2009s Dead Snow was the Norwegian film industrys answer to Bloodsucking Nazi Zombies (which was not even a question, last time we checked). The story follows a group of students on the Scandinavian equivalent of Spring Break, going to a remote cabin in the snow-covered mountains to party. Why anyone would do this, we have no idea. Perhaps its a Norwegian thing. When they come across a box full of what is clearly loot of some kind, the students pocket some, and so unleash the murderous spirits of the Nazi Einsatzgruppen who stole and froze to death protecting it. It should go without saying that this leads to a whole lot of red snow. The high concept comes from an element of Norse mythology called a draugr: an undead creature that, like the Egyptian mummy, lives in its own grave, guarding the treasure or artifacts that were buried with them. The ending of Dead Snow implies that, like that meth head who lives in the flower pot behind your building, these Nazi revenants will only respawn and murderdeathkill people if they touch their stuff proof positive that you really cant take it with you. Writer/director Tommy Wirkola tries to make the vengeful undead Nazis first and zombies second, an approach that, together with their focus on the thieves, makes them a little scarier than your usual lurching walker. A sequel was released last year subtitled Red Vs. Dead, pitting a shock troop of reanimated Russian soldiers against the Einsatzgruppen.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
