from Showtime’s “Masters of Horror” series
Homecoming (2005)
Directed by: Joe Dante
Written by Mick Garris and Sam Hamm. Based on the short story “Death & Suffrage” by Dale Bailey
Starring: Jon Tenney, Thea Gill, Robert Picardo, Beverly Breuer, Terry David Mulligan,
J.W. Carroll
PLOT
During the campaign for the reelection of the President of USA, the political consultant David Murch wishes live in a television talk show that a deceased soldier could come back from his grave to vote in the election as a marketing to promote his candidate. The president uses his idea in a speech and wishes that all the deceased soldiers could return from their graves for the election. Somehow his wish is granted and the soldiers died in the last war returns with the objective of voting in the opposition to the government. (from IMDb)
Quickie Review
Easily one of the most divisive pieces of horror entertainment in the last five years, and not even for the usual reasons. The controversy over “Homecoming ” stems not from violence or misogyny, but from its political message. To me, the best horror is always the tale that works on more than just a superficial level and “Homecoming” does just that. Joe Dante offers some stinging political satire and he does it with zombies.
The Good: As a veteran of the first Gulf War with political leanings to the left, I enjoyed almost every second of this episode. Perhaps in a more genteel time, people on either side of the political fence would have appreciated the use of the genre to poke fun at the sideshow attraction we call politics in America. Robert Picardo (best known as the Doctor on “Star Trek: Voyager”) does nasty little turn as the Rovian political brain. Oh, and keep an eye peeled for a small visual nod to “Night of the Living Dead.”
The Bad: It’s not horrible bad, but the end is a little ham-handed.
The Ugly: – Thea Gill isn’t much to look at, but she’s playing an Ann Coulter-type. I’m kinda surprised they just didn’t get a guy.
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