Review — Death Bed: The Bed That Eats 1977

This wonderfully gothic, surreal dream of a movie comes to us from the mind of a man by the name of George Barry and is known, though not to enough, as the “lost horror film of the seventies” because while it was originally made in 1977 it quickly, and sadly, fell into obscurity. However, interestingly enough, a pirated version was created which, quietly, over time, reached enough responsive viewers and eventually lead to an official DVD release in 2003. Death Bed: The Bed that Eats might not be for everyone, (but perhaps it should be) …it’s certainly strange, but the acting is better than you’d expect and the narration is very well done in my opinion, but I’m admittedly a bit of a sucker for narration. And, also, it is truly funny! And, contrary to popular belief, it is intended to be funny.
The film is divided into 4 “courses,” (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Dessert) and centers around the bed, the bed’s victims, and the ghost of a man who is trapped in a painting, near the bed. The trapped ghost narrates much of the movie, he has a clear connection to the bed and quite thoroughly explains the bed’s thoughts and history. I have always seen Death Bed: The Bed that Eats as more a work of cinematic art, than a traditional movie, and I really think that’s the key to understanding what you’re watching when you see it. This is not a film that can be compared to conventional cinema. This is art. It’s weird, and it’s smart, and it’s beautiful. Just enjoy what’s in front of you, and remember it’s okay to laugh! Just never think that this is ‘one of those movies that’s “so bad it’s good”’, because, if you think that, then, sorry but I just don’t think you… get it.. But I do hope more people will open their minds and give this one the chance it deserves. With a phantasmagorical feel, witty comedy, and little to no gore, Death Bed: The Bed that Eats is a real gem and an intriguingly different experience of a film.

For more information on this obscure little work of art, you can read 2 other truly amazing reviews on amazon and psychotronic review. Now, those two “get” it!