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The film follows the misadventures of a couple of grave robbers, Arthur Blake and Willie Grimes. Arthur Blake, having been apprehended and sentenced to death, recounts his sordid graverobbing career to an Irish father named Father Duffy, played by Ron Perlman. Through a series of flashbacks, we get to see how Grimes and Blake came together, their first discovery of the undead, and their first run-in with a gang of competing graverobbers named The House of Murphy. It’s a hilarious romp and each vignette is just as fun as the next with no drop in quality or entertainment value.

Director Glenn McQuaid’s film is simple and bound together by an eerie, otherworldly feel which permeates the entirety of the film. McQuaid’s reconstruction of an 18th century London underworld is simple yet effective, and you actually feel as if these characters are operating in the past. The humor that McQuaid infuses the film with couldn’t be more perfect as it’s a dry dose of gallows humor which perfectly suits the dark nature of the film. But perhaps McQuaid’s best achievement is the fact that he lets leads Dominic Monaghan (The Lord of the Rings, Lost) and Larry Fessenden (The Last Winter, Session 9) riff off of each other for much of the film.

These two actors, Fessenden and Monaghan, are the heartbeat of the film. The chemistry between the two is undeniable and they are simply fun to watch. Fessenden plays an unsavory gent by the name of Willie Grimes, an honorable and rule-bound graverobber. Fessenden’s character is one of the greats of the horror genre and his performance is unforgettable. Dominic Monaghan turns in a performance that is so great, that for the first time in years, I didn’t look at him and go, “Look at that fucking hobbit.” Monaghan is awesome, but the interplay between the two elevates each actor to rarified heights. Ron Perlman rounds out the cast… with his awesome show up to the set and spout out a few lines in a day schtick. While most of the time, this technique feels really unnatural, Perlman actually comes off quite well.

The special effects in the film were actually a bit surprising. They are every bit as professional as the humor and comedy elements of the film, something which is frequently a flaw in most horror comedies. The film is piled high with vampires, corpses, and zombies… not to mention the corpse of an alien. Basically, there’s something for everyone in this film, and despite the presence of such a wicked array of fiends, the film is so balanced that you would feel fine letting one of your snot-nosed offspring watch the film.

I Sell the Dead is an awesome movie. It’s simply fun to watch. While there are a few flaws, such as the predictability of the story and some heavy-handed comic book panel transitions, most everything works exactly the way it was designed. This dark world is familiar and foreign at the same time, and the film truly feels unique. It’s definitely something every horror fan should get his or her hands on.

Final Synopsis: I Sell the Dead is awesome. Seek out a copy… or just buy one. It’s a keeper.

Points Lost: -1 for lame comic book panel transitions, -1 for some lame “twist” action

Lesson Learned: Don’t fuck with The House of Murphy.

Burning Question: Will there be a sequel to this?

I Sell the Dead
8/10

Tags: 2008, alien, aliens, angus scrimm, brenda cooney, Dominic Monaghan, glenn mcquaid, horror, horror comedy, horror movie, john speredakos, larry fessenden, latest movie reviews, recent3, ron perlman, vampire, vampires, zombie, zombies