Dead Still (2014) User Reviews

Dead Still: Dead bad

[Platypuschow · 3/10 · 30 November 2023]

Plot

Upon the death of his great grandfather, Brandon Davis a wedding photographer inherits an antique camera famous for taking Victorian death photography. After photographing his subjects they start to die from horrible, bizarre deaths.

Cast

Ben "Farscape" Browder and Ray Wise

Verdict

I was frustratingly excited by this, horror, Ben Browder, Ray Wise and the cover looked like my kind of horror! Bring it on I thought. I should have remembered Wise does a lot of terrible films and that outside of Farscape I've not seen Browder in anything enjoyable.

It has the "Killer camera" theme which we've seen several times before, the concept here is tweaked but doesn't deliver anything we've not really seen before.

Browder and Wise phone in their performances, this is a paycheck they did not earn.

The movie itself is oddly boring considering the subject matter, it plods along at an uneven pace, never really gets going, the kills are dreadfully handled and it builds to a weirdly drawn out finale that actually had me cringing.

Dead Still is one to skip over or put on if you have absolutely nothing else available to you and you're already too drunk to care.

Rants

So let's talk about the son, this kid is so alarmingly feminine I struggled to believe they were actually a boy until I Googled it. Don't get me wrong this isn't a dig in anyway shape or form, it was just a bizarre casting choice. Was the kid wearing eye liner? You'll think it's a daughter throughout especially since they're mute in the movie. The actor himself rather unsurprisingly went into one of the vampire teen melodrama things, he certainly comes under the pretty boy category and then some. I wish I was pretty, I like like a shaven potato .

Breakdown

Mostly pretty ugly Cast just don't try Never really gets going Boring Truly awful finale.

Not worth the time spent to watch it.

[ixitoj · 3/10 · 7 October 2014]

I was sorely disappointed in this film. It had stylistic potential which it never fully exploited. Ben Browder, Ray Wise and all the children turned in fine performances, but the rest of the cast with speaking lines were stiff, awkward, one dimensional, and sometimes just annoying. One has to wonder if, despite their professional credits, they've ever acted at all. It's somewhat shocking to find them working alongside the likes of skilled actors such as Browder and Wise.

The plot was a tired re-tread of a haunted camera trope, supposed "based on true events". One comes to expect this sort of statement from the Booth Brothers, but we could have done it this time out.

As a result of this, watching Dead Still became something of an endurance sport. Perhaps turning it into a drinking game would have improved the experience.

Missed opportunity

[leon-smoothy · 2/10 · 18 February 2015]

Being quite familiar with the correct history of so called post mortem photography popular from about the 1830th's well into the twentieth century, this movie caught my attention.

When I saw Ray Wise had o role in it I got even more interested, being a fan of his since Twin Peaks. But, man, was I disappointed. I Think they have completely missed out on the possibility to build up tension and uneasy feelings which surrounds this subject, it's all loud rock music with distorted guitars and agitated, irrational character behavior as if all hell had broken loose, and that was just minutes into the movie. The filmmakers could have done more with less, so to speak.

The acting and script seems very stiff (no pun intended), with characters, for example, reading letters out loud for themselves and describing what they are about to do talking loudly to themselves. Ray Wise's performance is good though, he makes a good effort with the role given him, but that's about the only solid acting in there is here.

The special effects in terms of gory dying/dead people is quite good, but over the top, a bit too much, and too early on in the film.

Horror fan, fan of the subject or both, you'll basically be wasting your time if you see this one.

Extremely bad acting in a regular filming

[dhellion-1-309406 · 1/10 · 21 March 2015]

I am surprise to see so many good reviews from users, with so low rating of the film.

Believe the rating.

This movie is bad, generally speaking. The story is weak, and there are so many inconsistencies, perhaps for the incompetence of the filmmakers, not really because it was unavoidable. Bad timing, wrong reactions to situations... etc.

Maybe the only thing that was notable was the not-so-bad costumes and the filming locations. But it was at all enough.

Finally , the acting was completely shocking, negligent.

The story of Victorian death photography: wasted.

Dead Still? More Like Dead Sh*t

[Sophieodonnell · 1/10 · 29 October 2015]

I've seen a lot of Horror Movies, and although most aren't even a touch original, I still have no Idea what I was expecting from Dead Still. If you haven't already seen it, spare yourself the 80+ Minutes of your Life you'll never get back. The acting was awkward, and uncomfortable to watch, almost like watching a School play performed by 12 year olds. If that Isn't enough to put you off, the Storyline is probably something you've seen at least a dozen times. The crappy Dialogue also left a bad taste in my mouth. I lost count of how many times I cringed while subjecting myself to this "film". Not only does the whole thing feel forced, almost like the script was a rush Job to try make a few bucks, it actually felt like a chore to sit there and watch it to the end. Sure, I was cheering when the credits rolled, but not for the right reasons.

