Much to my chagrin, the horror/comedy hybrid is quickly gaining steam as a recent cinematic staple. While there are some success stories (Shaun of the Dead for example) there are unfortunately more then enough failures (Cabin Fever, Scary Movie) and this multi-genre excuse for a bad film is quickly wearing thin on me. The problem I have with many of these films is the fact that for the most part, these filmmakers don't bother to pick a dominant genre, and wind up losing focus.

"Don't like my horror film? Well, it was meant to be more of a comedy. You just didn't get it." "Don't like my comedy? Well, it was meant to be more of a horror film. You just didn't get it."

When I think of some of the best horror/comedy hybrids, I think of films that had definite defined genres standing behind them. These films knew if they were a horror film with comedic elements or vice versa at. See the aforementioned Shaun of the Dead, Young Frankenstein or even something as basic as The Munsters for examples of comedies that have managed to work quite well while mixed in with horror elements.

Falling somewhere in between is Matthew Leuywyler's ::gasp:: horror/comedy Dead and Breakfast. The name is certainly clever enough, so we're off to a good start. Dead and Breakfast has been stuck in what appears to be some sort of film festival limbo for the past year. It's been playing ad nausea to fan boy raves of superiority. Somehow, up until this point, the film had slipped by me. But now, thanks to Anchor Bay, those of us who missed out can finally see what all the hubbub is...bub.

The basic (and I do mean BASIC) premise concerns a van load of 'kids' on their way to a wedding, unfortunately, this rag tag bunch wind up taking a dreaded wrong turn. They end up at a bed and breakfast in a small town named Lovelock - where someone (unrelated to their group) winds up dead. I have to admit that the revel of the body is quite clever and easily one of the films' highpoints. Of course the sheriff won't let these 'witnesses' skip town so they're stuck in Lovelock for an unspecified amount of time. However, there's another stranger in town and he's being held up behind bars as a suspect. When a mysterious box is discovered all kinds of evil is unleashed. There is a presence that seems to occupy the body of anyone who's recently deceased, but only if a part of them is placed into this mysterious box. They're not really zombies, or the walking dead for that matter (well, they kinda are, but not really - it's very confusing), but they like to kill and if given the chance...sing and dance.

While we've got a great ensemble cast here, they're not really given an opportunity to do much with the material they are given. I mean, sure the jokes are funny, but it's the jokes that are funny, not those who are delivering them. And we certainly don't get to know any of these characters to any degree during the course of the film. The material definitely overshadows the chracters and it comes across as if the film thinks its just too darn clever for its own good. Jeremy Sisto, Gina Phillips and cameos by David Carradine and Diedrich Bader to name a few offer up fine performances which are completely overshadowed by gratuitous gore and slapstick comedy. You could 'insert actor here' and achieve the same effect. I'll admit that a lot of the humor works but there are also moments in which it falls flat or becomes too serious amongst all the madness. Sure, it's great to see these familiar faces onscreen and while they lend the film a certain sense of legitimacy, in the end that's about all it's worth.

I think what bothers me the most is when a film like Dead and Breakfast is compared to a film like Shaun of the Dead. And it's not just the fact that I feel Shaun of the Dead is a superior film (which I do), it's that the two are absolutely nothing alike. They share next to nothing in common. It's not even until about 45-minutes into Dead and Breakfast that there's even a hint that the dead may be coming back to life, or that it's even switching gears to become a horror film. Up until this point, the film plays off as straight comedy - kinda confusing, no?

The humor, as wacky as it is, was appreciated. There are some clever country/rap (another hybrid?) musical interludes from a character named Randall Keith Randall (played by Azch Selwyn) that are quite funny, and as mentioned earlier, a brief musical/dance number from the walking dead. Although I'll be the first to admit that I think if you're gonna go for it, go for broke and make the whole damn thing a musical. However, music is an integral part of the production here and much of the films' success relies on it.

Success.

I can't say how the film is s'posed to look, but the anamorphic transfer (from an interlaced source) looks fairly sharp, however, the colors seem quite muted at points. Which could be how the filmmakers intended the film to look, or perhaps a sign of its budgetary limitations...I just don't know. Audio options include a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix or Dolby Digital Stereo. Both equally enjoyable, with the 5.1 mix offering some subtle use of the surrounds.

Extras include two feature length cast and crew audio commentaries (not sure that we needed two), deleted scenes, bloopers, stills and about 45 seconds of additional music from Randall Keith Randall. The packaging also includes a pretty cool 3-D slipcover as well. Not as good as Shaun of the Dead, but better than Cabin Fever...how's that for a comparison?