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The Chilling

  • 1989
  • R
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
3.7/10
714
YOUR RATING
The Chilling (1989)
Horror

The bodies at a cryogenic centre are defrosted by accident and turn into cannibalistic zombies.The bodies at a cryogenic centre are defrosted by accident and turn into cannibalistic zombies.The bodies at a cryogenic centre are defrosted by accident and turn into cannibalistic zombies.

  • Directors
    • Deland Nuse
    • Jack A. Sunseri
  • Writers
    • Guy Messenger
    • Jack A. Sunseri
  • Stars
    • Linda Blair
    • Dan Haggerty
    • Troy Donahue
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    3.7/10
    714
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Deland Nuse
      • Jack A. Sunseri
    • Writers
      • Guy Messenger
      • Jack A. Sunseri
    • Stars
      • Linda Blair
      • Dan Haggerty
      • Troy Donahue
    • 25User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos14

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    Top cast92

    Edit
    Linda Blair
    Linda Blair
    • Mary Hampton
    Dan Haggerty
    Dan Haggerty
    • Sergeant Vince Marlow
    Troy Donahue
    Troy Donahue
    • Dr. Miller
    Jack De Rieux
    • Joseph Davenport Sr.
    • (as Jack De Ruiex)
    Ron Vincent
    • Joe Davenport, Jr.
    Michael Jacobs
    • Mark Evans
    John Flanagan
    • Steve Carson
    Steve Gluck
    Steve Gluck
    • Jerry Kardell
    Peggy Duncan
    • Lisa Burton
    Jack A. Sunseri
    • Thug #1
    Rick Blanchard
    Rick Blanchard
    • Tony Rizzo, Thug #2
    Jim Thrasher
    • Thug #3
    Roger Wallace
    • Thug #4
    Neil O'Neill
    • Dr. Nevin
    Robert Clark
    • KC Power Man #1
    Matthew Riley
    • KC Power Man #2
    Kelly Smireich
    • Bank Hostage
    Robert Smireich
    • Bank Security Guard
    • Directors
      • Deland Nuse
      • Jack A. Sunseri
    • Writers
      • Guy Messenger
      • Jack A. Sunseri
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews25

    3.7714
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    10

    Featured reviews

    5corley-todd

    I liked Troy Donahue

    I became Jack Sunseri's attorney just before this movie's "Grand Opening" at Oakland"s very grand Grand Theater. So my first view of the picture was on the big screen, which has got to be a different experience than seeing it on video.

    I got a kick out of Troy's role which I think he did with tongue-in-cheek. Linda appeared not to be very into the picture.

    Some have complained about the Zombi's being wrapped in foil but that is how they were wrapped when they went into the freezer units.

    The idea was good and Jack should clean it up and try again if he is still in the game.

    Jack did a pilot for TV which was much better than "Teletubbies", staring Dana Plato and a very funny cast. It should have made it.
    4ecto216

    As least the box art looks cool...

    The combination of Dan Haggerty (Elves) and Linda Blair (Exorcist) is enough to make any horror fan excited about this movie. And once you see the cover art to this film of a frozen zombie coming out of their cryogenic chamber, you'll think you were in B-Movie Horror Heaven. At least that's the way I approached this film. But boy, was I in for a shock

    I love horror movies. I love B-Movies as well. Nothing makes my day more than a cheesy little film about zombies, monsters, murderers, that sort of thing. But to say that this movie was lacking, is an understatement. This movie was pure trash. You'd think the zombies would look somewhat like what the cover-art of the box displays, but instead, you get actors with masks that are clearly sold at any Halloween display counter. Furthermore, the script is beyond pitiful. Our main character, Joseph, suffers the loss of his wife and son and seeks solace in the warm-hearted Mary, played by Blair. Not once do you see any sign of sadness or discomfort on the part of Joseph's character. Instead, we see the head of the cryogenic labs, a man named Dr. Miller, eager to get the dead bodies and experiment with their organs. There is no emotion or anything to make you believe you should give a damn about anyone in this film.

    All and all, very disappointing. All the elements to make a great horror film were there. You had your zombies, your decent actors, and your story. But the lack of good writing and little if any sense of direction screwed this one up royally. Overall, 4 out of 10
    The Creeper

    A Good, Low Budget Zombie Movie

    The Chilling is a Very Low Budget Zombie movie that Pulls off Good Scares and a Well Developed Plot. Owes a Bit to "Night of the Living Dead". The Acting is not Very Good, but no one I Know could have done Better! The Make Up Effects are Very Well Done. This Movie is so Creepy and I Recommend it to Any Horror Fan.

    6 out of 10.

    People who Enjoyed this Might like: The Dead next Door, Night of the Living Dead, The Dead Hate the Living, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, and City of the Living dead.
    2Coventry

    The Dull and Bloodless Art of Cryogenics, with Linda Blair

    As to be expected, there's a pretty good reason why this film is so obscure and unknown in spite of dealing with the always-popular premise of zombies and starring the 80's B-movie queen Linda Blair, namely: it sucks! "The Chilling" is trying enormously hard – way too hard – to be a story with depth and factual background, whereas it should have just been a light-headed and gore-packed horror flick about frozen zombies. It takes an incredibly long time before anything remotely interesting or significant happens. There's a lot of drivel about cryogenics, which I learned in my physics class is the study of products and their behavior at extremely low temperatures. So naturally, in this film a bunch of people are studying the behavior of human corpses when deep frozen. Needless to say this is extremely boring, until two dim-witted night watchmen decide, during an electric power failure, that it's a good idea to put the metal-constructed cool cells outside at the heights of a thunderstorm. The coolers are struck by lightening, obviously, and the bodies spontaneously defrost and come to live to go on a murderous zombie rampage. "The Chilling" is a boring and surprisingly (for a late 80's effort, at least) gore-free horror film that doesn't even use up a quarter of its potential. All the painful attempts to build up an atmosphere of suspense and eeriness fail tremendously and I can't think of any reason why the zombie-attacks had to be so bloodless. Even in spite of the low budget available, they could have done better. The set pieces, make-up effects and costumes are pitiable. The research lab, for example, looks like a proper apartment flat whilst the zombies couldn't look less menacing with their green faces and foil-wrapped outfits. How Linda Blair managed to get involved yet again in such an embarrassing low-budgeted horror flick is a complete mystery. She's attracted to lousy B-movies like bees are to honey.
    zombi4life

    NOT THAT BAD AT ALL PEOPLE!!

    This one was cool one of my fav zombie movies its not a gore fest but its fun.Campy as hell ther is bad acting ther was way cool zombies and linda blair some cool actors that do well for ther part it was camp fun all the way 7/10

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    Related interests

    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Goofs
      At one point Mary calls Sergeant Vince Marlow "Dan," his real name rather than his character name.
    • Quotes

      Sergeant Vince Marlow: Die you green bag of snot!

    • Crazy credits
      During the credits, the listing for "Dr. Miller's receptionist--Lisa Jackson" appears twice.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Best of the Worst: Our VHS Collection (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Let's Make Love, The Way It Used To Be
      Written by William Ashford and David G. Powell

      Performed by Ilene Moore

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    FAQ13

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 11, 1992 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Escalofrío
    • Filming locations
      • Kansas City, Missouri, USA
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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