Stay perfectly still and smile...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 7 December 2016]

"Dead Still" actually turned out better than I had anticipated, given the less than impressive reviews and overall rating that the movie had received here on IMDb. But still, it is a horror movie, and that alone had me interested. But given the negative vibe to the reviews and such, then I must admit that my hopes for the movie weren't great.

However, I was more than genuinely surprised that the movie was better than I had hoped (or feared) that it would turn out to be. Sure, it wasn't a horror masterpiece, but it still an entertaining enough movie, and it did have some originality to it, which was what kept the movie afloat.

The story was somewhat different from what I had expected and it was that aspect of the movie that particularly turned out to be a fresh addition to the horror genre. The storyline is about a wedding photographer who inherits an antique camera, that has been used previously to take obscure death-scene photographs. And strange deaths starts occurring around the talented photographer, which are tied to the old camera.

I will say that I was actually genuinely entertained by the movie, despite it not being a groundbreaking monument in the horror genre. But it still turned out to be entertaining and it did have a sense of originality to it.

The acting in the movie was adequate for most parts, but I must say that it was especially Ray Wise who carried the biggest part of the movie with his performance and his usual wicked charisma on the screen.

The effects in the movie were actually quite good, especially the creature make-up and designs. I liked those quite a lot. Just a shame that they weren't more actively used in the entire movie.

"Dead Still" is actually a good choice for a movie if you are in for an evening of horror movies. I was more than genuinely entertained and pleasantly surprised with it. Who knows, you might just be as well...

Dead Still Rocks!

[reginams01 · 8 October 2014]

Suspenseful,scary,gore,fascinating are only a few words to describe this film! I had so much fun watching this movie! The characters are great! Costumes are wonderful and makeup and special effects are hauntingly delightful! The little girl who plays Lela is precious! I feel in love with her character! Most of all the story is intriguing and keeps you're attention! I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was next! Its on my DVR and I will be watching it again!! Thank you Booth Brothers for bringing us a very entertaining film! I hope you have other projects in the works because I for one am a fan! If your looking for a sitting on the edge of your seat kind of movie look no further!

Student Film

[evikemail · 2/10 · 2 September 2019]

I've submitted failed screenplays to competitions that had better writing. This was literally like watching a student film that I scored in college. The whole bit with a "supposed body" wrapped in cloths and bound in rope that turned out to be an old-fashioned camera on a tripod... That was just TERRIBLE. There is good acting at certain points, but it was completely overshadowed by poor writing. 2 stars is generous.

Ugh! Even a viewing on TV is torture!

[envyvicious · 1/10 · 13 October 2019]

Bad acting, writing, and audio! I gave 1 star to video for the costumes. Absolutely a total waste of what little talent there was on screen, and that's generous at best. There's better high school work than whatever this is supposed to be.

The Camera was the Only Decent Actor

[dharcler · 1/10 · 29 June 2019]

PU-- This movie was a total stinker! I have a very high tolerance for bad horror films, I will actually watch some of them several times. But this one was seriously awful-- bad dialogue, bad acting, cheesy "special effects". Ray Wise, who I love in most things was seriously over the top "hammy", but to be fair, I think he was making the best of the terrible plotline and dialogue. Unintentionally funny in spots that were trying for high drama, just bad all around. The Camera did a better job of acting than anyone.

So Bad it is An Art Form!

[icocleric · 4/10 · 2 November 2023]

If you are looking for an actual serious scary horror with tension, and a consistent story this film is not for you. If you want everything you'd expect from a scy-fy original, and feeling like your going through a fever dream, but are some how still entertained. I recommend this film.

It's so bad it is an art form. But in a fun if you enjoy a certain level of bad film kind of way. The special effects and CGI are "interesting".

The lead actor is the only one who can act, the villain has pantomime levels of over the top villain acting, and the story leaves you with more questions? There are some cool monster designs though.

better than expected

[scapephile · 8/10 · 8 October 2014]

I admit I watched for Ben Browder. I was very surprised that the film more story than effects driven. The effects and production values much better than I was expecting. Cast led by Ben Browder,Gavin Casalegno, and Ray Wise was also solid. Filmed in Louisiana and outside shots had great feel/look to them. The Booth Brothers used the visual effects well to enhance the story and create the world rather than take the place of the story. It was also nice to see a horror story that didn't involve a group of partying teens but rather a father and son who are both dealing with issues. Gavin Casalegno had to rely a lot on reacting and conveying his "dialogue" without speaking and he did it well. Ben Browder delivered as the dad with father issues of his own. Worth a watch for horror fans as well as there were some good creepies!

