Deathship

Scorpion Releasing continues with their next exciting genre release, this time a real classic in the form of a lesser known violent ghost story at sea, Death Ship.

Featuring the always welcome George Kennedy (whom would go on to further 80s horror fare see the excellent Just Before Dawn) and the ever familiar Richard Crenna, this is a very original horror movie which tells the tale of a group of shipwrecked survivors that happen upon a rusted out old abandoned ship from the 1930's. They go aboard, as it seems like a chance for survival from the open sea, but they soon realize they are in far more danger on the Death Ship!

While low on atmosphere, this film still does have some and it's effective. The Nazi element is unsettling and gives cause to the paranormal violence that the survivors have to face. There is a quite memorable scene with the beautiful Victoria Burgoyne in the shower, when a large amount of blood ruins her day. Pretty awesome.

Filming a horror movie on the open sea is always an effective way to set up tension, as established early on with Jaws and other films ad nauseum. However, with Death Ship there is an extra sense of dread in that this time the threat is of a paranormal nature AND you cannot escape because there is still the threat of being lost at sea. In other words, where it lacks in atmosphere Death Ship makes up for in overall dread and fear. Plus, you get a decidedly dark performance from George Kennedy than you are probably used to. Overall though a really great "haunted-house-on-a-boat" spook fest that boasts some cool practical effects and decent scares. Definitely a midnight movie.

I have not seen the DVD so cannot compare I have the Blu Ray, and it looks excellent. Death Ship was a great choice for Scorpoin Releasing's first Blu Ray release.

On a side note, while not advertised on the cover this time, Death Ship is the latest film to be released under the Katarina's Nightmare Theater line of genre horror releases. It contains both the regular film and the version that she opens and closes. She is silly and charming as usual.

Great buy for 70s/80s horror enthusiasts.

DEATH SHIP is not GHOST SHIP. GHOST SHIP is a game. DEATH SHIP is real.

This is one of my favorite of the horror movies they used to show on Saturday afternoons when I was a kid. I have such fond memories of it that I bought the original movie poster a few years back. I've worn my VHS to a thin strip and I'm so glad that it now has a proper remastered DVD release, but I'm almost worried about seeing a cleaned up, sharper version! The "original", shown-on-TV copy I grew up seeing was so distorted and darkened that you could barely see the ash covered walls in the interior of the ship. Like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, something about the poor duplications of the film seemed to make it better more seedy more disturbing. Regardless of my nostalgia, I'm sure the remastered version won't disappoint...

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i first saw deathship in a cinema back, somewhere in the late 1970's. i love haunted ship and train movies and, i have seen alot of them! deathship is hands down the BEST of them!

george kennedy prformances of the "bipolar" captains is some of the acting of his career.

sorry folks, i'm not giving away any spoilers to this damn good movie.

folow up deathship by seeing the thai movie deathtrain... you will be so overjoyed that you did so!

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This is one of my favorite movies of the 1970's/1980's horror era. It is original, has a well-known cast of good actors and is scary without all the gags, gore and dumb naked bimbos that many of today's so-called horror movies rely on. The physical appearance and atmosphere of the German death ship is enough to give you the creeps. This remastered version has a nice clear picture which is a pleasure as some of the older movies have not been offered in DVD's of decent quality. There is a bonus feature that translates the German that is spoken by the former occupants of the ship into English so you know what is being said during these scenes. I found this helpful but it sort of took away from the creepiness of having to guess what the voice is saying. You know how leaving something to the imagination can be more visceral than if it is actually presented. Either way if you like a good, old fashion horror flick than don't miss this one. I have watched this movie many times and always get something more from each viewing. Death Ship is a winner and not to be confused with the mediocre Ghost Ship from a few years back.

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Deathship is a classic example of how to use atmosphere and suspense to keep an audience on the edge of their seats. Deathship is about a ship that is haunted by it's former crew, Nazis. The movie does an excellent job of being scary and suspenseful without using a whole of F/X. Something todays movies use too much off.

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