Powertool Cheerleaders vs the Boyband of the Screeching Dead

When a cursed amulet transforms their rival boy band into a screeching horde of undead, a spirited group of cheerleaders must use their wits, friendship, and a wild arsenal of power tools to survive a talent show gone apocalyptic. This award-winning festival favorite is a horror-musical-comedy mashup that's as inventive as it is entertaining.

Written and directed by the talented Pat Higgins and starring the charismatic Charlie Bond, this film is a love letter to creativity and genre-bending cinema. Equal parts musical, apocalyptic action, and cheerleader vs. Boy band showdown, it also delivers a healthy dose of comedy. While the "zombies" in question defy traditional labels, their antics provide a hilariously chaotic twist on the undead genre.

With its vibrant colors, fast-paced thrills, and clever moments of fourth-wall breaking, this is a film designed to put you in a great mood. Grab some popcorn (and maybe some chocolate), settle in, and prepare for a ride full of surprises. It's best experienced firsthand-spoiler-free-for maximum impact.

A must-watch for fans of quirky, energetic storytelling with a lot of heart!

I was lucky enough the catch this indie gem at Frightfest London 2022 and it did not disappoint. A horror comedy musical filled with heart, gore and some really fun performances from a clearly passionate cast that put everything into the movie.

The movie follows a misfit cheerleading group called 'Power Cheer', the girls enter a reality TV contest and come up against the Starmen (whose intro harmony had me in stitches every time) and things soon veer into the supernatural territory with a cursed wishing necklace that brings a load of Zombie/Demons to the party, resulting in some great splattery gore. There's also a really fun love story involving a severed hand but I'll let you find out about that for yourself!

The writing is spot on with one-liners and jokes that land well, both in dialogue and the songs which had me tapping my feet quite a few times.

This film is a very pure example of micro budget indie filmmaking at its best and I had a fantastic time watching it. It can be scrappy around the edges in some places but all that is totally forgiven moments later when the next hilarious song kicks in. Check this out as soon as you can, you won't regret it.

This is one of those amazing films where you wonder (in a good way) what am I watching? This is a genre bending delight. The film is well written with some lovely one-liners and funny insights. The plot revolves around a TV talent contest with the competition including a cheerleader group and a boy band. The musical numbers are catchy and inspired. My favourite number was "I am just a guy dying on the floor". Please watch if you get a chance as I was lucky enough to catch this at the World Premiere in London. Funny, original and imaginative. Charlie Bond and James Hamer-Morton are great as the leads and are well supported by a strong cast.

Powertool Cheerleaders vs The Boyband of the Screeching Dead is an indie horror-comedy-musical that's as wild as its title suggests. It follows waitress Emily, who must overcome her fear of cheerleaders to lead a misfit squad in a TV talent show. Things go haywire when a cursed talisman turns their boyband rivals into zombies, forcing the girls to use friendship and power tools to survive. The film is packed with self-aware humor, catchy but campy songs, and practical effects that shine on a budget. It's chaotic, clever, and wonderfully trashy, with fourth-wall-breaking antics and meta references. A love letter to Troma-style horror and a fun, bloody romp for those who enjoy campy musicals with a twist.

POWERTOOL CHEERLEADERS VS THE BOYBAND OF THE SCREECHING DEAD is the latest indie horror comedy from British filmmaker Pat Higgins, the man responsible for STRIPPERS VS WEREWOLVES (although don't hold that against him). I recently saw a talk given by Higgins about the art of filmmaking and I can report that he comes across as a likeable and charismatic individual, but my opinion of his films is far lower. This one's better than some of his earlier work, feeling more professional, with neat effects, solid transitions and a semi-decent script; even better, it has a series of musical numbers which aren't at all bad. Sadly, the horror content is too limited for this to work very well, and in the end it can't overcome the usual budgetary constraints of the genre.