FilmArcade.net: 2009 Philadelphia Film Festival and Cinefest: "I Sell the Dead" Review

I Sell the Dead
Year: 2009
Director: Glenn McQuaid
Studio: Glass Eye Pix
Stars: Dominic Monaghan, Larry Fessenden, Ron Perlman
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 85 Mins
Official Website: http://www.isellthedead.com/

With the Philadelphia Film Festival set to kick it into high gear tomorrow, Film Arcade.net and me is very happy to bring you readers a little sneak preview to a couple of high profile horror films along with some horrifying shorts that are playing in the Danger After Dark portion of the film festival. What better to start my coverage off, with possibly one of the most anticipated and award winning horror films that is generating alot of buzz.

“I Sell the Dead” high already won some high profile award, like Best Independent Feature at the 2008 Toronto After Dark Film Festival and it was also one of the big hits at this year Slamdance Film Festival, winning Best Cinematography (Richard Lopez) and Special Jury Mention for Best Performance, Larry Fessenden. Now it’s playing at the Philadelphia Film Festival, as part of Danger After Dark portion.

The film takes place in the 18th century where the law has finally caught up to two grave robbers, Arthur Blake (Dominic Monaghan) and Willie Grimes (Larry Fessenden). While waiting to be executed, Blake is visited by a visiting clergyman Father Duffy (Ron Perlman). The two spark a conversation that recounting the fifteen years that Blake has been the grave robbing trade from stealing trinkets, as a little boy to the formation of a the partnership that Blake and Grimes have. It’s filled with adventure, horror and rivalries that threaten to put everyone involved right into their graves. The film also stars horror legend, Angus Scrimm from “Phantasm” fame.

I know that it's early in the year, but "I Sell the Dead" is truly one of the best films to come out. A lot of this film's success comes from first time feature film Writer/Director, Glenn McQuaid. This direction job has to be considered phenomenal. The reason I use this word, first, the film is an independent production. Second, it was shot in New York City. Third, it’s very visual. Finally, how he was able to make the film fit the 18th century look, with the budget at his disposable, which it's just amazing. He manages to convey it all on the screen. He also had some very good help from his cinematographer, Richard Lopez, whose cinematography work is one of the keys to why this film achieves the 18th century look. The camerawork was just great from the filming of the action to the look; it's no wonder why this film was great to watch from a visionary sense.

This is also one of those horror films, where the acting and screenplay make the horror fun to watch, instead of the blood and gore, which makes most of these films fun.

McQuaid does a great job with making the acting component of the film work. There are some very good performances here, especially from Larry Fessenden, who does a great job holding his own with Dominic Monaghan, as the two developed great chemistry with each other, which helped with some of the film's most humorous and scary moments. The film also has a very good supporting performance from Ron Perlman, who doesn't give the typical Ron Perlman performance, as he was great with those scenes, in which the main character is telling the whole story about the deeds that he had done and Perlman just plays the character straight. It makes the film very entertaining and not boring and dull.

McQuaid's screenplay was also as good, as his direction. This could have been easily a boring film to watch, with the time setting and the material. But what makes this fun, the fact that he makes the story come off like a "Tales from the Crypt" story. The detailing of the action and characters makes this story and screenplay work. The reason for doing this, it makes the movie not come off as a series of conversations, especially towards the second half of the film, where in any other film, the film would have slowed down. Not here. It helps move the story along without getting bored and waiting for something to happen. McQuaid does a great job with the dark humor that this film has, as it’s witty and provided the necessary laughs that gets you into the film. But the sole reason this film's works; the two main characters were very likable. The screenplay also does a good job developing the two main characters during of all those adventures that the two have through the scares and the twists that this story has. Provided with the comic book style approach, it made the film very fun and dementedly entertaining.

“I Sell the Dead” is a film that you will truly hear about in the coming months, as it finds distribution. This is one of those buddy horror films that put the fun back into horror.

Review Rating: Five Stars

Upcoming Screening

Ritz East 1, Philadelphia, PA, Friday March 27, 9:45 PM
Ritz East 1, Philadelphia, PA, Wednesday April 1, 4:45 PM
International House, Philadelphia, PA, Sunday April 5, 9:30 PM