Many years ago, apparently like decades or so, when perusing the video store aisles looking for a great film to spend your evening with, there was always Gary Sherman’s Dead & Buried (1981). It never failed to hit all the marks, from being creepy, even scary, having some incredible special effects, but also a very interesting and captivating story that was played out by some very talented actors, from veterans like Jack Albertson or James Farentino, or up-and-coming ones like Melody Anderson, Lisa Blount, or even a guy named Robert England, just a few years from becoming a huge star. I really loved it back then and still remains as one of my favorites and unfortunately one that doesn’t seemed to get the recognition it much richly deserves. But now, with a stunning new transfer coming out, maybe it will change all of that.

Available on July 20th, Blue Underground presents a new restoration that has been approved by Director of Photography Steven Poster, that has been scanned in 4K 16-bit from its 35mm print, with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, with plenty of extras, both archival and brand new. Sure, I have no clue what a lot of those technical terms mean, but if it is coming from Blue Underground, you know it is going to look freaking amazing.

If you don’t know what the film is about, I would shy away from learning too much about the plot, other than the local cop that is investigating the strange accident of a stranger to the town, that was burnt to a crisp in an auto accident. Only to turn up later in town, looking perfectly normal. As the sheriff digs deeper, he finds much more under the surface of this little town of Potters Bluff. Director Gary Sherman really creates one of the better films of that time, not just giving us another body count movie like the Friday the 13th series had started (not a complaint there guys, so hold the hate mail), as well as having some jaw-dropping special effects done by Stan Winston.

Below is what is listed for the extras for this 3-Disc special edition. I know I’m picking this up for the soundtrack alone!

• Audio Commentary #1 with Director Gary Sherman
• Audio Commentary #2 with Co-Writer/Co-Producer Ronald Shusett and Actress Linda Turley
• Audio Commentary #3 with Director of Photography Steven Poster, ASC
• NEW! Audio Commentary #4 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
• NEW! Behind the Scenes of Dead & Buried
• NEW! Dead & Buried Locations: Now & Then
• NEW! Murders, Mystery, and Music – Interviews with Director Gary Sherman and Composer Joe Renzetti
• NEW! The Pages of Potters Bluff – Interview with Novelization Author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
• Stan Winston’s Dead & Buried EFX
• Robert Englund: An Early Work of Horror
• Dan O’Bannon: Crafting Fear
• Theatrical Trailers
• NEW! Poster & Still Galleries
• Steven Poster’s Location Stills
• BONUS! DEAD & BURIED Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD by Joe Renzetti
• BONUS! Collectible Booklet with new essay by Michael Gingold