Pauls Valley, Oklahoma — There was a time not that long ago that I would avoid certain genres of films at all costs. One of those due to masculine code was chick flicks, but perhaps the most distanced I was with any type of offering was along the lines of horror or slasher.

Sure, I enjoyed some of the classics like “Frankenstein” or “Nosferatu,” but many of the movies that tried to be in the same category released from my childhood on were less than tolerable. Yet, as I’ve learned to expand my definition of entertainment I’ve been able to discover a level of humor in them, no less defined than by this DVD. “I Sell the Dead” is not a pure comedy, but does not ever become so serious that the viewer is lost in a wave of forced story.

The plot does not seem to follow one type of established horror ideal, but pieces together several popular elements like zombie, grave robbing and a touch of science fiction. The tale is set in the 18th century and follows the tale of a young man, Arthur Blake (Dominic Monaghan), who because of lack of proper job placement (that and having street begging as an alternative) steals and sells bodies for a living.

He performs this gruesome task with an accomplace/mentor, Willie Grimes (Larry Fessenden), and is able to somewhat survive on the practice until he ends up on a death row of sorts. Before he loses his head over the matter, he is given a chance to confess his failings to a rather crude monk, Father Duffy (Ron Perlman). What follows is something that can certainly make one feel uneasy, but at other times requires oxygen from laughing too much.

The one thing that sets this flick apart from some of the other lesser known movies Perlman has been in, he is surrounded by a cast a characters that can at least half-way match his acting talent. Things start off a bit confusing as far as what is going on, but it isn’t long before one is hooked into following the action.

This is definitely something younger audiences might want to avoid due to content, but it depends on how much dark humor one can stomach. I’d certainly recommend adding this for those who enjoy this genre, I’ll be keeping an eye out for purchase as well. For a good time with plenty of B-movie cheese I bestow a spine tingling three out of five corpses.

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I’ve added screen captures of Dominic’s appearance as Arthur Blake in “I Sell the Dead”. I want to give a HUGE thank you to Stef (www.emmanuellevaugier.net) for capping the movie and donating the screen captures!! Very much appreciated! Head over to the gallery for the latest additions.

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From its widescreen atmospherics and “Hammer Horror”-meets-“The X-Files” milieu to its Kurt Weill-like score, “I Sell the Dead” is the “Inglourious Basterds” of grave-robber movies.

Written and directed by Dublin-born Glenn McQuaid, an extension of his 2005 short “The Resurrection Apprentice,” the film begins with a James Whale-inspired creditsequence and regurgitates and transplants the tale of the Edinburgh-based body snatchers Burke and Hare and updates it with such delectable touches as zombies, aliens and ultra-widescreen visuals.

Holy “Bride of Frankenstein,” I think I’m going to like this, says your average die-hard horror film buff.
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“I Sell the Dead” is an awesome little horror throwback that is done extremely well considering what must have been a fairly small budget. And by saying the film has a small budget is by no means a knock as the clever and fun script managed to lure both Dominic Monaghan and Ron Perlman, but the whole film just has an air of smart, exhilarating indie spirit throughout. From spraying blood to boogey men to “what-the-hell-was-THAT-thing type effects, “I Sell the Dead” is just good old fashioned horror. And besides, when you’re making a fun film with good people and a smart script, you don’t need CGI or overblown scares and frights. Throw in a clear vision as to what your film is supposed to be and “I Sell the Dead” is a winner.

The basic storyline centers on Arthur Blake (Monaghan) and Willie Grimes (Fessenden), 2 grave robbers in what seems to be turn of the century England. Foggy streets lined with cobblestones give way to rickety graveyards on the outskirts of town where Grimes and Blake make their living digging up fresh corpses for local kook Dr. Quint (Scrimm). The film kicks off as Blake awaits execution for his crimes and is joined by Father Duffy (Perlman) to fess up to his wrong-doings. Over a bottle of whiskey, Blake recounts how he got into the grave robbing business and regales the priest with tales of horror, backstabbing and creatures of the night as evidently the area Grimes and Blake live in is rife with zombies, demons, vampires and your basic menagerie of ghouls.
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We’ve just updated the gallery with a new poster from I Sell the Dead. Enjoy!