The Ghost Dance

Horror films like "The Ghost Dance" are the most difficult ones to rate and review. On one hand, it's quite dull, incredibly slow-paced, and suffering from too many budgetary restraints. On the other, however, it takes its subject matter seriously and the cast and crew really do try hard generating a suspenseful atmosphere and a couple of authentically tense moments. The concept is quite like "The Mummy", namely that an important archaeological discovery comes to life, turns out to be pure evil, and goes after the scientists who dared to disturb its final resting place. Here, it's the spirit of a raging Indian warrior that possesses a tall Indian medicine man and turns him into a silent killing machine. Writer/director Peter R. Buffa, who didn't really accomplish any other things in his film career, does an admirably fine job during a handful of sequences, including a spooky cat-and-mouse game on a highway at night, and a suspenseful confrontation inside the museum's research room. The performances, from an overall unknown cast, are rather good as well. Still, though, it's painfully obvious to see why "The Ghost Dance" is so obscure and doesn't have any cult status whatsoever. Although featuring three or four vicious and explicit murders, the overall pacing is too slow, the characters are bland and dull, and the killer isn't menacing enough.