by Larry Richman
August 5, 2008 7:22 PM

Grassroots campaigns are nothing new in the entertainment world. Sometimes they succeed in getting an "on-the-bubble" television show renewed for one more season despite less-than-stellar ratings (e.g., Gossip Girl). Internet bloggers were even responsible for getting a line added to the script of the film Snakes on a Plane ("I've had it with these m/f snakes on this m/f plane").

Enter Dance of the Dead, the horror/comedy slated to go straight to DVD on October 14 via Lionsgate and Ghost House Underground in a package along with seven other genre titles. Readers know of my fondness for this film. Dance of the Dead was my #1 Top Pick from this year's SXSW Film Festival. Earlier on this blog you can find my review, pictures from the Q&A following the screening, a video interview with lead actor Jared Kusnitz, and an interview with Kusnitz and co-star Greyson Chadwick.

Following a series of positive reviews from many of the major names in the film world, a murmur has grown into an outcry which has grown into a full-blown campaign to convince Lionsgate to give the film a theatrical shot. "Dance of the Dead is a whole lot better than just another "DVD drop" flick -- and it sure as hell doesn't deserve to be released buried next to seven other titles," writes Scott Weinberg of Cinematical. "The flick's all but guaranteed to earn a cult following in only a few years time (trust me, it will) --- so why shouldn't Lionsgate get the ball rolling now and give it some sort of miniature theatrical push?" Many other online reviewers have added to the blogosphere chorus. Needless to say, I couldn't agree more and gladly raise my hand in support of the effort.

"Every once in awhile a film comes along which breaks new ground," I wrote in my review on March 15. "Dance of the Dead truly blew me away. It's a groundbreaking combination of high school mayhem and zombies -- think John Hughes meets John Carpenter meets George Romero. This is why I attend film festivals and sit through hundreds of screenings -- somewhere among them is an undiscovered gem, and Dance of the Dead shimmers."

Doesn't that describe a film that deserves to be seen on the big screen, where it can be a shared experience as exciting as the ones where the film has screened so far? I certainly think so. If Lionsgate knew what potential a theatrical release would have for Dance of the Dead, they wouldn't hesitate in scheduling it ASAP. Maybe if enough people point it out to them they'll get the message.