I Sell the Dead (2008)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Glenn McQuaid

Writer:

Glenn McQuaid (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Tagline:

Never Trust A Corpse

Plot:

A grave robber reflects on his life of crime.

Plot Keywords:

Period Piece | Black Comedy | Grave Robbing | Murder | Irish

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Dominic Monaghan	...	Arthur Blake
Ron Perlman	...	Father Duffy
Larry Fessenden	...	Willie Grimes
Angus Scrimm	...	Dr. Vernon Quint
John Speredakos	...	Cornelius Murphy
Eileen Colgan	...	Maisey O'Connell
Brenda Cooney	...	Fanny Bryers
Daniel Manche	...	Young Arthur Blake
Joel Garland	...	Ronnie
James Godwin	...	Mark 1
Alisdair Stewart	...	Bulger
Heather Robb	...	Myrtle Murphy
Aidan Redmond	...	Jack Flood
Heather Bullock	...	Valentine Kelly
Patrick Bucklew	...	Creature #2

Runtime:

Argentina:85 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Company:

Glass Eye Pix

I Sell The Dead Stole The Show

I went to see Glenn McQuaid's "I Sell The Dead" in it's North American premiere at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. Seeing as this is the second showing worldwide I didn't quite know what to expect of this film, especially having not seen the short film that inspired this big screen adaptation.

I'll start off with a slightly more elaborate plot synopsis, without giving away any spoilers.

This movie is about Arthur Blake, how he became a grave robber and the interesting and supernatural discoveries that both he and his mentor discovered.

The costume and set design in this film were excellent. I was amazed to hear that the entire film was shot in and around New York. The costumes were very accurate to the time, really bringing you as a viewer into the mindset of the time. This movie works just as well as a period-piece as it does a horror-comedy.

The interaction between the two leads was very fluid. They played off each others acting with ease. The dialogue between the two was very well written, with Glenn adding his comedic touch even in tense situations.

The story is very encompassing and the ball gets rolling from the very start. I'd compare it to a visual page turner, always wondering just what will happen next. The characters themselves are all very vivid and unique adding different emotional layers to the film itself.

All in all, I recommend this film for anyone in the mood for some dark humour, with a bit of horror mixed in.

9/10