The Grave Dancers (2006)
Directed by Mike Mendez
If you like in-your-face ghost horror, poltergeist attacks and you want a good scare the next time you watch a flick, I would suggest you check this film out. To me, this is a fun film, scary in parts and humorous in other parts. The story is simple but effective. You dance on a grave and the buried spirit is let loose to exact revenge for the disrespect. After a buddy’s deat
h a few ol’ friends from college get together, get drunk, and go to the cemetery in the middle of the night to pay their final respects. They find a card with a limerick on it and read it aloud. Although it suggests dancing in honor of the dearly departed, which they do, it is actually an incantation for spiritual haunting. Unfortunately, the graves this group of friends dance upon are in Potter’s Field, where psychopaths and mental patients were buried. There are three well-defined ghosts in this film – not CG or even wispy see-thru phantoms, but in your face, solid entities. One is a jilted lover who seeks to strike out against any happy couple – revenge for her lover leaving and her subsequent suicide. The second is a psychotic child who likes to start fires. At age 10, he burnt down his home with his family trapped inside. And lastly, is the deranged doctor who raped and tortured women when he was alive and seeks to continue his sadistic pleasures in the afterlife. They are all portrayed in a frightening manner and Mendez does an excellent job at making the viewer feel the threat of these entities. It starts out slow like a traditional haunting and builds some good tension and suspense. It soon escalates into violent poltergeist activity. It was packaged in the original ‘Frightfest: 8 films to die for‘ marketing device and I would consider this the best one of them all. Strong ‘R’ Rating!
Recommended if you like: The Conjuring, Poltergeist, The Amityville Horror, etc.
parlor of horror 
I started watching this once and never finished it for some reason – think it’s worth revisiting?
If it didn’t grab you I’m not sure how you’d feel about it. Its old style, kinda’ 80’s, paranormal but takes a while to get going. You know I like monsters so a good part of what I like is the ghost creations themselves.
I watched this! A few years ago but I vaguely remember it. I think I thought it was okay…maybe I should watch it again. 😉
Compared to all the CGI ghosts and monsters in horror these days, this one is looking better with each year that passes. Its a little slow in the begining.
I don’t know why I haven’t watched this yet. Everyone says it’s a lot of fun.
Saw this when the DVD first came out. Haven’t seen it since. I felt it was ok despite the poor overused CG.
Overall for me a decent watch but nothing I care if I see again.
Excellent write up
The CG was only in the last 5 minutes of the film and it almost seemed tacked-on as an afterthought, perhaps by the film studio or by the producer’s prodding. The film seemed like it was over, then all of a sudden there was an extra scene. But the first 99% of the film was practical make-up effects – all the pics I have posted are good ol fashion hand crafted make up with Evil Dead style floating ghosts and camera movements.
I’ve seen this one. It was okay. I like movies where makeup and acting are required instead of CG. It has a good creep factor but the ending, as you mentioned, felt added on last minute. Would have been better without it.
Yeah, would have been better without it 🙂
That face is scary! I feel like I own this… I’ll give it a watch if I do.
This movie isn’t very scary, Fringe Void. But B movies never are, are they? You just might like it! It’s fun, but the dancing is disappointing!