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Dead Heat

  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
9.9K
YOUR RATING
Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo in Dead Heat (1988)
Trailer for Dead Heat
Play trailer1:07
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark ComedyParodyZombie HorrorActionComedyHorrorSci-FiThriller

A cop is killed investigating a strange case of resurrected corpses. His partner and a pathologist resurrect him, but he only has a limited time before he starts to decompose, and he uses it... Read allA cop is killed investigating a strange case of resurrected corpses. His partner and a pathologist resurrect him, but he only has a limited time before he starts to decompose, and he uses it to chase down the diabolical man who killed him.A cop is killed investigating a strange case of resurrected corpses. His partner and a pathologist resurrect him, but he only has a limited time before he starts to decompose, and he uses it to chase down the diabolical man who killed him.

  • Director
    • Mark Goldblatt
  • Writer
    • Terry Black
  • Stars
    • Treat Williams
    • Joe Piscopo
    • Lindsay Frost
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    9.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mark Goldblatt
    • Writer
      • Terry Black
    • Stars
      • Treat Williams
      • Joe Piscopo
      • Lindsay Frost
    • 97User reviews
    • 80Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos2

    Dead Heat
    Trailer 1:07
    Dead Heat
    Dead Heat
    Trailer 2:03
    Dead Heat
    Dead Heat
    Trailer 2:03
    Dead Heat

    Photos207

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    + 201
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    Top cast40

    Edit
    Treat Williams
    Treat Williams
    • Roger Mortis
    Joe Piscopo
    Joe Piscopo
    • Doug Bigelow
    Lindsay Frost
    Lindsay Frost
    • Randi James
    Darren McGavin
    Darren McGavin
    • Dr. Ernest McNab
    Vincent Price
    Vincent Price
    • Arthur P. Loudermilk
    Clare Kirkconnell
    Clare Kirkconnell
    • Rebecca Smythers
    Keye Luke
    Keye Luke
    • Mr. Thule
    Robert Picardo
    Robert Picardo
    • Lieutenant Herzog
    Mel Stewart
    Mel Stewart
    • Captain Mayberry
    Professor Toru Tanaka
    Professor Toru Tanaka
    • Butcher
    Martha Quinn
    Martha Quinn
    • Newscaster
    Ben Mittleman
    • Bob
    Peter Kent
    Peter Kent
    • Smitty
    Cate Caplin
    Cate Caplin
    • Saleswoman
    Monica Lewis
    Monica Lewis
    • Mrs. Von Heisenberg
    Peggy O'Brien
    • Jewelry Store Manager
    Chip Heller
    • Wilcox
    Steven R. Bannister
    Steven R. Bannister
    • The Thing
    • Director
      • Mark Goldblatt
    • Writer
      • Terry Black
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews97

    6.19.8K
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    Featured reviews

    7mattressman_pdl

    Remember The Good Old Days When Bullets Actually Killed People

    Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo are two, now get his, mismatched cops. Joe Piscopo is Bigelow, a macho, insensitive lug who only cares about himself...maybe. Treat Williams is Mortis, a kind, intuitive detective with a promising career ahead of him...until his latest case lands him on a slab. Fortunately, the case provides them with a means to bring Mortis back. Now, Bigelow and an undead Mortis race to find Mortis' killer before it's too late...(or perhaps it already is) The film tries hard to be funny, and it is, in certain moments. The two lead actors have a kind of chemistry and the cast of character actors are dynamite (including Darren McGavin, Vincent Price, Robert Picardo, and Key Luke) but it is the genre-mixing which steals the show. The butcher shop scene is hilarious and sick, a good indication of where the movie would have went if more freedom had been extended toward the filmmakers. But it remains a neat little flick for the horror lovers and the action buffs everywhere.

