‘Dance of the Dead’ is a Zom-Com by Way of John Hughes [Watch]
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I am pleased to be singing the praises of the woefully under-seen zombie comedy Dance of the Dead on this installment of The Overlook Motel. Dance of the Dead is a witty flick that features a great cast of characters and strikes a smart balance between horror and comedy.
Dance of the Dead unfolds on prom night and follows a motley crew of high school students as they team up in an attempt to stave off the zombie apocalypse.
There are many reasons Dance of the Dead works as well as it does. But possibly the most important component here is a stellar screenplay from Joe Ballarini (A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting). The characters are likable, and the jokes effective. Ballarini took some risks and made some unorthodox choices but that paid off. One such example sees the teen protagonists learning that the undead are inexplicably drawn to the musical stylings of a local garage band. Remarking on that discovery, one of the band members likens the situation to the zombies being like bees and the music holding a position of importance similar to the influence a queen has on her hive. The film’s humor is off-the-wall and even weird but it works surprisingly well.
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Ballarini’s screenplay is in great hands with director Gregg Bishop (V/H/S Viral). Bishop brings the material to life in a light and comical fashion that sees the majority of the jokes landing. Because of the light tone and ever-present humor, the film has the potential to appeal to those outside of the horror crowd. This is the type of genre fare I might show to a group of friends that don’t always appreciate horror movies. Sure, it’s a bit goopy at times but the whimsical tone all but ensures a good time will be had by all.
In addition to a great screenplay and solid direction, Dance of the Dead also benefits from a talented cast. In fact, even the supporting players without a lot of dialogue or a proper arc are legitimately funny. That’s a testament to the acting chops and comedic timing of the entire cast as well as to Bishop’s ability to strike a tonal balance that allows the humor to hit just right.
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While Dance of the Dead does feature the kind of archetypal characters you’d expect from a high school horror movie, there’s a sort of Breakfast Club energy that sees the members of different cross-sections of the high school caste system coming together to stave off the zombie apocalypse. And that works surprisingly well, particularly given that the characters are likable and easy to invest in. In fact, if John Hughes had made a zombie comedy, it might have looked something like this.
Dance of the Dead received a certain amount of acclaim from critics upon release and even cleaned up on the festival circuit. However, it has sort of faded into obscurity since its 2008 debut. The flick’s release strategy didn’t include a theatrical exhibition or a great deal of marketing, so the picture landed quietly on DVD without a lot of fanfare. Dance of the Dead certainly has its fans but it’s a shame it hasn’t garnered wider recognition as the brilliant horror comedy it is.
If you’re a fan of under-seen cinema and are keen to chat more, you can find me on Twitter: @FunWithHorror.
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