PodBill Just what I expected

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Murphy Howard I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

hoyayer What a scary little confection built totally around the power of clans, clannishness, and tribalism to take over one's mind. It's definitely not safe to stray too far from the social compact that binds a community together.

Woodyanders Businessman Robert Kraft (a solid and credible performance by Richard Boone) becomes the newly elected director of a cemetery. Kraft discovers that he can cause the deaths of living owners of funeral plots by simply changing the push-pin color from white to black on a large wall map of the graveyard. Director Albert Band, working from a creative and compelling script by Louis Garfinkle, relates the offbeat and fascinating story at a steady pace, offers a flavorsome evocation of the rural region and the people who populate the area, makes good use of the depressing boneyard location, generates a good deal of tension, and does a bang-up job of crafting an eerie and unsettling gloom-doom atmosphere which gets especially spooky in the last third before alas faltering with a lame cop-out "realistic" final explanation. Moreover, the freshness and originality of the central premise along with several inspired visual flourishes kicks up the overall quality of this picture a few extra notches. The fine acting by the able cast rates as another definite asset: Theodore Bikel easily steals the whole show with his gloriously hammy portrayal of hale'n'hearty grounds keeper Andy McKee, Peggy Mauper radiates a sweet charm as Kraft's concerned fiancé Ann Craig, plus there are sturdy contributions from Howard Smith as the jolly George Kraft, Herbert Anderson as skeptical reporter Jess Jessup, and Robert Osterloh as the cynical Lt. Clayborne. Frederick Gately's sharp cinematography makes cool use of fades and dissolves. Gerald Fried's robust score hits the spirited shivery spot. Worth a watch.

gavin6942 Through a series of macabre "coincidences", the newly-elected director of a cemetery (Richard Boone) begins to believe that he can cause the deaths of living owners of burial plots by merely changing the push-pin color from white (living) to black (dead) on a large wall map of the cemetery that notes those plots.When you think of the name Albert Band, what you might first think of is the man who sired the hack director and producer Charles Band and hack composer Richard Band. And you would be right. But a film like this just shows that Albert was a solid director in his own right, and we should excuse him for having children with minimal talent.We also have the legendary Jack Pierce ("The Mummy") doing makeup, though the makeup in this picture is sparse. (Not that sparse is a bad thing... less is more is often true.) I also love whoever made the map. Maps in general are fascinating, and then the elaborate nature of this one just makes it all the more peculiar.What makes this film great? Is it the great use of the tuba? Maybe. But I think it is the great plot -- it is just a really solid idea (something you might see on "The Twilight Zone") and well-visualized. The cemetery plot layout with the spiral alone captures the imagination, and Band successfully contrasts the light and dark of this picture for a crisp, enjoyable view.The plot takes a very interesting twist in the third act, following what seems to be solid logic from the protagonist. And thus it goes from good to great... truly a classic, and a shame to have fallen into public domain. (Few reference books even seem to mention it, which simply blows my mind.)Bonus: John Wilkes Booth appears, though I have no idea why.Today, the film's biggest promoter is Stephen King. He says he was thinking about this film when he wrote his short story "Obit", about a young writer who discovers he can kill people by writing an obituary about them. He has mentioned the movie at other times, too. Yet, as of 2016, no one has come forward to release the film on blu-ray. I understand that is not popular when a film is in the public domain, but a title this good deserves a decent transfer and commentary.

bkoganbing This low budget independent film for United Artists, I Bury The Living, given its limited resources was not too bad of its type. It's got an Edgar Allan Poe like quality albeit cut rate Poe.Richard Boone who was between his Medic and Have Gun Will Travel TV series stars in this film as a newly appointed chairman of a cemetery board. Part of his job is to sell cemetery plots and he inherits a map of the grounds with pins showing the used and unused lots that were sold. A black pin means someone is buried there and the white pin means the lot was sold and waiting for occupancy.When Boone mistakes a black for a white pin and the plot owner conveniently dies to keep the books in order, it's a coincidence. When it happens a few more times, some other forces are at work. And Boone starts really believing that he's got a power of life and death working here that he really doesn't want.Fans of his will be surprised at Theodore Bikel who plays the cemetery caretaker, a man who loves his work. He has a thick head of hair and beard and a Scot's accent. I didn't realize it was him until I saw the credits.Although it won't take too much to figure out who's behind all these mysterious deaths, I Bury The Living given its limited production values is not too bad a film.