Tobe Hooper has done it again. On the latest (pod)Casters of Horror, Bennett and Jim argue that Dance of the Dead is a late-career triumph 

Masters of Horror doesn’t have the best reputation and perhaps no episode has attracted more derision than Tobe Hooper’s post-apocalyptic Dance of the Dead. Among the most Nu-metal pieces of media ever created, Dance of the Dead follows a post-nuclear war town with drugged-up teenagers looking for thrills. Featuring Robert Englund as a twisted night club emcee, it’s the first episode of the series to truly feel like a nightmare that you can’t see on network TV. 

Unsurprisingly, Bennett and Jim find plenty to love in the episode. They sing the praises of Robert Englund’s go-for-broke performance, the scuzzy mise-en-scène, and Hooper’s total disinterest in narrative. It’s another late-career triumph from one of the best to ever do it. 

Listen for yourself.

Created by Mick Garris, Masters of Horror was a two-season series on Showtime that challenged genre legends to create an hour-long horror film. Check out the introduction to (Pod)Casters of Horror and stay tuned for discussions of underrated work from site-favorite filmmakers like Tobe Hooper, Stuart Gordon, and Larry Cohen, and horror icons such as John Carpenter and Dario Argento.

Listen to the episode below, or on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon:

Previous: Stuart Gordon’s Dreams In The Witch House | Next: Dario Argento’s Jenifer

Find the complete October Horror 2024 series here:

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