On this day July 8, 1983, Mortuary premiered in theaters and added another eerie entry to the wave of early 80s low budget horror. Directed by Howard Avedis, the film followed a teenage girl who becomes entangled in a string of mysterious deaths connected to a local mortuary and an unsettling occult presence. Featuring early roles from Bill Paxton and Mary Beth McDonough, the film leaned into dreamlike visuals and offbeat pacing to deliver its chills.
Mortuary also starred David Wallace, Lynda Day George, and cult horror icon Michael Berryman. It gained attention for its surreal tone and memorable funeral home setting, with several sequences becoming cult favorites among horror fans. Though it did not receive major critical acclaim, the film’s atmospheric style helped it find a second life through home video and late night TV airings. The film earned 4.3 million dollars at the box office.
Revisit the movie in our Mortuary thread.
80s insight: Mortuary stood out by mixing psychological horror with supernatural elements, showing the range of scares that defined early 80s genre films.
Mortuary also starred David Wallace, Lynda Day George, and cult horror icon Michael Berryman. It gained attention for its surreal tone and memorable funeral home setting, with several sequences becoming cult favorites among horror fans. Though it did not receive major critical acclaim, the film’s atmospheric style helped it find a second life through home video and late night TV airings. The film earned 4.3 million dollars at the box office.
Revisit the movie in our Mortuary thread.
80s insight: Mortuary stood out by mixing psychological horror with supernatural elements, showing the range of scares that defined early 80s genre films.
