Dead Talents Society (Taiwan, 2024)

This selection was a pure punt. I knew nothing about Dead Talents Society beyond it being on Netflix and having spotted it on Bloody Disgusting’s mid-year best-of list. Still, I like going into films blind sometimes.

Also, I’ve very much been enjoying the Taiwanese horror I’ve seen over the past few years. I don’t know if it is indicative of some great local horror scene, but there are definitely some amazing Taiwanese filmmakers working in the genre.

Dead Talents Society is currently streaming on Netflix in the UK.

Synopsis

A dead-but-hapless young woman is drawn into a vicious rivalry between two ghostly divas in a very Chinese version of the afterlife that’s also somehow a supernatural gig economy. If you want to survive in death, you either need a family who love you and keep you tethered or you need to get famous. As a result, the most successful ghosts are basically influencers, building fan followings in the afterlife by terrifying the living and becoming urban legends.

Our unnamed protagonist has lost her link with her family and now has to secure a regular haunting gig or face dissolution. The problem is that she lacks any self-confidence and is about as scary as a frightened kitten. Will she learn how to terrify before it’s all too late, or will she find out what lies beyond even death?

General Thoughts

The afterlife depicted in Dead Talents Society is unique and delightful. It draws on Chinese cultural beliefs about the dead, creating a ghost society that parallels ours in all the worst ways. Once you can no longer rely on your family making offerings, everything becomes a hustle.

The superficial glitz and glam of haunting the living for likes is such a perfect piece of satire, yet still works nicely as its own concept. This is a world of ghostly award ceremonies and auditions, using mobile phones and viral videos to connect with the living and dead alike. The most famous ghosts fight for makeup sponsorships, and hauntings have to be licenced by bureaucrats.

I was particularly drawn to the idea that ghosts follow repeated patterns because they work to hone their performances, turning them into well-practiced routines. As in the world of the living, this means they also run the risk of becoming stale and predictable. Watching our ghostly protagonists try to shake up their performances is a highlight of the film.

As a semi-professional podcaster, this film spoke to me on a deep level. It taps into a lot of real concerns about building and maintaining audiences in the age of social media, and about the conflict between doing what you know how to do and keeping fresh and relevant. The digital media world of the living is perhaps a bit less bloody, but otherwise Dead Talents Society nails it.

Verdict

I have no idea why I haven’t heard more about Dead Talents Society. It’s a smart, funny satire of influencer culture that perhaps echoes Beetlejuice but definitely manages to be its own thing. The pacing is fast, with lots of rapid-fire editing, but never quite tips over into frenetic. It wastes no time establishing its setting and premise, and keeps the energy up throughout. And, most of all, it’s consistently funny. The absurd, bloody climax, in particular, had me wiping away tears of laughter.

For all this comedy and energy, however, Dead Talents Society is unexpectedly moving. The Rookie’s potentially fatal struggle with imposter syndrome, forcing her to forge a new identity for herself, is perfectly handled. Seeing it portrayed through spooky hauntings and gallons of blood doesn’t lessen the emotional impact.

If you’re in the mood for a dark, weird comedy with some spooky touches, Dead Talents Society is well worth your time.

The October Horror Movie Challenge

Please do join in and share your own thoughts with us about this or any other films as the month goes on. You can usually find us on BlueSky, Reddit, Discord, or lurking in the dark corners of your home.

If you would like to play along at home, my provisional selections are:

Heretic (USA, 2024)
The Sadness (Taiwan, 2021)
The Uninvited (USA, 1944)
The Lodge (UK/USA, 2019)
WolfCop (Canada, 2014)
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Czechoslovakia, 1970)
The Monkey (USA, 2025)
Sister Midnight (India/UK, 2024)
Roadgames (Australia, 1981)
Nightmare City (Italy, 1985)
Dangerous Animals (Australia, 2025)
Dead Talents Society (Taiwan, 2024)
Winterbeast (USA, 1992)
Byzantium (UK/Ireland, 2013)
The Ugly Stepsister (Norway, 2025)
A Page of Madness (Japan, 1926)
Heart Eyes (USA, 2025)
Grafted (New Zealand, 2024)
Arrebato (Spain, 1979)
Hatching (Finland, 2022)
Abigail (USA, 2024)
Ganja & Hess (USA, 1973)
The Devil’s Bath (Austria, 2025)
Pieces (Spain, 1982)
Infested (France, 2023)
Best Wishes to All (Japan, 2022)
A Cat in the Brain (Italy, 1990)
Enys Men (UK, 2022)
Creature From the Black Lagoon (USA, 1954)
Perewangan (Indonesia, 2024)
Bring Her Back (Australia, 2025)

A Final Note

If you have been enticed here by these posts, please do look around at some of our other film reviews. We also have a podcast, called The Good Friends of Jackson Elias, which occasionally covers horror films. If this appeals, you might want to check out some of the following episodes.