"The Ghost Dance" focuses on an anthropologist whose archeological dig in the Arizona desert unleashes the spirit of a powerful, corrupt Native American shaman who begins to exact a violent revenge through the possession of a young Native man.
This under-seen relic of '80s video stores could broadly be classified as "redsploitation" fodder, which I suppose could be partly true, though I think "The Ghost Dance" is a bit more sensitive to its themes than other films that fall in that category.
Shot on location in Tucson, the film is benefitted by the stunning desert landscapes and atmospheric museum interiors, the latter of which being where a lot of the story unfolds. The story is also set apart from many of its contemporaries by the fact that its focus is on adult professionals (university professors, anthropologists, researchers), giving it another unusual dimension that differs from the standard teenage stalk-and-slash.
This is not to say that "The Ghost Dance" is a perfect film, as it is far from it; the main element lacking I believe is the background mythology and actual nature of the villain, whose supernatural machinations become muddled and incoherent at times. Despite this, the attention to detail and respect for the Native American culture still feels present. The direction also has an at times "made-for-TV" charm to it.
Overall, "The Ghost Dance" is a worthwhile oddity in the '80s slasher pantheon. It is slightly more cerebral than most of its peers, and the supernatural angle lends a unique dimension, even in spite of the machinations not feeling fully fleshed out at times. As an independent slasher of the time, "The Ghost Dance" is surprisingly much better than many. 7/10.
