the large part, yes.

The plot goes a little something like this: Gretchen (Sean Serino) is morning the loss of her brother, so she and her buddies-Mike (Tom Nagel), Jill (C.B. Spencer) and Frank (Christopher Robichaud) hold a séance to bring him back. Well, what do ya know, Gretchen finds an ancient relic that can bring back and control the dead. Thing is, two warring vampire lords-Vellich (Andrew Divoff) and Sebed (Tom Savini) want possession of the relic, and vampire hunter McCallister (Jason Carter) wants to destroy it.

If there's anything that harms the movie, its the fact that the actors playing our heroes don't do a good job. Serino tries her hardest, but she's just not that convincing as our lead protagonist, no matter how hard the movie tries to make us care about her plight. Meanwhile, Robichaud is hit and miss as the science loving Frank-sometimes admirably goofy, but other times kind of flat, while Nagel and Spencer feel like they're just kinda there.

Apart from that, "The Dead Matter" is a lot of campy fun, and one of those movies I find myself disappointed that I didn't see it sooner. A fun mix of Gothic atmosphere and tongue-in-cheek black humor, the plot and events usually play like Hammer meets a horror-comedy from the 80's ala "Night of the Creeps" with vampires and zombies. Speaking of which, the dead here are interesting-the zombified Mark (Brian Van Camp) is amusing with his drinking beer and other goofy antics that thankfully don't suck, but most of the dead here of of the more haunting, specter like variety ala "Carnival of Souls." I find it refreshing to see someone who thinks outside of the box instead of constantly feeding us the typical zombies eating yards of intestines type of movie.

Also, while our heroes are bland, everyone else does a fine job. Divoff is a hoot to watch (bad fright wig and all), while Savini makes the most of his time as his vampire rival, and Carter is a lot of fun as the vampire hunter out to stop them. Oh, and while not a gore-fest, you still get some nice scenes here and there (including an awesome bit with a jaw being torn off), though I must say the director must also be commended for not going overboard with splatter.

So, will "The Dead Matter" win any awards for originality? Probably not. It is however, a refreshing little sleeper that shows what plenty of gumption and can-do spirit can accomplish, and for that, I applaud it. Check it out if you dig your Gothic horror with a sense of humor.

So here we go on the dead matter. I bought this film 📼 from a charity shop for two pounds so money well spent. Spoiler coming up, Andrew divoff good actor so I don't know why the producer made him wear a long platinum wig. Did not need it just a minor criticism from me, but the actors done a good job of keeping the film rolling along. So I gave the film 📼 a biffin good seven stars jacey out.

As a fan of the musical duo Midnight Syndicate, I was thrilled to learn that Edward Douglas was working on a feature film entitled 'The Dead Matter.' I have followed the musical exploits of this group for over a decade and I looked forward to how their audio work would translate to the medium of film - with the chilling music they created it just seemed like a natural progression for them. Was it worth the wait? Most definitely – but there is a catch. First off it helps to have a healthy dose of Hammer Studios and Universal Monsters blood in your veins. If you grew up watching b-movies starring the likes of Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Bela Lugosi, and Boris Karloff in late-night creature features, then you'll totally 'get' this movie's vibe. If, however, you aren't cursed with a wickedly warped sense of humor (and fun), then 'The Dead Matter' might come across as just another off-beat vamp flick. For me, I totally jived to the old school approach to horror that screenwriters Ed Douglas and Tony Demci offered up. You can see how they were influenced by their horror forefathers, but they also give the film a groovy twist by injecting a bit of George A. Romero into the picture's undead veins. I've tried to think of another movie that incorporated vampires AND zombies into the same film and came up empty. Nice! Throw in the fact that the film is capably directed by Douglas, has a healthy sense of humor (you'll dig the classroom dream!), sports a likable ensemble cast including genre legend Tom Savini, not to mention some killer make-up effects, Midnight Syndicate's Gothic, Hammer-esquire score, some genuine scares (I was all about the creepy cemetery 'death is the answer!' scene) and you'll understand why this movie satisfies an old-school fan-boy like me.

