Wiktionary
vb. 1 to lie very still, as would a corpse 2 to act as though defeated while awaiting a chance to attack
Wikipedia
"Play Dead" is a song by Icelandic singer Björk, and was released as the only single from the soundtrack of the 1993 crime drama The Young Americans. The song wasn't included in the first edition of Debut but was later included as a bonus track, and the album was re-issued October 11, 1993. The song was written by Jah Wobble, Björk featuring David Arnold, and was produced by Cannon, Arnold, receiving additional production and mixing by Tim Simenon. The song, inspired by the main character of the film, was released in October 1993.
A mainly trip hop-influenced track, the song charted in the top 20 in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. An accompanying music video was released, featuring images from the film. "Play Dead" was included in Björk's 2002 greatest hits album Greatest Hits.
Play Dead were an English post-punk group from Oxford that grew out of the fading English punk scene in 1980. Though the band was identified with groups like UK Decay and Sex Gang Children, the band felt they didn't belong under the gothic title. The band made three studio albums for four different small labels— Fresh Records, Jungle Records, Situation 2, and Clay Records—before forming their own label, Tanz, for their final album, Company Of Justice, which appeared in 1985.
The original lineup of Play Dead was Rob Hickson (vocals), Pete Waddleton ( bass), Mark "Wiff" Smith ( drums), and Re-Vox ( guitar). In July 1981, Re-Vox was replaced by Steven Green. In 1984, Rob and Pete created the project Mankind's Audio Development (nicknamed M.A.D.). Only one single was recorded with the two songs "Craving" and "Sunfeast." Waddleton left the group in 1986 and, after a brief period as The Beastmaster Generals, the band dissolved.
Play Dead was the second album by Scottish guitar-pop fourpiece Astrid.
Play Dead (also known as Killer Dog) is a 1981 American horror film directed by Peter Wittman and starring Yvonne De Carlo of The Munsters fame.
De Carlo plays Hester, a wealthy heiress who was jilted years ago by her lover to marry her sister. Using her weapon of choice, a 200 lb. Rottweiler, Hester not only exacts her revenge on her sister and lover, but has now set her sights on the offspring of the ill-fated reunion.
Although the film was shot in 1981, it was not released until 1986. Troma Entertainment currently distributes it.
Play Dead may refer to:
- 'Playing dead', a natural state of paralysis that some animals enter when threatened, see Apparent death
Play Dead is a film released in 2009 written by Jason Wiles and Shem Bitterman, directed by Jason Wiles and starring Chris Klein, Fred Durst, and Jake Busey.
The story is about Ronnie Reno (Klein), a former TV action star in need of a comeback. After a failed audition, he ends up snowbound in a remote town in Nevada overrun with meth dealers including Merle (Busey) and their dimwitted henchman (Durst). After Reno finds the body of a dead DEA agent, he reunites with his former co-stars including Devon (Beach) in order to save the town and himself.
Play Dead is the first novel by American crime writer Harlan Coben. This book was reissued by Signet in September, 2010.
Play Dead is a 2010 Off-Broadway show co-written by magicians Todd Robbins and Teller, the latter best known as the non-speaking half of the illusionist duo Penn & Teller. The show also features Charlotte Pines as Margery Crandon, Geri Berman as Eusapia Palladino, Don Meehan as Albert Fish, and Drea Lorraine as Phantoms.
The opening minutes of the show are performed in complete darkness, and the show itself features carefully crafted tricks and illusions ranging from killing a real audience member, to contact with the dead. The show stars Robbins as the narrator and is directed by Teller. This incarnation of Play Dead began with two weeks of workshop performances at The Calypso Room in Las Vegas in September, 2010, at the Rio, the home of Penn and Teller. Teller told the opening night audience that the show marked the first time ever that a show was created in Las Vegas to bring to New York, and was headed directly for an off-broadway venue in New York City. It opened for previews on October 21, 2010, and opened officially November 10, 2010 at the Players Theatre on MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village. The show ran Tuesday to Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 7 and 10pm, and Sunday at 3 and 7pm. Various members of the cast greeted the audience as they exited through the lobby.
During the last performances of the Off-Broadway show, Teller hired New York filmmaker Shade Rupe to document the show. After receiving the material, Teller and editor Emery Emery crafted the material into a finished performance film, which world premiered to great acclaim for a sold-out crowd on July 27, 2012, at the 16th Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal, QC. Teller, Todd Robbins, and Shade Rupe appeared for the Q&A, which included Todd eating a lightbulb and Teller swallowing needles and regurgitating them strung up on a string.
Play Dead is the third full-length studio album released by Amanda Richards. It was recorded at Digital MX Studios in Portland, OR. It was initially slotted for a short run of 400 CD's in 2011, but was later reissued in LP format in the summer of 2012. Press releases from Amanda and her band, The Hardly Hards, describe the concept album as "a collection of old-school country songs about the zombie apocalypse written from the perspective of the soon-to-be last person on Earth who happens to be a country singer and a feminist" and concerts in the Portland area in support of the album often feature the band dressing up as zombies, Amanda herself doused in fake blood playing what appears to be a damaged guitar, and various other theatrical effects that reflect the dramatic and comedic themes of the music.
In 2012, the album won an Independent Music Award for "Best Concept Album".