Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Children Shouldn't Play with Dead T...’?

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1972)

My Rating

Movie Info

In Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things, an above average slasher/horror film, a group of amateurs decide to experiment with witchcraft with deadly results. This film has a small cult following, due to some extent to the fact that one of the lead characters is played by writer and makeup effects artist Alan Ormsby. Ormsby gives one of the three or four most obnoxious screen performances in history as Alan, the leader of a troupe of actors who try out a voodoo ritual on a corpse only to find

PG, 1 hr. 25 min.

Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

,

Jun 8, 1999

VCI

Cast

All Critics (10) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (7) | DVD (3)

Like watching a George Romero rip-off, directed by Ed Wood, with a script scribbled by Joe Orton while he was ripped to the tits on poppers.

April 26, 2010 Full Review Source: SFX Magazine | Comment
SFX Magazine

Clark accordingly avails himself of the best abysmal wisecracks, offhand surrealism, and decomposing mise-en-scène available

September 5, 2009 Full Review Source: CinePassion | Comment
CinePassion

On a technical level, at least, it's great fun.

October 18, 2007 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment
Combustible Celluloid

Clever title, insufferable movie!

September 29, 2007 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

Clark's first film is memorable only for its catchy title.

September 29, 2007 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

One of the best horror movies of the 70's!

January 24, 2006 Comment
Moviehole

Truly weird, sometimes effective horror cheapie.

November 25, 2002 Comment
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Pretty bad, but not even close to Bob Clark's worst. This guy directed both "Baby Geniuses," don't forget.

July 25, 2002 Comment
eFilmCritic.com

...connoisseurs of camp will love it. Especially that title. (35th Anniversary Exhumed Edition)

April 16, 2002 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

On any absolute scale of movie ratings, it should score pretty low. However, there is no accounting for the amount of fun one can have with it.

April 8, 2001 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment (1)
Movie Metropolis
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

**+Better than what the first five minutes would lead you to believe, if you can get past the annoyingness of some of the characters.

June 1, 2010
vierasesine

Super Reviewer

A low budget campfest that actually manages to give me the creeps.

September 1, 2009
FilmFanatik
Tim Salmons

Super Reviewer

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things Quotes

No quotes approved yet for Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Latest News for Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

April 4, 2007:
"Christmas Story" Director Bob Clark Dies In Crash
Bob Clark, director of "A Christmas Story," "Porky's," and many other works in a...

April 26, 2005:
Bob Clark Wants to Revisit His Old "Dead Things"
You know the horror-remake machine is getting a little crazy when a title like "Children...

What's Hot On RT

Critics Consensus
Critics Consensus

Journey 2 Not Worth the Trip

Luis Guzman
Luis Guzman

What are his 10 best movies ever?

<em>Amazing Spider-Man</em>
Amazing Spider-Man

See the all-new action-packed trailer!

The Avengers!
The Avengers!

Five new Marvelous pictures

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 18,603 taken
created 12 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 44,523 taken
created 15 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 27,199 taken
created 15 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 27,696 taken
created 15 months ago
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Blog | Developers | Mobile