There were, however, a few minor points that I felt kept 'The Dead Matter' from becoming a classic film. For one, there were a lot of characters to keep track of – none of whom are fleshed out to their fullest potential. A little more backstory on the main characters of McCallister and his vampire adversaries would have been nice, as well as more history on Gretchen and her group of friends (not to mention the amulet). Likewise, some of the acting was hit or miss. I can't help but feel that some scenes might have been a bit rushed, resulting in fewer takes, so the actors weren't able to achieve the best performances they were capable of (Also – here's my idea: Douglas should have worked Vellich's horrible wig into the story somehow. Since he seems like such a vain vampire, seeing him put the wig on over nasty, patchy hair would have been a hoot. There was no way to hide the fact that he was wearing a wig, so they should have played it up rather than try to sell it as his real hair). One last point is the effects. While the make-up designs were amazing, some of the CGI was not entirely convincing. I also thought some more locations were needed and the ending was a bit too vague for my taste – but these gripes have more to do with budget constraints than anything and are minor issues that don't dramatically decrease the quality of the film as a whole.

When the final bloodsucker is staked, I thought Edward Douglas's 'The Dead Matter' was a fun-filled horror-fest that mostly satisfied and definitely entertained – which is what Douglas set out to do – so in that regard, the film is a smashing success. The clever plot, the gnarly make-up, the perfect score (that had many nods to Midnight Syndicate's past), and a healthy mix of b-movie charisma make this film a refreshing change from the usual horror schlock that Hollywood churns out. It's always a thrill to see when a group of filmmakers 'get it.' For me, the dead definitely matter!

As I mentioned above, the acting is a hit or miss affair in 'The Dead Matter.' Some of the actors came across as rather over-the-top (Divoff as Vellich needed to be de-fanged), many were somewhat wooden in their delivery (Sean Serino as Gretchen was pretty and definitely talented, but I just couldn't connect with her performance), and some, like Jason Carter as McCallister and Brian Van Camp as Mark were as solid as you can hope for. I can't come down too harshly on the cast as I feel like they were doing the best they could within the constraints of the script. Crafting more subtle, nuanced, and natural performances is something director Douglas will perfect as he grows as a director.

For his first full-length feature film, I thought Edward Douglas did an admirable job. With the amount of money invested in this picture it would have been easy to buckle under the pressure, but Douglas definitely holds his own. The direction tends to get a little static in places, particularly when there's a conversation taking place, but thankfully Douglas makes up for it with an energetic style when the pace of the film picks up – and I know he will only improve as a director with each film he gets under his belt. Well done!

"The Dead Matter" has raised the bar for independent horror movies big time! The production values (direction, photography, music, lighting, sound) are of Hollywood quality, but unlike Hollywood (fortunately!) "The Dead Matter" has a unique and engaging story that unfolds throughout the film's entire run-time. In fact, it isn't really fair to call "The Dead Matter" a horror movie - it's much more than that - it's a supernatural movie.

Most Hollywood horror movies these days are remakes or are so 'by-the-numbers' you pretty much know everything that is going to happen after the first 5-10 minutes. "The Dead Matter" follows multiple stories that converge in the final frantic 20 minutes. The plot melds so many different supernatural elements that it's reminiscent of the creativity the old Shaw Brother's horror movies used to exhibit in the 1980s. Those movies, like "The Dead Matter" didn't follow the rules of horror genres; they created their own supernatural mythologies.

This review wouldn't be complete without mentioning the excellent actors assembled for this movie, including b-movie favorites Tom Savini and Jim O'Rear, but it is the welcome return of Jason Carter that really sets this one apart from its indie contemporaries. Jason Carter may be best known for his role on the TV series Babylon-5, but he really shines in "The Dead Matter". I hope this film re-energizes his career so we see him in more horror and sci-fi films.

If you're looking for something engagingly-different with Hollywood production values, "The Dead Matter" is for you!