Masters of Horror: Dance of the Dead
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Sometimes I wonder what the future will be like. Will it be the techno-colored fun of Back to the Future 2 or maybe even a future full of the "ole in out, in out"? Frankly, I would like the mute, loin cloth clothed women from H.G Wells' Time Machine. I just got something for those women in loin cloths.

Tobe Hooper has given us a view of the future in his addition to Masters of Horror, Dance of the Dead, and damn is it bleak, dark, twisted, dreary and oh, so depressing. You know what Bums? I loved every damn minute of it. Well, maybe except one.

In the future a biohazardous air attack, called Bliss, is released on the United States, and has brought down much of the population. Looking like a snow storm of ash, when Bliss touches your skin it burns it off. What's left after World War III is a run down, scared community. Streets are littered with abandoned cars and those touched by the "Bliss" are considered lower class untouchables. Society seems more like a scene from Carpenter's Escape from New York than something from Leave it to Beaver.

A mother and her daughter Peggy (the absolutely stunning Jessica Lowndes) run a quant little diner complete with homemade pie. Since the loss of Peggy's older sister, Peggy has been much of a shut in by her mother. With how the world is going, you can't really blame her. This changes when Jak (Sleepers' Jack Tucker) walks in with his nut job partner in crime Boxx (the over the top Ryan McDonald). Jak brings out the curiosity in Peggy, and after she sneaks out one night, he takes her to the town of Muskeet. This is the Gomorra for the future. Rape in the street? Yes please. Drug use? Sure why not. This is the dark corner where all the wrecks congregate, and smack in the center is The Doom Room. Led by the MC (brilliantly played to prime sadistic fashion by Robert Englund) The Doom Room is the hot spot of the town and the Dance of the Dead is the number one attraction. Going any further would ruin the movie for you all out there. In fact this movie felt more of an experience than just watching a plot.

Peggy is a sweet innocent in a world completely turned upside down, while Jak is a nice guy hardened by living in the now corrupted world. Saying that Jak is the prince charming of the story is actually not quite correct. I guess you can say that he is as nice as a person could be in this fairy tale, but that sure as hell doesn't stop him from using the free flowing drugs, drinks and getting paid by robbing old people of plasma. Viewers might wish for a more cut and dry "good guy", but it works in the world they live in. Speaking of the character Jak, played by Jack Tucker, when the hell did this guy get get ripped?!? I mean Jesus! This was the skinny short kid from Sleepers, right? I need to hit the damn gym.

All actors involved give top of the line performances; from the MC, Jak and Peggy to even the lowliest crack whore that was sucking off someone on the street. Oscar material there.

The movie is hectic, spastic and again very dark. Tobe Hooper throws you into a movie where you will almost feel trapped in the dirty, seedy underbelly that Peggy and all involved live in on a daily basis. The one complaint was the over use of the crazy shaky cam. It works brilliantly in moments of chaos in the Doom Room, but shaky cam while someone empties a dishwasher, or someone spreading jelly on a piece of toast is a little extreme. Sure those two scenes were not in the movie, but you'll see what I am talking about. It was very annoying at times, and even though I got use to it, I think it was overly used. Honestly, that is my absolutely only complaint.

You will find yourselves caring about the characters, despising the world that they are forced to live in, and even ending up feeling slightly grimy when the film stops. Not so much to want to hop in the shower and scrub with a Brillo pad, but maybe just enough to go out back and hose that uncomfortable feeling from your skin. Oh, and you'll be smiling the whole time. Tobe Hooper is back baby!! While the shaky cam should dock the score down, in the long run it worked and this is easily a 5 can run-the-hell-out-and-buy-this-you-sickos addition to the Masters of Horror!!

Added:  Wednesday, September 20, 2006
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