The Horror Show
Dead Kansas
by Aaron K. Carter
The concept of societal ruin is a common theme in many horror films. Whether we are talking about the savage life of the homeless in James M. Muro's 1987 classic Street Trash or the full-on apocalyptic concept of 28 Days Later. Zombies have come into particular fashion in the past few years and go hand in hand with the concept of a dystopia. Dead Kansas is another entry into this exploration and one that prefers to focus on the element of humanity in ruins, more heavily so than the flesh-munchers aspect.
Dead Kansas primarily follows a farmer named Glenn (Aaron Guerrero) and his daughter Emma (played by several actresses) who are caught in a world that has gone south thanks to an outbreak of creatures known as “Rottens.” Although they are never actually referred to as zombies, they possess all of the characteristics. If someone is bit, it's only a matter of time before they turn. Complicating the father/daughter team's lives, perhaps even more-so than the Rottens is a gang of thugs who want to kidnap the farmer girl, Emma, for re-population purposes. The gang is led by Jebediah (Michael Camp) who is clearly more interested in helping his own situation in life rather than that of the human race.
After a plot turn or two, which I won't spoil, the father/daughter have to move to safety. This takes them to a number of bizarre places and scenarios. This includes a group of circus-types who take them in and help ward off both Rottens and Jebediah's crew, still in hot pursuit of Emma.
Dead Kansas is low budget and has a short running time but seems to be having a lot of fun with itself and I found myself having fun with it right alongside. It's easy to get into, as it jumps right into the story and keeps things simple. There isn't a lot of gore to speak of and the “Rottens” are seen primarily through first-person visuals. The acting is campy at times, but it totally fits the overall feel of the movie and makes it more enjoyable than if it tried to be completely serious.
Dead Kansas features a few familiar faces in the horror and B-movie world. Irwin Keyes of House of 1000 Corpses fame makes a memorable appearance as one of the “circus folks.” Juliette Danielle, best known for her role as Lisa in Tommy Wiseau's cinematic disasterpiece The Room also plays a small role, which was fun to see.
While it's not the most fleshed-out film in the world, I appreciate Dead Kansas's style and independent spirit. It never takes a second to get boring and is always interesting to watch. As a bloodthirsty gorehound, I would have preferred a little more splatter, but that's a personal preference. There's always something going on in the film and it never grows old. The character Emma is portrayed by two actresses, not including a younger version in a flashback. The switch from actress Alexandria Lightford to Erin Miracle is a little jarring at first, but quickly stops being a distraction as the film has neared the end by this point. It is all separated into “acts” which keeps things moving along nicely and at a quick pace.
I would have liked to see a little more of the film. While I appreciate the concentrated style, it could have used one or two additional touches to make it more memorable. But overall, it makes its mark and succeeds at being a piece of entertainment. It may not be a straight-zombie movie nor is it a completely apocalyptic tale, but Dead Kansas sticks with the in-and-outs of its own world and characters.
P.J. Griffin, HMS
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