Dead and Breakfast (2004)

by Rizzy

I actually found this little movie after browsing Jeremy Sisto on imdb while working on my Bview for Unknown. I don't think I even read the plot in all honesty, I just saw the title and the cover which has the words Bed and Breakfast written out with "Bed" crossed out and written over with "Dead" in bloody red scrawl.  This was enough to get me to Bview it.  Especially after I went to the cast list and saw Portia de Rossi was in it (she's totally my girlfriend star crush, but before you watch it for her, she's only in one scene) and also Jeffrey Dean Morgan (from Supernatural), and David Carradine (Bill from Kill Bill).  Who needs a plot when you have actors you love?

If you don't really know the plot of this film, it completely sets you up to think it's going to be a slasher film.  The entire start of the film you're wondering who the creepy B&B owner and cook are going to pick off first.  You're taking names on it and then you get here.  This guy eating pie in the kitchen when the lights come on and SHIT!  EVERYONE AT THE B&B IS DEAD! Wait a second, that's not how this plot was supposed to go... oh, I guess this wasn't a slasher! And you know what?  I love this movie for that. It knew most people watching it probably wouldn't know a damn thing about it and so it went out of it's way to trick you a bit, which was great for the humor value of this shot right here.

The plot still doesn't start here though, instead we get a lot of hic cops holding the kids hostage in town suspecting them of the murders.  The kids take it in their own hands to do some investigating which is when things actually get interesting.  The plot kinda just lingers on stall while you try to figure out what the real plot of the film is going to be.  You're not bored though, more just curious where all this stuff is going as they throw at you these random fragments of information that are obviously going to be vital later.  And there's enough small towns = dumb hics humor to keep you going.

Wait? How did we get from a Slasher/no clue what's going on to this? Is that what I think it is?  I don't know, do you think it's a guy who's possessed using a severed head as his own personal hand puppet? Then, yes, that's exactly what you think it is.  No joke!  This is not a one time thing either, this is something that we get to see over and over again in the film!!  I mark the film worth watching for this alone!! SOOOO funny!!

The "possessed" in this film are really amusing. They off handedly call them "Not Zombies" which is good cause these between dead fools are entertaining as hell.  They aren't the brightest cookies in the jar, but they weren't before and so you forgive that for sure in favor of their humor and style. In all honesty they seem to have about the same level of intelligence before and after death.

Meet Zachariah & The Lobos Riders, possibly the single best thing in this film. Zachariah acts as our narrator via little songs he crafts unbeaten all the little plot twists of the film. Not only are these guys awesome for wanting to be a part of this film, they are also witty and able to poke fun at themselves, which is great. Seriously, if given the choice between owning this movie and the soundtrack, it'd be a tough call, but the soundtrack would win out.  I added it to my Amazon wishlist even!  And I didn't add the movie.  That's how much I loved these guys. They were hilarious!  Definitely brought the film to a new level.  I love when the music of a film really leaves a mark on the film itself, Zachariah and his Lobos Riders make the grade!

Best part of having the music be such a big part of a film? Dance numbers. And this movie delivers.  It's not long, but tell me it's not awesome. That's right the NONZombies dance for us.  Dance, NONZombies! Dance! HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE STOPPED READING AND GONE TO YOUR NEAREST VIDEO STORE TO PICK THIS UP IMMEDIATELY? FOR REAL?

I'd post photos of the obscene amounts of blood in some of the scenes or the Macguyver style shotgun they make, or some of the close up photos of how creepy/gross the hics are, but I think you get that this film is really about the humor and that it definitely succeeds at that. It's hard to make it to the end of this film and not be rolling about on the ground laughing.  It's not scary at all, all the shots they could have done to scare you were instead done with as much humor as possible and in the end it really makes for a fun film.

This is definitely a movie that I'd recommend to watch with friends, because I think that this movie is what bad movie nights were made for. And if I ever see this film cheap, I know I'll pick it up for that reason. This is one of those films that inspires a good time with or without alcohol.  So go rent it and enjoy yourself.