What is the difference between Dead is Dead and Dead is Dead: The Directors Cut?  Dead is Dead: The Directors Cut is the ONLY authorized version of the film by director Mike Stanley and his Filmlab Showcase Pictures. 

 

In 1992, Mike Stanley was looking for a distributor for his film Dead is Dead.  He found a company in Akron, Ohio called Tempe Video who was interested in his film.  The owner of the company was J.R. Bookwalter.  Mr. Bookwalter said he was interested in the film for a new video label he was creating called Video Outlaw.  He wanted Dead is Dead to be the first film to be released under the Video Outlaw label.  Stanley was told by Bookwalter that he would like to make a few changes to Dead is Dead before distributing the film.  Stanley agreed to come to Akron to discuss the changes.  

 

Bookwalter suggested re-editing the entire film in order to make these changes. Back in 1992 there was no computer editing. You had to use video editing equipment. Instead of using the master tapes the film was shot on, Bookwalter made a copy of the final edited master tape and used that as the source tape to edit from in order to make the changes. After a number of changes were made and the video portion of the editing was complete, Stanley wasn't happy.  He requested for Bookwalter to change a few of the scenes.  Bookwalter agreed he would do this at a later date.  After Stanley left Akron, he waited for word on the changes he wanted Bookwalter to do  on his film. Bookwalter ignored Stanleys request and made no changes.  Stanley received a box in the mail containing vhs screeners of a "finished" Dead is Dead.  Stanley was shocked at what he saw because he did not give a final okay for distribution because he was waiting for the changes.

 

The finished vhs of Dead is Dead was terrible.  The color was washed out.  The sound was bad and the finished movie was put on used tapes! At the end of one of the tapes, a Godzilla movie suddenly appeared! The only thing good about it was the box art. By the time Dead is Dead was re-edited and final copies were made for reviewers and video store sales and rentals, Dead is Dead was a 6th generation tape. This accounts for the poor picture quality. The audio for Dead is Dead was recorded on multiple tracks. During the duplication process some of these tracks were not turned on and resulted in sound distortion. Stanley immediately contacted Bookwalter to find out what was going on.  Bookwalter told Stanley he had a deadline to meet to get his new Video Outlaw label going and wasn't going to invest the time in changing Dead is Dead to the way Stanley wanted.

 

Screeners of this version of Dead is Dead were sent out to reviewers who were not to kind. Chainsaw Cinema said: "Although it has a subtle, menacing feel to it, coupled with above-par performances, this movie suffers in the technical department somewhat. Too bad, as this well-written story dealing with drugs capable of bringing back limbs as well as "the dead" could have been something special. However, ignore the fuzzy picture and the occasional distorted sound and you'll find a pretty good story told by a star-writer-director who shows a lot of promise". Stanley blames Bookwalter for the poor production value of the film.

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Stanley suggested that Bookwalter stop distribution of Dead is Dead so that he could re-edit the film himself to the changes they agreed on using the master tapes to avoid the movie being copied so many times. This would restore the picture and sound quality. Bookwalter said no. Dead is Dead was a done deal. Bookwalter rushed Dead is Dead into distribution because he had a deadline to meet starting his new Video Outlaw label. Filmlab Showcase Pictures still has a copy of the re-edited version of the Video Outlaw release.

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Now. Dead is Dead: The Directors Cut.  The Way it was meant to be!

 

In 2008, Mike Stanley brought life back to his Dead is Dead film, making it the way it was meant to be.  Stanley re-shot scenes, re-edited the film from all of his original masters, added a new soundtrack and special effects and deleted a number of scenes that appeared in the vhs version.  Stanleys character in the film Eric Shepherd now narrates the film.  The result...Dead Is Dead: The Directors Cut.  Dead Is Dead: The Directors Cut is now available for the first time on dvd from Filmlab Showcase Pictures and received rave reviews!  It's "Old School" horror at it's best!