Mirror, Mirror, Jill Whitlow is the fairest of them all

 
TWICE DEAD (1988)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

"Twice Dead" is a goofy horror-comedy that could only have existed in the 1980's. It is difficult to take seriously and its tongue is firmly placed in its cheek, and the gore for a relatively spooky haunted house feature is minimal.

The Cates family have moved into a mansion they inherited. It once belonged to a 1930's stage actor who hung himself after stabbing a female wax figure in the back! Of course, the Cates are unaware of this completely. However, Scott Cates (Tom Bresnahan), a college student interested in FX and makeup, discovers the belongings of this dashing stage actor in the attic, including an old record player and a noose! Scott's sister, (Jill Whitlow), who has an interested in kilns, is drawn in by these findings. Unfortunately, the family has to contend with punk squatters in the opening scenes of the film. These guys look like leftovers from "The Lost Boys," only they are not vampires (that might have been interesting if they were). Silk (Christopher Burgard) is the leader of this gang, and Crip (Jonathan Chapin) has a fixation on Robin and tears up every time he sees her.

Why this gang of misfits wants to hang out at this mansion is the question everyone should be asking - it is only beneficial to the scant plot we are provided. The ghost of the 30's actor resides in the mansion and cannot stand the punks, thus proving to be helpful to Scott and Robin (who bears a resemblance to the wax figure he stabs in the prologue) in thwarting them. And thanks to Scott's father, Scott keeps his shotgun nearby just in case.

"Twice Dead" is a fun little ghost story with a couple of neat little twists. It is also horrendously lit and, occasionally, laughably acted. The outside shots of the mansion and a silly Camaro-and-hearse chase are flatly lit. The scenes inside the mansion are controlled with a good use of shadows and mirror shots.

In terms of casting, laughable can only begin to describe Todd Bridges as Pete, Scott's library buddy - you'd think he was still stuck in "Different Strokes" mode. Tom Bresnahan and Jill Whitlow have too much chemistry to be siblings - the writers should have made them a teen couple rather than blood-related. Still, those enamored with Jill Whitlow and her cute voice will pine for her in this movie.

"Twice Dead" is nothing special nor will it be remembered as anything other than a Roger-Corman-produced campy horror flick. Those of you nostalgic for Charlie Spradling's breasts; some gory killings by methods including a dumb waiter and motorcycle; cheesy hair metal songs; Brooke Bundy as a caring mother and wife (unlike her mother role in "Nightmare on Elm Street 4"), and those of you still carrying your 80's teenage crush on Jill Whitlow who is at her perkiest here (aside from "Night of the Creeps"), "Twice Dead" fits the bill for an evening of minor thrills, some scares and a few laughs.