Dead & Breakfast

(2004) ***½


A group of six friends are driving to a wedding in Galveston, TX. They get a little off course and after a long day of driving they decide to spend the night in a tiny town called Lovelock. The only available lodgings are at a bed and breakfast run by the eccentric Mr. Wise. Upon arrival, Mr. Wises’ French chef Henri rudely greets them. Once inside, they meet Mr. Wise (David Caradine) he seems nice enough and provides them with rooms for the night.

One of the girls, Kelly, observes Mr. Wise as he performs a ritual over a small box. He tells her that the box is meant to give good luck. The next day, after being locked out of the house Johnny, one of the friends decides to climb in an open second floor window. He accidentally knocks over the peculiar box breaking the seal that encircled it. Johnny opens it and unleashes an evil spirit that possesses him.

He begins his rampage taking a piece of people he kills and placing it into the box, which in turn transforms them into his obedient zombies. He goes after his travelling mates with his army of redneck zombies in tow. The only person who seems to have a clue how to stop the madness is a mysterious drifter who has come to town intending to destroy the box.


This movie was a lot of fun. Not quite as appealing as Shaun of the Dead, but fun none the less. The beginning is a bit slow. You know this is going to be a bit different for Horror when they pull into a gas station after entering Lovelock and are greeted in song by the station attendant and his band. Not like a musical type of singing, but singing ala Something About Mary but with a country twang to it.

Aaaaah, line dancing zombies. Now I really am scared!

The band shows up periodically throughout the film singing songs about what is going on. But that isn’t the real entertainment here, it’s the splatterfest that comes midway through the film and takes us right to the end.

Memorable deaths are by pruning shears, cymbal, claw hammer, drumstick and homemade shotgun. This is a fun film, one that combines horror and comedy and pulls it off quite well.