Dead Heat (1988)
Throughout the eighties, two of the most commercially successful genres in Hollywood were buddy cop movies and horror films. Therefore it was inevitable that someone, somewhere would eventually combine them. Dead Heat is a comedy action movie with both horror and science fiction elements. If you think such an eclectic blend of themes is a little incongruous, then watching the movie will validate your assumption. All things considered, Dead Heat is a bit of a mess. However, despite its faults, of which there are several, it remains quite an enjoyable film. A textbook example of the over the top eighties action movie, utterly removed from established police procedures and indeed reality. It is also one of two feature films directed by renowned film editor, Mark Goldblatt, whose credits include Rambo: First Blood Part II, RoboCop and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
“Loose cannon” LAPD cops, Roger Mortis (Treat Williams) and Doug Bigelow (Joe Piscopo), are hot on the trail of a gang that are robbing jewellery stores. After a chaotic shootout the gang are shot dead and the subsequent autopsies by coroner Dr. Rebecca Smythers (Clare Kirkconnell) indicates that they were dead prior to the robberies. Doug and Roger follow a lead to Dante Pharmaceutical, a company owned by millionaire industrialist Arthur P. Laudermilk (Vincent Price). While investigating the company headquarters, Roger is attacked by another animated corpse. After suffocating in a decompression chamber, Roger is resurrected via an experimental machine that Rebecca and Doug have discovered in a secure laboratory. However, Roger’s new lifespan is only twelve hours, giving him little time to complete his investigation.
Dead Heat telegraphs exactly what sort of film it is within the first ten minutes. The reanimated thieves are dense comic foils to the cool detectives who endorse their clichéd credentials by driving around in a convertible and playing “upbeat rock music” (according to the Blu-ray subtitles). Treat Williams is the suit wearing straight guy, where Joe Piscopo is the “chews with his mouth open”, uncouth sidekick with a mullet. The latter of the two lead characters will either irritate or amuse you. The jokes are a bit hit and miss and due to the brevity of the theatrical edit, the story line doesn’t quite add up. There are several other versions of the film with some additional scenes that do make the plot a little more linear. However, the action scenes are suitably excessive and the prosthetic effects are very well realised. Sadly, many of them did not make it into the US theatrical version in their entirety due rating restrictions at the time.
Dead Heat is fast paced and never dull, with Treat Williams doing much of the heavy lifting. Veteran character actor Darren McGavin also delivers, despite the screenplays shortcomings and his limited screen time. Keye Luke (Gremlins) and Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager) also have cameo appearances. But the standout scene of the entire film is when Roger and Doug follow a lead to a Chinese restaurant which has a prototype resurrection machine. This results in a multitude of items on the menu coming back to life and attacking our heroes. It is filled with old school, practical effects and is both unpleasant and droll. So if you can accommodate the plot holes, the tonal inconsistency and Joe Piscopo’s “love him or loathe him” performance, then Dead Heat may well amuse you. It is very much a product of its time and is the sort of film that would struggle to find a backer these days.
