Masters of Horror episode review — 1.3 — Dance of the Dead
Published in
Jun 18, 2021
Original air date: November 11, 2005
Director: Tobe Hooper
Writer: Richard Christian Matheson (short story by Richard Matheson)
Rating: 5/10
This is apparently based on a short story by Richard Matheson of The Twilight Zone, and you really wouldn’t know it. This is a very exploitation-y kind of story, and the biggest capitalization of the fairly restriction-free Showtime format so far. Director Tobe Hooper feels truly unleashed here.
And somehow, that’s sort of the problem. This episode doesn’t seem too intent on telling a story, but rather delivering a dark, violent, flashy, and T&A-filled experience, with Robert Englund as the ringleader.
It’s not without its moments of intrigue, but it’s not a fully rewarding experience either.
