‘What Could Have Been’ is a continuing look into the reels of film history, analysing movies that could have been something special, but due to problems with script, production, budget, or any other type of issue, did not reach its full potential.
Arguably one of the more bizarre buddy cop action/comedy films ever made, 1988’s Dead Heat, written by Terry Black (brother of buddy cop screenwriter extraordinaire Shane Black – think Lethal Weapon and The Nice Guys. . . who cameos as a Patrolman in this one), and directed by Mark Goldblatt, fuses the tried and true formula within a Los Angeles set zombie storyline.
Meet Doug Bigelow (Joe Piscopo) – cousin to Deuce, and Roger Mortis (Treat Williams) – and I think he’s the brother of Rigor, two officers who drive around town in a red 1960 Chevrolet Impala convertible – very inconspicuous. The former’s goofball jokey, the latter’s the more refined sort, together, they’re chaos.
Attempting to rein in a number of jewelry store robbers, the first chance they get finds two ugly perps who just won’t die. With the whole ordeal seeming rather odd, their heavy-handed play book eventually works. . . only finding out later from mortician Rebecca Smythers (Clare Kirkconnell) that these two crooks were already dead – they literally have had an autopsy before. Though head of the department Dr. Ernest McNab (Darren McGavin), still doesn’t believe it, those are the facts they go with.
With an odd chemical found in their blood, this sole true clue leads them to a local chemical company where you know things have to be sketchy. . . for they send their PR hire, Randi James (Lindsay Frost), out to meet the duo. Bringing the dead to the heat, this secret criminal enterprise is working on reviving the already dead. . . which of course leads to Mortis’ death and resurrection – though he’s only got about twelve hours to solve the crime before transforming into a steaming pile of goo.
Lighting a fire under him, Mortis forces Randi to join them, continuing their search for whoever did this to the suave soul. Flitting around town, arguably the freakiest occurrence is at a China Town meat market – an inspired scene that finds all of the dead animals being brought to mindless life. . . attacking the threesome in the most creative ways. But, in the end, all that matters is who has done this Rigor to Mortis. Might it be someone they know? Could it be the supposedly dead father of Randi, the ultra-wealthy Arthur P. Loudermilk (an extended cameo from Vincent Price in one of his last film roles)? When even the dead might be the culprit, who knows.
Dead Heat is rather difficult to review. Heaped in a big load of cheese, it’s silly, goofy, and because of it, surprisingly fun. As you might imagine, this style of film was despised by critics at the time, but was generally well received by those who saw it. . . and has built up a bit of a cult following since. In fact, New World Pictures wanted Terry Black to write a sequel, but it never ended up coming to fruition.
Never taking itself too seriously, it takes chances other more mainstream movies wouldn’t, featuring some wild action set pieces and even wilder practical horror effects. It lives in a weird place somewhere between each genre, not really pulling off the horror, comedy, or action all together, but somehow working as a whole nonetheless. That’s not saying this is quality cinema (it’s never going to win anything in the realm of a Best Screenplay award), but as a cheeky B movie, it does have some merits.
Taking the buddy comedy in wholly different directions, Dead Heat is definitely not your typical October viewing. A fast paced frolic in a glossy, hip L.A. zombie landscape, deceased cops have never seemed more alive. Plus, it is always a treat watching Vincent Price do his thing – just as good as ever in this feature. So, I leave you with a cheddary piece of knock-off dialogue to sum up this picture: “Roger, I think this is the end of a beautiful friendship”.