Review - The Gravedancers

One of the 8 Movies to Die For – The Gravedancers was an interesting little parable about why children (and adults) shouldn’t play with (or piss off - or on) dead things....

Three friends from college, Harris (Dominic Purcell), Kira (Josie Maran) and Sid (Marcus Thomas) decide to do some post funeral mourning for their late friend at a cemetery. At the cemetery the free spirited Sid (there is always a free spirited crazy one amongst the group now isn’t there?) finds what looks to be a bereavement card which has a funny little prose on it about living life and basically dancing on graves. He gets his old friends to join him and thus begins the story of The Gravedancers.

This movie wasn’t great, but it also didn’t suck. Okay, if I am being honest MOST of it didn’t suck. The ending, it sucked but I like to stay positive so I will focus on the good stuff.

I have to say I was worried in the beginning of the film when Allison (Clare Kramer), Harris’ wife, starts off having what I thought was a far too overacted reaction to some bumps in the night (actually it was morning which made her reactions even that much more bizarre). The acting, for the most part, got better as the film went on . . . well, that is if I don’t mention the paranormal research team of Vincent (Tcheky Karyo) and Culpepper (Meghan Perry). But darn it all, I said I was going to stay positive!

So The Gravedancers they dance on some graves and it seems that they brought forth some angry ghosts. Clearly spirits don’t like it if you dance (or pee) on their graves. They apparently come after you and within 30 days (or from moon to moon if you want to sound more dramatic) they lay you to rest for aforementioned disturbance. There is no way to wait it out as the manifestations grow stronger and more violent with each passing day until they finally do you in.

The spirits in the film were quite frightening if you ask me – kudos to the special effects and make up peeps. I just might lay awake tonight shivering as I think of the scorned lover, the pyromaniac child or the sadomasochistic judge apparitions, probably not, but I just might . . .

I would absolutely recommend this film, especially if you are a fan of the 70s and 80s supernatural thrillers. It has a lot going for it, save for the end. But I feel like if you go into The Gravedancers expecting to be a bit disappointed by its under-climactic climax, perhaps when all is said and done it won’t be as bad as you think.

Directed by
Mike Mendez

Writing credits
(WGA)
Brad Keene (written by) &
Chris Skinner (written by)

Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
Dominic Purcell ... Harris McKay
Josie Maran ... Kira Hayden
Clare Kramer ... Allison Mitchell
Marcus Thomas ... Sid Vance
Tchéky Karyo ... Vincent Cochet
Megahn Perry ... Frances Culpepper
Martha Holland ... Emma
Oakley Stevenson ... Haunted Woman
Samantha MacIvor ... Nurse Jenny (as Samantha Twyford MacIvor)
Jack Mulcahy ... Police Officer #1
Jim McKeny ... Doctor
Geneva Avarett-Short ... Nurse Brolin (as Geneva E. Averett-Short)
Bob McHone ... Priest

rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Bartusch ... Police Officer #2 (uncredited)
Brad Batchelor ... Mourner (uncredited)
Lulu Brud ... Young Emma (uncredited)
Lonnie Burchfield ... Wood Chopper (uncredited)
Reid Dalton ... Charles Dunleven (uncredited)
David Lowe ... Attorney (uncredited)
Tina Murphy ... Mourner Young Mom (uncredited)
Les Puryear ... Mourner (uncredited)
Dustin Thomas ... Mourner (uncredited)