GHOST DANCE (1980) Directed by Peter F. Buffa
Trans World Entertainment VHS
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THE FILM
I don’t care what anyone says. The life of a college professor will never make for endearing entertainment. Even if said prof does look like Angela from Who’s The Boss.
Wouoka? N’ Halla? A multi-named vengeful Injun that turns into a dog, psychically forces women to stare at windows, and spikes his bloody kills with choruses of Marc Bolan’s T. Rex backing vocalists? Hot damn! That sounds really unexciting! In the case of Ghost Dance, a shot in Arizona, direct to video obscurity from one time director Pete Buffa, that assumption is entirely correct. When anthropology Professor Kay Foster removes the dork glasses and sets her sights on an ancient Indian burial ground, you’ll set yours on an unexpected wrist slashing. That, or a copy of Scalps. I’m desperate, so whatever’s within reach will suffice.
“Kay -- it’s just a crazy legend!” But Kay doesn’t listen. When a looter steals an old medicine bag on the site of her dig, he unleashes the spirit of Wouoka. Wouoka possesses the body of a tall Indian in a most fantastic duotone cave transformation. From there, random people die at the hands of the Indian (nagging wife, a couple doing it in a museum) and there’s a mummy autopsy. Kay talks a lot about “The Ghost Dance” religion and everyone forgets about the murders. For the entire runtime, I had no idea what was going on; this was partly due to some pitch black photography, but mostly the fault of the ridiculously choppy script. I fell asleep once and then Kay was holding a knife. She looked pissed. Imagine how her class felt the next day.
Ghost Dance features a couple of gory murders, serviceable acting, and mounds of talk, mostly referring to assumptions the audience doesn’t know (or care) about. The characters throb with anti-charisma and there’s nothing to laugh at. A lead balloon on all levels.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
Psst: This is a copy of the ultra rare VHS release from our pals at Trans World. The film itself was overly dark for about 3/4 of the runtime, but the print was in good shape. The mono sound lapsed out of sync early on, then got back on track. Sometimes, it looked like I was watching through transparent mini-blinds, but that probably had something to do with the dub.
EXTRAS
Immediately following the feature, a static screen announces, “If you like action you will love THE JUNKMAN available now on videocassette.” Yes, that’s one sentence. We’re then treated to a trailer for The Junkman (“Witness the destruction of over 150 vehicles!”) and one for the DePatie-Freleng TV cartoon show The Houndcats. Weird.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Chances are slim that you’ll ever come across a copy of the middling Ghost Dance. Don’t lose any sleep over it.
Thanks to Joseph N. Frezza for providing a copy of this film!
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 01.06.06 | 
Samantha? Jonathan?
Mouse trap snap
Sinister sunlight
Ghost Dance'd
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