Mortuary Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A mom buys a funeral home and then everyone gets slimed and turned into zombies by a subterranean slug-god, it’s basically a haunted house episode of ‘You Can’t Do That on Television’ but with more death.

🍿 Mortuary: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A New Beginning

Leslie Doyle, recently widowed, moves her teenage son Jonathan and young daughter Jamie to a dilapidated mortuary in a small California town. She intends to start a new life as the town’s mortician, but the Fowler Brothers Funeral Home is in disrepair and rumored to be haunted. Jonathan struggles to adjust, finding work at a local diner and befriending local teens Liz and Grady.

Local Legends and Disturbing Discoveries

Jonathan learns about the legend of Bobby Fowler, the deformed son of the original owners who supposedly still haunts the property. A strange black fungus begins to grow throughout the mortuary, and people start behaving strangely. When local teens vandalize the cemetery, they encounter something sinister within the Fowler family crypt.

The Spread of Infection

People begin to succumb to the influence of the black fungus, exhibiting violent and bizarre behavior. Leslie becomes infected, and the Doyle family finds themselves fighting for survival against the growing threat. They discover salt is a weakness of the infected.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Jonathan (Dan Byrd): A teenage boy uprooted to a mortuary who discovers the town’s dark secrets and fights to protect his family.
• Leslie (Denise Crosby): A widowed mother who moves her family to a rundown mortuary, unknowingly unleashing a supernatural horror.
• Jamie (Stephanie Patton): The young daughter who is vulnerable to the terrors lurking within the mortuary.
• Liz (Alexandra Adi): A local diner worker who becomes an ally to Jonathan and helps uncover the mortuary’s history.
• Bobby Fowler (NA): A deformed, reclusive figure living in the mortuary’s catacombs, linked to the town’s dark past and the present evil.
• Grady (Rocky Marquette): Liz’s friend who aids Jonathan in fighting the evil.
• Sheriff Howell (Michael Shamus Wiles): The local sheriff who is infected and becomes dangerous.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Sheriff Howell: “We try to stop those graveyard babies before they start.” – The Sheriff, with a stuttering problem, explains to Leslie his job in stopping undead creatures from rising.
• Cal: “Shut up, punk!” – A local bully, Cal, says it to Jonathan in a cemetery.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $3.5 million
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: $894,722

💥 Mortuary Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so Mortuary isn’t winning any awards, but I honestly had a fun time watching it! The whole setup of a family moving into a creepy, rundown funeral home is classic horror gold. While the plot gets a little wacky with the black fungus and zombie shenanigans, there’s something undeniably charming about its B-movie vibe. I especially enjoyed the scene where the Sheriff is investigating the cemetery. The ending, while abrupt, left me with a ‘what just happened?!’ kind of feeling, making it memorable in its own weird way.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of B-movie horror”
  • “Viewers looking for a campy, low-budget scare”
  • “Those interested in Tobe Hooper’s lesser-known works”
  • “Horror fans who enjoy zombie-adjacent themes.”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Graphic violence”
  • “Zombie-like creatures”
  • “Drug use”
  • “Some disturbing imagery”

Professional Reviews

• Fangoria: “Mortuary’ aims for campy scares but misses the mark. While the premise is intriguing, the execution suffers from predictable plot twists and underwhelming special effects. Though the acting is passable, the film fails to deliver the chilling atmosphere one expects from a Tobe Hooper flick.
• HorrorNews.net: “Mortuary is a mixed bag. A few effective scares and decent zombie makeup are offset by a convoluted plot and questionable CGI. Denise Crosby’s performance is a highlight, but overall, the film struggles to find its identity between horror and comedy.
• DVD Talk: “Mortuary has some decent zombie makeup and the setting of Fowler Brothers Funeral Home is great. Otherwise, it suffers. Tobe Hooper’s later career is spotty at best, and this is one of his misses.

Audience Reactions

The creepy atmosphere of the funeral home and cemetery was a hit.: Viewers appreciated the old-school horror vibe and the unique zombie origins.

Denise Crosby gave a solid performance as the struggling mother.: Fans enjoyed the cast and found the acting believable for a B-movie.

Overall Consensus: Mortuary is a flawed but entertaining B-movie that delivers some creepy atmosphere and unique zombie lore, though it may disappoint those seeking serious scares.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Tobe Hooper, known for ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ directed ‘Mortuary’, marking his return to horror after a series of diverse projects.”
• “The film blends elements of zombie horror with Lovecraftian themes, creating a unique narrative within the genre.”
• “The mortuary setting was specifically chosen for its inherent creepiness and potential for macabre imagery.”

🖥️ How to Watch Mortuary?

As of October 2024, ‘Mortuary’ is available for purchase or rental on various digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. Check local listings for potential streaming options and availability may vary by region.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Mortuary, you might like these similar films:

• Return of the Living Dead (1985): Shares a similar blend of horror and dark humor, with zombies as the primary threat.
• Phantasm (1979): Features a mortuary setting with supernatural elements and a malevolent undertaker.
• Re-Animator (1985): Involves reanimated corpses and dark experiments, mixed with comedic elements.

🛒 Mortuary Related Products

• Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice, 5th Edition: A comprehensive textbook covering all aspects of embalming, from historical perspectives to modern techniques. A must-have for aspiring morticians and those fascinated by the process.
• Creepy Cemetery Tombstone Decoration: A set of realistic-looking tombstone decorations perfect for creating a spooky graveyard atmosphere in your home or yard. Great for Halloween or horror-themed parties.
• Zombie Makeup Kit: A complete makeup kit for creating realistic zombie effects. Includes various shades of makeup, blood capsules, and application tools.
• Ouija Board Classic Game: The classic Ouija board game, allowing you to connect with the spirit world. A spooky addition to any horror movie night.

🎧 Soundtrack

Mortuary features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Hashdealer” – performed by Bongzilla

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Mortuary: Is This Crazy Slasher a Sick Flick?

Curious about ‘Mortuary’? The Horror Geek dives deep into this 80s slasher flick. Find out if this oddball film with a young Bill Paxton is worth your time—I’m always up for a weird slasher, are you?

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