Decent if unspectacular haunted camera effort

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 7/10 · 7 October 2014]

Following his grandfather's death, a photographer inherits his antique camera and begins using it only to find a source of great evil attached to the camera and must find the reason why before it kills his loved ones.

This is quite a fun and enjoyable effort when its' on, though it isn't that way all the time. Most of the problems stem from the fact that it trots out the tired cliché of the cursed camera but does nothing new with it, as if there's no other way to do a storyline like this without having to do the angle about those who get their picture taken end up getting killed. It's not a clever surprise when it happens, there's nothing new here about how it goes about doing this and it really tends to make the first half to this go along quite roughly. It also doesn't hurt that none of the other story lines are all that interesting either, about the affair between the married husband and his assistant or the rumblings about the divorce with his wife causing strain in his relationship with his son, and the times these are broken up due to the clichéd moments with the camera don't make for anything interesting to happen. All that tends to disappear in the second half, though, when it really gets going by fully dishing out the goods in terms of how the relationship between the two evolves as the stakes get raised. Due to the discovery of the camera's true nature, however retarded it really is, that makes for a greater sense of danger when it all gets played out in the spirit world where it really takes a different, much darker road that really makes for quite intriguing and interesting viewing. With it's army of ghouls and demons alongside the fight for survival between the family members with the son looking on makes for quite a fun time as well as the fact that it's chilling and far more intense than it really should've been. This is quite nicely handled throughout this segment and helps to make for quite some fun times here when it spends as much time as it does here, with plenty to like about it. Coupled with some rather nasty and incredibly brutal kills along the way and it manages to stick in some rather impressive moments along the way.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Language, Nudity, a mild sex scene and continuous children-in-jeopardy.

Uneven but better than anticipated

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 1 November 2014]

Not that I thought that Dead Still wouldn't work, in fact the concept was a good one and had the makings of a fun movie at least. It is however a concept that is not much new and there was the worry that Dead Still would do little with it. Actually Dead Still was better than anticipated, it is uneven and one does wish it did more with the concept but it is far from a waste of time. Starting with what was good with Dead Still is that it looks pretty good for a small budget movie, some of the camera work is a little too obvious on occasions but it actually flows and doesn't seem too jerky, and when it is the latter it doesn't feel over-used and actually adds to the scene. It won't win Best Photography any time soon but you shouldn't expect that, this is photography that looks like it was done with some professionalism. The make-up doesn't look too fake, the lighting is never too dark and the sets while not beautiful(though it's not the film for that) are hardly people's basement quality. The music has some eeriness without being too repetitive or predictable, and there is a decent degree of suspense once the movie gets going with some genuinely shocking moments and some extremely graphic and quite creepy death scenes. There are also three good performances, from Ben Browder, Gavin Casalegno and in particular Ray Wise. Browder has the most potentially identifiable role in the movie and brings dignity and gravitas to it, Casalegno's performance is enormously expressive and remarkably mostly with body language doing all the talking and Wise is deliciously evil as a character with no redeeming qualities and is clearly having a whale of a time.

There is however some terrible supporting acting, especially from Eric Ruff who goes so overboard as the Professor that it's painful to watch and feels like it belongs in another movie altogether while Elle Lamont and Carrie Lazar are rather stiff, though nowhere ever near as bad as Ruff. But they are not helped by that all the characters are very one-dimensional with very little character arcs and next to no motivation, and that Dead Still's script is very weak with some stilted dialogue and conversations that don't lead to much. As aforementioned, you do wish they did much more with the storytelling, there are suspenseful moments and some very creepy scenes mainly in the second half but the story does suffer from trying to take on too much and not exploring its ideas enough, especially the entire mirror-world thing that was really underused here. You are constantly asking yourself why the characters are acting the way they are, Brandon's fight never resonates, the storyline with his son has little back-story or motivation and just seems and the movie never explains why the son is mute or why the prophesy is as it is. In conclusion, Dead Still a very uneven movie but at least there were glimpses of effort and that while there was wasted potential it never felt like you regretted watching it. 5/10 Bethany Cox

It's meant to be a comedy, Right?

[nmcgregor1990 · 3/10 · 6 February 2024]

Acting was so bad that I found it funny. I've watched a lot of B movie horrors but for sheer dreadful acting. This one tops the league. The professor was particularly hilarious with the over the top acting and the complete sudden change in mood and emotion.

