Death Warmed Up (1984)

Synopsis

The movie Death Warmed Up (1984) is a New Zealand science fiction horror splatter zombie film directed by David Blyth and starring Michael Hurst, Margaret Umbers, and Gary Day[1]. The film’s plot centers around a young man named Michael Tucker who seeks revenge against a mad scientist, Dr. Archer Howell, who years earlier caused him to kill his parents because he is creating zombies[3].

The movie begins with Michael Tucker being hypnotized by Dr. Howell to kill his parents. He is then sent to a mental institution. As a grown-up, Michael returns to the island where the institution is located to seek revenge over Dr. Howell. He is accompanied by his girlfriend, Sandy, and two friends, Lucas and Jeannie[1].

As the movie progresses, Michael and his friends begin to experience strange occurrences and visions, leading them to believe that Dr. Howell is still experimenting on patients and creating zombies. They seek the help of a local doctor, who tries to uncover the truth behind the experiments.

Cast

Michael Hurst as Michael Tucker
Margaret Umbers as Sandy
Gary Day as Dr. Archer Howell
David Letch as Lucas
William Upjohn as Dr. Archer’s assistant

Trivia

The movie was directed by David Blyth, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Heath.
Death Warmed Up won the Grand Prix award at the 1984 Paris International Festival of Fantastic and Science-Fiction Film.
The film was shot in New Zealand.