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Psycho handyman, beachside horror, and a potent dose of Ozploitation sleaze.

LADY STAY DEAD

The trick is to stay alive.

1981 · 01:32:00 · NR · Drama / Horror / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

A young woman is looking after her sister's house, unaware that her sister and neighbor have been murdered by their handyman who also happens to be a serial killer.

Quick Answer
What is Lady Stay Dead about?

Lady Stay Dead is a 1981 Australian drama, horror, and thriller film directed by Terry Bourke about a psycho handyman who rapes and murders a woman, leaving her sister to uncover the horrors within a beachside mansion.

Key Facts
Director
Terry Bourke
Writer
Terry Bourke
Release
1981
Runtime
1h 32m
Also Known As
The Killer of Malibu, Die Nacht der Apocalypse, Malibu Katili, Le tueur de Malibu, Lady Stay Dead, Original title: Lady

The SassyFlix Take

This slice of Ozploitation nastiness doesn’t skimp on the sleaze or the body count. With a psycho gardener who prefers mannequins to manners and a sun-soaked Sydney mansion hiding bloody secrets, Lady Stay Dead is for those who like their down under slashers as lurid as they come.
From the Vault

Proof that even paradise can use a lock on the tool shed.

Why Cult

Ozploitation Sleaze

This cult film delivers the explicit content and shock value that Australian exploitation cinema is notorious for, including nudity and brutal violence.

Psycho Handyman Villain

Gordon Mason, the bearded gardener with a penchant for mannequins and murder, cuts an unsettling figure as the film’s sadistic antagonist.

Beachside Mansion Terror

The secluded, affluent Sydney setting offers a sun-drenched contrast to the sadistic horror lurking within its walls.

Sibling in Peril

Jenny Nolan’s search for her sister adds a layer of suspense and classic slasher tension as she walks into the killer’s lair.

About This Film

Pretty singer/actress Marie Coleby has a charmed,affluent life in Sydney. She lives alone in a beach-side mansion with her dog and doting neighbour, old Billy Shepherd helps her out from time to time. The bearded Gordon Mason is her gardener. He is a psycho,who enjoys lying in bed with a mannequin and dreaming about torturing women on the beach. His obsession with Marie leads to rape and murder. A new resident enters the house of murder. Marie’s older sister Jenny Nolan is looking for her…

“Lady Stay Dead” is a sleazy psycho slasher comparable to “Maniac”, “Don’t Go in the House”, “Never Pick Up a Stranger” or “American Nightmatre”. There is plenty of sleaze and full-frontal nudity as well as some brutal violence. Chard Hayward is perfect as a appropriately perverted and crazed murderer.

Film Details

Director Terry Bourke
Writer Terry Bourke

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lady Stay Dead about? +

Lady Stay Dead follows a psychopathic handyman who rapes and murders a woman in her Sydney mansion, with her sister arriving soon after, unaware of the danger inside.

When was Lady Stay Dead released? +

Lady Stay Dead was released in 1981.

Who directed Lady Stay Dead? +

Lady Stay Dead was directed by Terry Bourke.

How long is Lady Stay Dead? +

Lady Stay Dead has a runtime of 92 minutes.

What genre is Lady Stay Dead? +

Lady Stay Dead is a drama, horror, and thriller film.

Where can I watch Lady Stay Dead? +

Lady Stay Dead is available to stream on SassyFlix.