And They All Died Screaming

What And They All Died Screaming Actually Is

It is a 1981 horror television film directed by Dan Curtis, starring Tom Skerritt and Britt Ekland. The story follows a wealthy man who dies and returns from the dead, but something is clearly wrong with him. His family gathers for the reading of his will, and things escalate from there. It is not particularly regarded as a classic of the genre. Critics at the time were generally unimpressed, and it has since settled into the kind of obscure television fare that horror fans occasionally dig up for nostalgia value. The film was originally titled And They All Died Screaming, though it has also circulated under the alternate title The Dead Are Among Us. If you are searching for it online, you will likely encounter both names, which is why the confusion exists in the first place.

Where to Find And They All Died Screaming

Availability for this title has shifted over the years, which is typical for older made-for-TV horror productions. As of my last check, it has appeared on streaming platforms like Shudder and Tubi at various points, but licensing for these kinds of titles rotates frequently. Physical media releases are scarce — I found a DVD pressing through third-party sellers on eBay and Amazon Marketplace, usually priced somewhere between fifteen and thirty dollars depending on condition. There has never been a widely available Blu-ray transfer, which is unfortunate for anyone who cares about picture quality. One practical workaround I learned the hard way: if the film is not showing up on your preferred streaming service, try searching by the alternate title The Dead Are Among Us. I spent about twenty minutes thinking it had been pulled from a platform before realizing I was looking under the wrong name. The metadata across different services is inconsistent, and relying on a single search term will cost you time.

What to Expect If You Watch It

The premise borrows heavily from the zombie and possession traditions that were circulating in early eighties horror. Tom Skerritt plays the dead man who comes back, and Britt Ekland is among the family members who suspect something is off. The special effects are dated — you will notice the practical gore work looks more ambitious in still photographs than it does in motion — but the pacing is generally steady enough to keep you watching. The film runs approximately 90 minutes. It does not reinvent anything in the genre, and it is not particularly scary by modern standards. But it has a certain charm as a time capsule of early eighties television horror production values, and it is an easy watch if you are in the mood for something short and uncomplicated.

A Note on Viewing Quality

If you do find a physical copy, manage your expectations regarding the print quality. The original television broadcast was produced on video tape, which means the source material does not translate well to high-definition displays. I tried comparing a few different DVD pressings, and the differences between them are marginal at best — one might have slightly less noise reduction artifacting, but nothing substantial. If streaming is your only option, expect the same video quality you would get from a standard definition broadcast capture. This is not a film that benefits from any particular upgrade in presentation. The audio mix is likewise standard for its era — dialogue sits clearly in the center channel, and the score is modest. There is nothing technically impressive about the sound design, but it is functional and does not distract from the viewing experience.

Common Questions People Ask

Is this based on a book? No. The screenplay was written by Dan Curtis and John Penney. It is an original story, though it clearly draws on familiar horror tropes of the period. Is it available on DVD with extras? The DVDs that circulate are typically bare-bones releases with no supplementary material. Do not expect director commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, or anything beyond the film itself. How does it compare to other Dan Curtis horror work? Curtis directed several well-known horror productions including Tweeny Witches and various episodes of Dark Shadows. This film sits somewhere in the middle of his output — competent but not particularly memorable. If you are a casual fan of the genre, it is worth a single viewing. If you are a completist, you will find it adequately satisfies the checklist without earning a permanent place in your collection.