GRAVEDANCERS DVD cover.
© Lion's Gate
Mania Grade: B
Rated: R
Cast: Dominic Purcell, Clare Kramer, Tcheky Karyo, Josie Maran, Marcus Thomas
Writer: Brad Keene, Chris Skinner
Director: Mike Mendez
Distributor: Lion's Gate
Original Year of Release: 2007
Extras: Available Subtitles: English, Spanish Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0) Commentary by director Mike Mendez and composer Joe Bashara "A Grave Undertaking" featurette "Making the Ghosts" featurette Deleted scenes with optional commentary Original trailer with optional commentary Storyboard galleries
Price: $22.95
Buy it now!
Rated: R
Cast: Dominic Purcell, Clare Kramer, Tcheky Karyo, Josie Maran, Marcus Thomas
Writer: Brad Keene, Chris Skinner
Director: Mike Mendez
Distributor: Lion's Gate
Original Year of Release: 2007
Extras: Available Subtitles: English, Spanish Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0) Commentary by director Mike Mendez and composer Joe Bashara "A Grave Undertaking" featurette "Making the Ghosts" featurette Deleted scenes with optional commentary Original trailer with optional commentary Storyboard galleries
Price: $22.95
Buy it now!
Gravedancers
By: Tim JansonReview Date: Wednesday, May 23, 2007
The Gravedancers is part of the After Dark Horrorfest, One of the “8 Films to Die For” as the tag line boasts. Three friends come together for the funeral of another friend who died in a car accident. In “Big Chill” fashion, the characters have unresolved feelings for each other. Kira (Josie Maran) is still in love with Harris (Dominic Purcell of TV’s Prison Break) and his wife Allison (Clare Kramer of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is none to happy about it. Meanwhile, loser friend Sid (Marcus Thomas) has loved Kira in secret for years, fearing being rejected.
The trio gathers at night in the cemetery to toast their friend one last time and it soon turns to drunken revelry with music and dancing…dancing on graves. Days after, they all begin to experience strange phenomena: strange sounds, doors opening and closing, a piano playing by itself, etc…Some get it worse than others as Harris and Allison find Kara curled up into a fetal position in her home, apparently the victim of a beating and sexual assault. But this was no human predator. Their ill-advised grave dancing has unleashed a trio of vengeful spirits who want no less than to kill the ones who desecrated their graves. They seek aid from a pair of university paranormal investigators Vincent (Tcheky Karyo) and his assistant Culpepper (Meghan Perry). It seems the area of the cemetery they danced in was reserved for criminals. The graves belonged to a sadistic sexual predator, and axe murderess, and a young pyromaniac. They discover the incantation of the Gravedancer that says the spirits have from full moon to full moon to kill them. But as the end of the cycle draws near, the ghosts become more and more powerful.
Gravedancers is an old-style ghost film that relies on building suspense and atmosphere as opposed to relying on high-end CGI graphics. In many ways it reminds me of he 80’s film “Ghost Story” although the pace isn’t quite as slow. Director Mike Mendez doesn’t give in by trying to show the ghosts too soon. He lets the tension build up to what is a frantic pace in the film’s final 15 minutes. There are a handful of genuine leap out of your seat moments in the film, particularly when Harris wakes up to a surprise in bed.
The performances in Gravedancers is a bit uneven. Purcell, Kramer (who played the Goddess Glory in Buffy) and Karyo all do a good job and obviously show their experience as seasoned performers. The same can’t be said for Marcus Thomas who delivers his lines with all the zeal of a chicken salad sandwich. He’s stiff and lifeless and his performance alone drags the picture down a notch or two.
Gravedancers is an effective ghost story, subtle, and often suspenseful. A solid film and a great DVD package with lots of extras.
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