The Undertaker (1988) – Franco Steffanino.

Murder maestro Joe Spinell returns to heavy breathing duty in morbid Necro-slasher The Undertaker, arguably one of the VHS-era's most entertaining Necrophilic shockers. Produced in the tail-end of 1980s, The Undertaker is frequently nasty, atmospherically imbued with a palpable 70s Grindhouse griminess. Not at all stylised, the overly flat lighting, obligatory T&A, largely static camera, and crudely effectively Practical FX, prove bluntly effective. Joe Spinell's sordidly cadaver collecting, sweaty-eyed sicko mortician Rosco, manifestly cementing his legacy as one of the silver screams most magnetic of maniacs! The sinisterly staked hotties are bona fide B-babes, all being gruesomely dispatched in a monstrously macabre fashion by the fascinatingly grotesque 'Uncle Roscoe'.

Ever since I first espied the striking-looking Joe Spinell in Rocky, I was almost instantaneously struck by his singular charisma, unique physiognomy, and his wholly natural dramatic talent, all of which provides 'The Undertaker' with far more depth than most cash-cow stab-fests of the period. While it is not for me to say whether, or not, his great talent was given the best opportunities to shine, Uncle Roscoe remains a compelling example of his bravura gift for bringing additional gravitas to a horror project, regardless of its meagre budget. No longer embalmed in some forgotten film vault, the restored HD edition of The Undertaker is sure to beguile a new generation of slasher addicts.