Courage the Cowardly Dog
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Courage the Cowardly Dog

Benton Tarantella is a zombie film director and the ex-partner of Errol Von Volkheim. Benton is the antagonist of the episode "Everyone Wants to Direct" and "Angry Nasty People".

Personality[]

As a zombie, Tarantella holds the same desires he did as a serial killer when he was alive. His persuasive charm and reputable status enabled him to carry out his malicious plans without question, as he easily convinced Muriel and Eustace to participate in his movies. However, it appears Tarantella has a genuine passion for creating films with his attention to details in his scripts and extensive planning to film scenes, even though his ultimate goal is to satisfy his hunger for human flesh.

Despite their arguments, Tarantella and his partner Van Volkheim seemed to be real friends. Tarantella resurrected Volkheim to share a meal and film with him again. When he reappeared later, this vicious, cannibalistic behavior seemed to have gone away, and his malevolent disposition became centered around more directorial goals such as using other people's torture as a form of entertainment.

History[]

Undead Benton Tarantela

Undead Tarantela

When they were alive, Benton Tarantella and his partner Errol Von Volkheim were serial killers, who posed as film directors to lure and murder unsuspecting victims. After 12 homicides, they were finally captured and sentenced for life. However, Volkheim was released for good behavior, leaving Tarantella alone to die in prison. Years afterwards, Tarantella mysteriously arose from his grave as a zombie and continued with his former way of life. This required his associate, Volkheim, and with the planets' imminent alignment they only needed the proper burial site - the Bagge Farmhouse. With his familiarity with the area, Benton entered the house with the pretext of filming the script, The Return of the Zombies from Beneath the Farm. Tarantella offered the farmer Eustace a large sum of money who gladly accepted the compensation and prepared his wife Muriel for consumption.

A stream of light shone down from the planets and allowed Volkheim to be reborn as a zombie. Tarantella and Volkheim then looked at their script which had been unknowingly changed by Courage. Following Tarantella's writing, the zombies returned to their grave and Muriel was saved (Ep.9-2).

Tarantella later emerged from his grave again and returned to the Bagges, pitching his new TV series, Angry Nasty People. Inspired by Eustace, the reality show featured mean-spirited depictions of humiliating and cruel pranks on others. Tarantella assured his associate Lazo that it would be a phenomenal hit as soon as they had footage of his lead, Eustace. After a successful first air, he demands Lazo to double his salary and give him a personal massage therapist. As filming progressed with Eustace's foul and insulting behaviors, the character Mr. Nasty was conceived with the rising popularity of the show. The co-stars Muriel and Courage however, became disturbed by their constant torment from Mr. Nasty and public humiliation from being targets on the show.

During the final shoot, Tarantella found Courage holding Muriel over a pit of quicksand. Believing the dog was going to toss her in, the zombie instantly promoted him, which resulted in Mr. Nasty to storm out. Overexcited by the prospect of a new star, Benton leaped onto the rocking chair for a better shot only for Courage to knock him into the pit. In his last scene, Tarantella watched on himself being defeated on his own show as he sank to the bottom of the pit (Ep.36-2)

Quotes[]

  • "This is gonna be great."
  • "Hey, this isn't my work!"
  • "Well, if it's in the script..."
  • "Nasty..."

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • According to his friend, Van Volkheim, he is a terrible writer.
  • He has a star dedicated to him on the Walk of Fame.
  • It is unknown how he came back from the dead.
  • His character is based on director Quentin Tarantino.
  • His last name is based on the Italian dance of the same name, which translates to "tarantula".
  • Courage mentions that Tarantella is a zombie in "Everyone Wants to Direct" where him being a zombie is an important plot point. In "Angry Nasty People" however, it isn't important for Tarantella to be a zombie, yet it's still mentioned when Eustace, after bumping into him, calls him a "Rotten Rotting Hippie Beatnik".
  • Both Benton and Errol, despite after their post-reanimation, had regained their rationality and personalities from their previous life. In consequence, this classifies both of them as Revenants. While sometimes recognized as Ghosts or Spirits, Revenants can sometimes also be Zombies.
  • Benton was one of 17 villains who were not part of the Ball of Revenge. The others were Fred, Schwick, Velvet VicMondoMattress DemonJeeves WeevilFishsionaryEvil EmpressBluffBig BayouKing RamsesDr. GerbilElisa and Eliza StitchKing of FlanErrol Von Volkheim, and Mad Dog.

Appearances[]

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