    Hopefully more and more people will discover this title, but until then, it has a small cult audience. Don't let that stop ya, seek it out. It won't change your life, but it ought to give you a diverting way to spend an hour and a half.
    6caspian1978

    What a goofy action / comedy should be

    One of Joe Piscopo better movies, Dead Heat is a fun ride that is filled with action and wild comedy. Treat Williams stars in this interesting story about the walking dead. Not a horror movie about zombies, but the living dead committing crimes. Williams and Piscopo do justice to this low budget movie. The story itself holds its own as the limited special effects can only take the audience too far. The comic relief of Piscopo fills in the gaps where the gun fights and walking dead miss. Treat Williams shows his leading man qualities in Dead Heat while he has failed to do so in other movies. In the end, the movie produces an enjoyable ride for action fans. One of Vincent Prices' last movies, he is the icing on the cake of the b-movie that Dead Heat is.
    8chrissoda100

    Dumb, but great fun

    OK! Lets get one thing straight right now. If you're looking for a serious movie about cops v robbers a la Robert de Niro, Al Pacino or something similar this is not the place to come.

    If on the other hand you want an action packed, leave your brain in the lobby, tongue in cheek zombie flick, with a side order of buddy-cops take on dastardly criminals thrown in then you aren't going to get much better than this.

    Cops Mortis (Treat Williams) and Bigelow (Joe Piscopo) are on the trail of nutty old Vincent Price (unfortunately not given much screen time) bringing dead criminals back to life so they can carry out jewellery store robberies. Of course being dead already makes it a tad difficult for the police to kill them.

    Mortis comes a cropper fairly early on, but worry not as he is soon resurrected with the regeneration machine found at the dodgy research company that they think might be connected with the crimes.

    The only problem is Mortis now has only twelve hours to solve the case before he decomposes, so things move on at a fair old pace after this as the lads do battle with various zombies, and a Chinese butchers shop full of meat that comes back to life!

    Great fun for fans of 'Braindead' or 'The Evil Dead' style horrors, and anyone else who wants a film that they don't have to take to seriously. Also stands up well to repeated viewing.

    8/10 I say, but judging by some of the other IMBD reviews others wouldn't (boring gits!)
    mgaines-1

    Much needed 2nd opinion

    Just want to offer another opinion on this movie for fans of zombies, buddy cop movies, schlock & the like. And don't miss Vincent Price.

    OK, Dead Heat will never be listed alongside OscarT winners, big deal. There're plenty of award-winning movies that I don't like, but fans of cult movies are missing something here: Funny kitch.

    The pitch meeting must've been hilarious: Picture Lethal Weapon meets Return of the Living Dead meets ReAnimator. C'mon, the genre mix alone is worth the look.

    It may not be saying much, but this is Piscopo's best movie. I've been waiting for the DVD release to add it to my cult favorites.
    6lastliberal

    You are under arrest. You have the right to remain disgusting.

    I saw the first monster and I thought my TV was out of focus. He had like three noses, and a mouth that stretched all across his face. This ain't your daddy's buddy cop flick.

    But nothing prepared me for the butcher shop. That was a riot! And two zombies with machine guns trying to kill each other was a hoot! Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo were great as the buddy cops.

    The show even had Vincent Price. Darren McGavin was excellent as the bad guy who was resurrecting zombies to do his bidding.

    A funny zombie cop movie that was well worth the time, even though it could have used some gratuitous nudity.

    Best Emmys Moments

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    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The building used for Dante Pharmaceuticals is also the set of the movie Bio-Dome 8 years later.
    • Goofs
      When Roger is examined by Rebecca after his resurrection, he cuts himself and does not bleed as he is found to have no pulse. Later he is shot and bleeds from his wounds, which contradicts his earlier examination.
    • Quotes

      Randi James: Hey, you're hurt.

      Det. Roger Mortis: Lady, I'm fucking dead.

    • Alternate versions
      The film suffered numerous cuts to the gore in order to receive an "R" rating instead of an "X".
    • Connections
      Edited into Cent une tueries de zombies (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Dead Heat
      Written by John Huckert (as John W. Huckert Jr.), Patrick Read Johnson & Phil Settle (as Philip J. Settle)

      Performed by Phil Settle

      Copyright © 1987 by: Sarah Beth Songs BMI

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    FAQ19

    • How long is Dead Heat?Powered by Alexa
    • What are the differences between the Original Version and the Extended Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 6, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Zombi detektiv
    • Filming locations
      • Japanese Garden, Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant - 6100 Woodley Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA(As Dante Pharmaceuticals. Interior/ exterior shots.)
    • Production companies
      • New World Pictures
      • Helpern / Meltzer
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,588,626
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,667,036
      • May 8, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,588,626
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 24m(84 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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