I've anxiously awaited seeing I SELL THE DEAD, the latest film from Larry Fessenden's Glass Eye Pix company, since I first saw its trailer. The film has been playing the film festival circuit all year, just completed a VOD run, and will be available on DVD soon. The initial trailer I saw reminded me of a Hammer horror, but after seeing the film, written, directed and edited by Glenn McQuaid, who has created special effects for past Glass Eye productions, I think a more accurate comparison would be Roger Corman's more humorous period piece, THE RAVEN. Despite the prevalent comedy, the film still serves up a fair amount of chills and is a welcome treat for horror fans.

At its heart, I SELL THE DEAD is a macabre comedy. The film gets off to a good start with a clever title that reminded of me of RE-ANIMATOR, and suggested THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS (based, like this film, on the adventures of Burke and Hare). Next, graverobber Willie Grimes (Fessenden) loses his head to a guillotine, while partner in crime Arthur Blake (Dominic Monaghan) describes their misadventures to an inquisitive priest (Ron Perlman). The narrative is deliberately episodic as Willie and Arthur encounter one fantastic situation after another during their nightly excursions (to detail these encounters would ruin the film's numerous surprises). Suffice it to say that Willie and Arthur live in a world where supernaural horrors exist at every turn. The film is essentially an anthology film with continuing characters, right down to the framing device and final twists. Scenes occasionally end in comic book frames, ala CREEPSHOW.

The hear of the film is the relationship between Willie and and Arthur. Fessenden has acted in numerous films, and with the exception of his breakthrough HABIT has generally been relegated to extended cameos in other director's films. Here he has a role he can really sink his teeth into, which he does with relish. Willie is from the cutthroat, likeable rogue school, at once good natured, cowardly and able to turn on a dime. Monaghan turns in his most affectionate performance since his stay on LOST. Arthur isn't exactly the conscience of the piece, but he is the more sympathetic of the two characters. The dynamic between these performers makes the possibility of a sequel something to look forward to.

I had my doubts about Perlman as the priest (all of the actors are required to speak with British and Irish accents), but he drops enough menacing hints throughout his scenes that the payoff for his character works nicely. Angus Scrimm, now a Glass Eye regular, is effective as the doctor who needs a constant supply of cadavers, and I liked Brenda Cooney as a woman who mixes it up with the boys. There are also several comic bookish villains, a family of rival graverobbers, that fans will enjoy.

McQuaid's direction is assured and occasionally stylish; he is adept at both comedy and horror, with the graverobbers' first supernatural escapade especially chilling and almost poetic. Midway through the film it occurred to me that McQuaid's film is really about story telling - stories within stories within stories - and he uses comic book frames and split screens to good effect to achieve this. The film clocks in at a tight 85 minutes, a welcome relief in an era when ridiculously bloated productions like 2012 run nearly three hours.
While still low budget, I would hazard a guess that this is the most expensive of the horror films Fessenden has helped produce.

Special mention must be made of Beck Underwood's art direction, Devin Febbroriello's set direction, David Tabbert's costumes, and Jeff Grace's score, which combine to convincingly sell the film's Victorian England setting. Richard Lopez's evocative cinematography aims for a 1960s Technicolor look during many of the grave robberies, and a daytime visit to an island provides a welcome change of scenery late in the film. I can't really describe the special make-up effects without spoiling the film, but they are very well realized.