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DANCE OF THE DEAD 2008, dir. Gregg Bishop Review by Baldy |
“Coach Keel: Little lady, you’ll get the machete.
Gwen: But I don’t know how to shoot a machete!”
Last year, here in Atlanta, a film was made that is near and dear to my heart. It’s Dance of the Dead. A high school prom is attacked by zombies and the only people who can save the attendees are those people who couldn’t get dates. How beautiful a setup is that?
The film was the project of local director Gregg Bishop, who has made films like The Other Side, Voodoo, and his current project, Home Security. I like Gregg’s work, especially as it seems that we have similar taste in movies. His films are steadily increasing in production quality, and the storylines are GREAT.
Did I mention that the movie is about ZOMBIES ATTACKING A PROM? Sorry. I just think that’s great. It’s almost as great a catch as Jesus Christ versus the Canadian kung fu lesbian vampires.
There are some good subplots. I won’t go into too much detail, not as a slight on the actors, but because the subplots aren’t about zombies attacking the prom. Geeky boy with the crush on the popular girl. The high school gym teacher is also a more-than-slightly scary gun collector who arms the kids for battle. There’s the racist redneck bully (more on him in a minute) who has to fight side-by-side with the Jewish kid.
It also cracks me up that my old buddy Justin Welborn is in this. When I was talking with Whitney Sullins about the movie, I told her I’d gone to college with Justin. Not having seen this movie yet, I wondered why she got a look of amazement on her face when she said, “He went to COLLEGE with you?!” I saw the film. I saw that he’s playing a teenager. I asked him how the HELL he was still able to play a teenager while I look my age, his reply was “Whiskey.” Made me admire him and feel old all at the same time.
It’s a fun movie! There’s tons of really imaginative gore. Mr. Bishop really put on his thinking cap for this one. There was no running lawnmower held out in front of the hero a la Dead-Alive, but it sure was creative.
Zombie lovers, horror lovers, over-the-top gore lovers, I HIGHLY recommend this movie.
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