For a film about photography too, there were a lot of shots that were over exposed. Sound work seems a little off too. The speech is tinny.

Storyline could have been great but it just didn't cut it. Even the sfx were pretty dire in the death scenes.

The son is very pretty for a boy. They put far too much makeup on him.

I'm not sure what more there is to say.

Okay Horror

[ladymidath · 5/10 · 3 February 2024]

While I admit that this could have been better, it could have been much worse as well.

The story of an evil/possessed antique camera is a good premise, unfortunately. The film is let down by the rather ponderous style it took.

Ray Wise is the best thing about this movie, his offers a good performance which unfortunately highlights the somewhat clunky acting from some of the other cast.

It is not purely a bad movie, it is just not a memorable one. Not bad, not great, it is just there.

This is a shame, because the premise is an intriguing one. A camera that takes portraits that ends in the subject's death, A slightly better script and tighter filming would have resulted in a better movie. But I did not end up turning it off, so that earns it an extra star.

"Dead Still" - A Dark Ride Through the Potholed Realm of Horror.

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 5/10 · 4 November 2023]

"Dead Still," the 2014 horror flick, opens the macabre door to a captivating concept - killing people and snapping their death portraits to entrap them in the mysterious "Negative Realm." But hold onto your skulls because it's a dark ride with its fair share of ups and downs.

The premise is an intriguing blend of morbid creativity and old-world superstition. The innovative idea that a historic photograph can imprison one's soul adds an exciting layer to the horror genre. Regrettably, it's like they shoved this ingenious idea in a blender set to 'chaos' and hit 'frappe.' The storyline often feels like it was conjured on the fly, invariably leaving you wondering if the script was written with an Ouija board.

The acting is a mixed bag of treats and tricks. You've got your underwhelming performances, cringe-worthy moments, campy charm, and a sprinkling of average acting. In an unexpected twist, the seasoned professional Ray Wise, usually an eminent actor, strangely appears to have taken a detour into the realm of fromage. It's like he mistook the set for a dairy farm and milked his lines for all they're worth.

The direction of the film leaves something to be desired. It's a potholed road, with a few smoother patches here and there. The greatest pothole on this haunted highway is the laughably dated CGI green screen effects. It's as if they raided the basement of a VHS rental store from the '90s.

In conclusion, "Dead Still" is worth one viewing, if only for the tantalizing promise of what the movie could've and should've been. It's like finding a costume trunk filled with fabulous outfits, but you invariably end up in a potato sack. You shouldn't rush to watch the film either because there are plenty of better choices on offer. But if you find yourself on a drizzly Wednesday with 'nowt else to watch,' it'll do the trick to pass an hour or two.

Dead Still is Dead on for Entertainment!

[SexyWriter69 · 8/10 · 7 October 2014]

The Booth Brothers never fail me when it comes to an entertaining movie or educational documentary to watch! I always look forward to each production from them and this one was fantastic. I loved the cast and the over-all plot. Since I am particularly interested in the main subject of this movie, and the paranormal in general, this made for a fantastic movie for me to watch!

The only reason I gave it an eight out of ten possible stars was because, the pace was rather slow in some areas, but it still was a very entertaining movie to watch.

Highly entertaining and a welcome reunion with some of my favorite actors! Well, done!

Cheesy, B-Horror Goodness! AKA I Liked It! :)

[xDissidentx · 7/10 · 22 February 2015]

Sometimes one wants to see an amazing movie and sometimes one sets off on their journey to find something a little cheesy, a gory and a little engaging, this was the journey I was on when I sought out this movie. And it satisfied the craving.

It was everything I expect: Acting was ridiculous at times, but awesome at others. Effects were amazingly over-the-top. It has that made-for-TV feel, but yet it exceeds the vast majority of made-for-TV quality out there. Plus it was based on actual practices of days of yore. (Although NOT banking on historical accuracy which is a shame.)

In fact, if I did have a moment of let down it would probably be that they chose not to exploit the actual, TRUE history of 'Death Cameras' and their original practices in the past. But then again maybe that would have made me expect a more 'serious' tone in the film as a result and alter my opinion on this film entirely, so on second thought, maybe the embellishment was a creative take that was needed for this film to succeed.

All in all, not an awful watch if you're going in it for cheesy, visually gory fun! Felt a few of the reviews were a bit harsh given it's a low budget venture, but I digress.

