Never Trust a Corpse

I was lucky enough to catch up with a friend this week, a fellow horror-fiend, who just happened to suggest we watch an indie flick from 2008 by the name of "I Sell The Dead". The cover art was cool and retro and it starred Ron Perlman (of Hellboy fame) and Dominic Monaghan who I'd only seen as Merry in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Ring" trilogy.

It was one of those great moments when you expect very little and are amply rewarded. As it turns out, "I Sell the Dead" is a horror-comedy, which I personally consider the most challenging of all film genres, with the accent placed squarely on the comedy. Playing out much like a horror anthology, with four episodes sandwiched within a fifth of sorts, it tells the story of two grave-robbers just trying to make a buck in the poor ol' 1800s.

Writer/Director Glenn McQuaid really squeezes a lot out of his surely modest budget, making clever use of costumes, sets, green-screening and even some EC comics-inspired animation. As a testament to his creativity, watch this film and try to keep in mind that the entire thing was shot in New York. The script is witty and charming, offering countless winks and nudges to the genre and its conventions. But where as this type of film can often fall into camp territory, seemingly mocking the genre, "I Sell the Dead" is a labor of love.

Though the acting is solid all around--even the bit parts are played with genuine enthusiasm suggesting all involved were truly having a good time--the real showstopper here is Larry Fessenden, as grave-robber Willie Grimes. He perfectly embodies his character and commits to the script, which is something many highly-paid Hollywood actors have forgotten how to do. Monaghan is also quite good, offering the youthful charm that you'd expect from him, and the chemistry between the two is really the meat of this film.

I won't say too much more, as I don't want to ruin anything; the beauty of this type of film is the unknown. In fact, that should be the beauty of most films....shame on you, elaborate movie trailers. But as you can clearly tell, I highly recommend this little gem. If you've got a penchant for dark humor, this is a must. If you also happen to be a long-time horror fan, then why are you still reading this? Get going!

And oh, did I mention there's also a creepy little role played by the Tall Man himself, Angus Scrimm? Yeah.