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Poster for Otto; or, Up with Dead People

Otto; or, Up with Dead People

Seen it?

2008 | 94 min | Drama, Horror, Comedy

Weeknight Watchearly rating

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With almost no lasting buzz and middling reviews (50% on Rotten Tomatoes), it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh and horror fans. If you loved The Return of the Living Dead or Shaun of the Dead, start here.
The mood
Scary.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 34 min.
What might put you off
Nothing much for most grown-ups.

A young zombie named Otto appears on a remote highway. He has no idea where he came from or where he is going. After hitching a ride to Berlin and nesting in an abandoned amusement park, he begins to explore the city. Soon he is discovered by underground filmmaker Medea Yarn, who begins to make a documentary about him with the support of her girlfriend, Hella Bent, and her brother Adolf, who operates the camera. Meanwhile, Medea is still trying to finish Up with Dead People, the epic political-porno-zombie movie that she has been working on for years. She convinces its star, Fritz Fritze, to allow the vulnerable Otto to stay in his guest bedroom. When Otto discovers that he has a wallet that contains information about his past, before he was dead, he begins to remember details about his ex-boyfriend, Rudolf. He arranges to meet him at the schoolyard where they met, with devastating results.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsBelow par

    50% on Rotten Tomatoes, 34 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $11K worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 7K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Bruce LaBruce

  • Jey CrisfarOtto
  • Katharina KlewinghausMedea Yarn / Lascivious Ballet Dancer #1
  • Susanne SachßeHella Bent / Lascivious Ballet Dancer #2
  • Marcel SchluttFritz Fritze
  • Gio Black PeterRudolf
  • Guido SommerAdolf
  • Christophe CheminMaximilian
  • Max Di CostanzoAmusement Park Zombie #1
  • Nicholas Fox RicciardiYoung Man in Hooded Sweatshirt
  • Keith BöhmMan in a Suit and Hat