The Living and the Dead DVD (2006)

The Living and the Dead details

Format:	15 DVD
Starring:	Roger Lloyd-Pack, Leo Bill, Kate Fahy, Sarah Ball, Neil Conrich
Director:	Simon Rumley
Genres:	Drama - General, Horror - Thriller
Studio:	DNC

DVD 1 disc

Name	Discs
The Living and the Dead	15 Feature

DVD Information

Run time:	1 hour 23 minutes
Rental release:	19 May 2008
Main languages:	English

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Most helpful review The Living and the Dead

Amazing

By a customer from Birmingham, England , 26 Jun 2008

[Highly rated reviewer]

This is a horror but not in the true sense of the word. It's a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a person suffering from schizophrenia. The effect it has on his family is devastating and all of their lives go downhill. The basics of the story are that the father has to go away as he is bankrupt. A nurse is supposed to come and look after the bedridden wife but she never gets into the house as the son locks all the doors and windows. He then takes it upon himself to try and look after his mum but it soon becomes apparent that he can't do it and all kinds of chaos ensues. There are some amazingly freakly scenes, especially when James is walking through the house and the vastness of the house gives it all a creepy feel. If you are expecting blood and gore as the title might suggest, look elsewhere. If you want a well written, acted and directed little film to make you uncomfortable, this is the one.
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Disturbing and original

By Minny (567 reviews) from London , 20 Dec 2010

Great cast and very troubling. The subject matter is sensitively handled with some brilliant acting. It is sad and quite chilling with an insight into mental illnesss. Not a horror film in the true sense but deeply horrific none the less. I thoroughly enjoyed it in a perverse way. It is very realistic and has a voyeuristic quality to it. Brilliant.
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So bad my goldfish killed itself

By a customer from Southampton , 03 May 2009

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS Show review anywayHide

Ummmm, where do I begin. Well firstly there is the utterly disgraceful and appaling way people with schizophrenia/autism are portrayed in this film. The plot has more holes than swiss cheese and the first thing I found myself asking was 'Why is the lead character not in a Secure Psychiatric Unit and the sick mother in a hospital?'

Some of the dreadful plot discrepancies include:

A scene with an operation in a non sterile enviroment, a scene where the protagonist, after stabbing his mother to death is not only NOT arrested and taken into custody by the police but allowed to keep the murder weapon. The scene where the protagonist takes an overdose of his medication big enough to kill an elephant and lives. There are others but I will leave you to consider them.

The acting in places is terrible and the character of James is so overdone as to be unbelievable. The actor playing James could not make his mind if James was *delete as appropriate *disturbed/schizophrenic/autistic/mentally disabled/an extra from The Young Ones.

But the biggest disgrace of this film is how it reinforces the abject lie that all people with severe mental health problems are time bombs waiting to go off and run around stabbing and killing people. It is not a realistic take on schizophrenia at all.

I feel that is Vanity Film Making at it's worst.
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Very good but depressing

By emmak (77 reviews) from Chelmsford , 16 Oct 2008

This is a superb, if somewhat depressing film showing the downward spiral of mental illness. This was made to provoke many emotions; anger, fear, disgust and definitely sympathy.

I wouldn't call this a horror film exactly, though it is definitely horrific. The only reason I have not given it five stars is because of a slightly confusing plot near the end of the film which I'm not sure was completely necesary (though I'm sure they know better!) and it's also very short. It's definitely worth a watch, if you can stomach it.
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Im the man of the house

By busy (16 reviews) from st annes , 03 Aug 2008

superb acting and genuinely disturbing glimpse into mental health problems - dark, gripping and well directed - recommended
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Amazing

By a customer from Birmingham, England , 26 Jun 2008

This is a horror but not in the true sense of the word. It's a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a person suffering from schizophrenia. The effect it has on his family is devastating and all of their lives go downhill. The basics of the story are that the father has to go away as he is bankrupt. A nurse is supposed to come and look after the bedridden wife but she never gets into the house as the son locks all the doors and windows. He then takes it upon himself to try and look after his mum but it soon becomes apparent that he can't do it and all kinds of chaos ensues. There are some amazingly freakly scenes, especially when James is walking through the house and the vastness of the house gives it all a creepy feel. If you are expecting blood and gore as the title might suggest, look elsewhere. If you want a well written, acted and directed little film to make you uncomfortable, this is the one.
- Was this review helpful to you?
- (6) Yes |
- No (1)
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