A Wonderful Way to Spend the Evening

[merredeth · 10/10 · 7 October 2014]

A camera with a life of its own, and postmortem photography. Now, talk about an interesting storyline. Not your typical storyline you see in today's movies - which is why I find this movie a refreshing change from what we see in the movies or on television. Frankly, this one is one of the best Halloween movies released in 2014, proving you don't need excessive blood to make a good film.

It takes a lot of good acting to convey thoughts and feelings from one who cannot speak. The young actor (Gavin Casalegno) in this movie, does a remarkable job in the movie.

The music in the movie allows one to immerse themselves right into the story, which is one of the the things I have always enjoyed about a Booth Brothers film. Saint always manages to bring forth the emotions he wants you to feel with the right score - and timing is everything.

As is always the case, if the lessons are not learned, history has a way of repeating itself. A lesson we learn in this movie - as we clearly see at the end.

A two hour thrilling ride into postmortem photography, complete with imagination. Truly - a great tale of imagination from Philip Booth and his brother Christopher Booth. I highly recommend the movie if you want a break from the typical horror on the screen and want to step back to the way things were done, and how I they can be done with class.

Booth Brothers put out again

[txmardeck · 9/10 · 7 October 2014]

If you've never seen a movie or documentary by the Booth Brothers, you're missing out. After filming documentary style movies for the past few years they've gone back to the horror genre and really won't disappoint. I enjoyed Dead Still and will probably watch it again with the grandchild next time she comes for a visit. The practice of taking photographs of one's dead as used to be done is fascinating and can be a unique idea for a movie. The idea that a modern day person can end up with an antique camera that does what this camera ends up doing could almost be as scary and buying an antique box at a garage sale. If you want to see some real antique photos of dead people and if you want to get scared than sit down with a box of popcorn and enjoy........

Old school horror about an evil camera,stylish and creepy

[zappaman-malone09 · 8/10 · 7 October 2014]

I have been a huge fan of the Booth Brothers and Their films from the first one I saw. Always beautifully filmed and great soundtrack as well.I would truly love to see what Chris and Phillip could do with a Hollywood size budget.I am always amazed at what they can make on an Indie film budget.I've always been a huge fan of Independent Film and the old school way of film making.Im not a big fan of CGI,though I do understand it now has a place in film.Deadstill for me was great because it took me back to my youth of going to good old horror movies.This film also had elements of Argento and Fulci.The movie has some truly creepy moments and just the right amount of gore.Th Booth Brothers also make the best Paranormal Docs I've ever seen.I highly recommend all of their films.Deadstill is a great way to spend the night kicking back with a good old fashioned horror film.

Thrills and Chills

[sohm-127-372782 · 10/10 · 8 October 2014]

This movie will keep you on your toes! The Haunted camera seems to have a life of its own. The acting is fantastic and extremely realistic. I have not seen a movie that made me jump for a long time....Dead Still does that! Fantastic Job all involved!!!! The characters and the make up is phenomenal, the storyline is realistic and believable. I love cameras and collecting however I will be leery of doing my collecting. The little boy and the girl were so believable. I loved the aspect of the red hood on the boy...it sort of carried me back to youth. I felt the pain of the 'dead' characters...especially the little girl. The Booth Brothers are on a roll! They create and induce chills to run up your spine! The music is great and leads the show without giving away the fright coming up!

For a nice TV evening

[gero-probst · 8/10 · 8 October 2014]

Again a typical Booth Brother film. The story is fast told and predictable, however, nevertheless, a great TV film. Who knows the films of Booth Brothers, that knew what him expects. I have expected no big film and I have also not got him.The principal characters have fulfilled my expectations. Particularly Ray Wise as a grandfather was wonderful. A special attention, one should also have the young actor Gavin Casalegno as Bobby. This young man has a lot of potential. Without voice he has still transported all emotions. For this excellent achievement there are of me 2 specially stars.Dead Still is not a big film, however, the conversion of this story has succeeded. Result: A great Halloween film with a respectable star occupation.

Great Movie!

[Lindsey-Denise · 10/10 · 10 October 2014]

I'm not impressed usually with non documentary type movies, especially in the horror category, but this one sure kept my interest! Loved it!... :)

The story definitely kept my interest! Not a spoiler alert, all I am going to add (which shouldn't surprise even me lol, is that the ending DID surprise me LOL!

Great directing and Great writing ...actors, awesome! I'd really like it if Syfy would add more movies like this, and most definitely if Christopher and Philip Booth are involved with them.

I didn't know what to expect, but I set my DVR to record it WAY in advance, and I watched it live, and did not delete it from my DVR recordings, now that's saying a lot for me ...

Keep up the great work Booth Bro's!!!