MovieChat Forums > Masters of Horror (2005) Discussion > Dance of the Dead

Dance of the Dead

posted 14 years ago by Jay_of_the_Dead
28 replies | jump to latest

Personally, I absolutely loved it. Robert Englund was amazing, and Jonathan Tucker was amazing too. (I've been a fan of Tucker since Virgin Suicides.) My personal reason for watching this episode was the fact that it's based off a short story, written by Richard Matheson, which is probably one of the most interesting short stories I've ever read. The screen play for Dance of the Dead was written by his son, if I'm not mistaken, and even though it wasn't completely true to the story, I do think it stayed fairly true to what Matheson was getting at. The chaos of the future after the third World War. A sort of post-apocalyptic story. The short story seemed very retro-fifties (Which I think was when it was written) and portrays a young girl who's gone away from her family for the first time in her life, a sheltered college girl, who knows nothing of the real world. To have adapted the story straight to film would have ended within about five minutes, which explains some of the re-writes. I do thin they portrayed Jak as a little too much of a 'nice guy', compared to the written version, but hey, it was still amazing.

And did anyone else love that line about the loss of the letter 'c'?

[–] fatpie42 12 years ago

The bit where they are all taking drugs in the car was so boring!

And the dialogue was ridiculous. I'm sure the writers might have thought that dialogue was clever when they were writing it, but surely Tobe Hooper must have noticed that it did not flow AT ALL when actually spoken out loud?

The "twist" was alright, but all the build-up to it was just boring and pointless. This short film didn't need to be an hour. It could have been ten minutes and have worked a LOT better.

[–] Jay_of_the_Dead 12 years ago

The dialogue in the car ride is, if I'm not mistaken, almost directly taken from the short story, verbatim. It was supposed to seem sort of off-kilter and not at all right.

[–] Cowgirlstif7 8 years ago

I loved this episode, but I agree - that scene was awful. I think what made it so bad was the over the top annoying character of Boxx (the friend that was driving). I think he is what made it atrocious, I didn't like it anytime he talked - but I still enjoyed this episode as one of the best.

Hail to the king baby - Ash

[–] liliae129 10 years ago

I'm just shocked that at the end she decided to kill her mother and turn her into one of the dancers.

Granted, the sister wasn't the mom's "favorite", she obviously still cared somewhat if she used to try to go get her from the parties.

I just think something like an abusive parent probably deserved that ending, not so much one that took care of her and was a bit of a bitch.

[–] Shimmer_Me_Timbers 10 years ago

The mom was verbally abusive and only saw the younger daughter as an extension of herself. The selfish woman locked a whole bunch of moms and young children outside when that acidic ash was falling - she didn't care who survived as long as she and her precious daughter were safe.

[–] ellej129 10 years ago

I agree. She was incredibly selfish but still, she took care of her for 16 years of her life she was even MORE over protective because of how society had deteriorated.

I'd get never speaking to her mother again but selling her and killing her?

If her mother was the woman from Flowers in the Attic, totally different conversation :)

[–] bswanson-59591 8 years ago

^^ she just did the same thing her own mother did to her sister, she deserved it for doing it to her own daughter

[–] Jams25 9 years ago

Easily the worst in the entire series. The only people who could like that crap is heavy metal fans. It was torture.

[–] marcey-38938 8 years ago

What??? You're an idiot.

[–] Jams25 8 years ago

If you liked this you're a moron. End of story.

[–] Navaros 8 years ago

Dance of the Dead is good in all of the scenes that don't feature whiny Emo malcontent psychopath teenagers. But unfortunately, scenes without them are few, and they appear in and ruin the vast the majority of the film.

Hooper should have demanded a script without any of those morons in it before he started production.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jcern 7 years ago

Cant believe no one has mentioned this, but this felt like Hooper was going for A Clockwork Orange feel in this film. Hell even the security guys at the bar were dressed similar to Alexs droogs. Either way it was still a crap film. Just surprised no one else got the vibe I did.