Laughing Dead

This is all I love about indie film making. The writer, director, and actor Patrick Gleason had a wonderful idea. A man is washed up on the outskirts of a city. Unsure of who he is, he embarks on a journey of understanding and reawakening. This is based on a futuristic city that has fallen under the influence of evil.

This has more of a Dark Fantasy feel than that of a Horror flick. Though there are some gory moments along the way. The melting man by the side of the hazardous waste cans is pretty nice.

What I liked the most is the atmosphere Gleason gives the film. The city is gritty, dark, and strange... very strange.

Milkmen now roam the cities roads picking up the dead instead of dropping off cartons and bottles... or are they collecting the empties(?) A presenter and camera crew from the National Lottery are knocking on doors giving away trips to Paradise, for lucky winners. Zombie-like people shamble around the neighbourhoods - are these really Zombies or just stoned crack-heads(?): You're never too sure. Every two years, the skies open up and deluge the city in acid rain. And every night, the dead man comes out in his chauffeur-driven limousine to hit-and-run any unlucky person out on the streets.

This is one bizarre world Gleason has created here... and it works. It works not just because of the writing and direction but also with thanks to the acting. Surprisingly, Gleason has got himself a decent cast of actors and actresses. Only Rico Cymone, Phinneas, and Bruce McCoy, the street hustler, come across as camp and a little over the top; though I strongly believe this is how it was intended. Gleason is strong as the lead, Hunter. While the lead support cast is just as powerful. I especially liked Nancy Rhee's performance as Joy and John Hammond's portrayal as The Dead Man, Vincent. I have to take my hat off to Robert Mack who is the Lucky Lotto Dealer for being so open-eyed and still not blinking - very unnerving.

To be honest, there's not much wrong with this film; even the limited special effects work well. It's not the best Indie film created but it is certainly, interesting, enjoyable, thought-provoking, and watchable. If you get the chance to watch this film then I would recommend you do so.

A seeming drug addict wakes up in a post-nuclear war future. He stumbles around trying to figure out what happened. All survivors sit in their homes watching television and using drugs while mutant zombies, government clean-up officials, and giant pigs roam the streets. Great premise for an end-of-the-world flick. Dialogue lacking in a few places, but the ideas behind the premise are strong. Some great camera-work and enough surprises to keep the Evil Dead fans guessing. This movie is worth watching just to see the imagined television shows of the future. I for one can't wait for the terrible end of civilization if only to watch these shows. I hope this director finds more work

This was an interesting post apocalyptic vampire flick. I'd never heard of it until today, found it online but I'm guessing it's rare. Def a good low budget nightmare of late 90's griminess. Some stellar dialogue too.

Writer/Director Patrick Gleason has done an outrageous job getting his bleak version of the future onto the screen. He does so with the help of good actors, and a score written by composer Tomas Hart that ties scenes together that range from eerily sad to wildly over-the top insanity. This film is not a blood and guts action vampire movie, it is a quietly paced film that is startling in the accuracy of a future where all that is left for people to do is stay inside, stay safe, and watch television. The outside world is so toxic, and there are many different kinds of killers - staying inside with a static-y television that provides, at best, two channels, is the only option. Gleason plays Hunter, a sick, lost soul who washes up out of the river half dead, having no idea where he is, with only snippets of memory. As he tries to make sense of what has happened to him, we are treated to the muted, melancholy piano and wounded cello Tomas Hart has winding in and around characters that are struggling to live in an already dead world. Actor Bob Mack ("Gluttony Victim" from the film "Seven") makes a marvelous appearance as a television personality, and actor John Hammond's character gives a twist that is both unexpected and ultimately heartbreaking. Gleason and Hart have worked together to show us a future that is not so far off, if the viewer really pays attention to the story. For a low budget horror film, "Laughing Dead" takes the genre to a truly horrifying place - possibility. It is unique in it's approach, and I highly recommend it.

Kelly Mahan Jaramillo