I Sell the Dead (2008)

A grave robber reflects on his life of crime.

Director:

Glenn McQuaid

Writer:

Glenn McQuaid

Stars:

Dominic Monaghan, Larry Fessenden, Angus Scrimm

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dominic Monaghan	...	Arthur Blake
Larry Fessenden	...	Willy Grimes
Angus Scrimm	...	Dr. Quint
Ron Perlman	...	Father Duffy
Brenda Cooney	...	Fanny Briers
John Speredakos	...	Cornelius Murphy
Daniel Manche	...	Young Arthur
Eileen Colgan	...	Maisey O'Connell
James Godwin	...	Old Man
Joel Garland	...	Ronnie
Aidan Redmond	...	Jack Flood
Alisdair Stewart	...	Bulger
Heather Bullock	...	Valentine Kelly
Chris Shaw	...	Executioner
Martin Pfefferkorn	...	Howling Man

Storyline

18th century justice catches up with a pair of grave robbers. With only a few hours to go before his date with the guillotine, Arthur Blake tells his life story to Father Francis Duffy. Before long, Arthur spills the beans on how he got started in the grim corpse peddling business with seasoned ghoul Willie Grimes.

---

Plot Keywords:

grave | grave robber | corpse | guillotine | told in flashback | 

---

Taglines:

Never Trust A Corpse

---

Genres:

Comedy | Horror

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 January 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

I Sell the Dead - Kuoleman kauppamiehet

Filming Locations:

Caumsett State Park, Lloyd Harbor, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,529 (USA) (7 August 2009)

Gross:

$7,066 (USA) (14 August 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Glass Eye Pix

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min 85 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Early in the film, the bartender in the pub says "there would be no Burke without the little Hare here." This refers to William Burke and William Hare, the famous body snatchers that operated in Edinburgh, Scotland in the early 1800s. Much of the plot for the movie is inspired by their story.

---

Goofs

Supposedly set in the 12th century, Fanny pulls out a modern-day pocket knife.

---

Crazy Credits

"A good cast is worth repeating!"

---

Connections

References Hellboy (2004)

User Reviews

Best horror comedy in years

I just saw this at SIFF, and I absolutely loved it. There were parts where I laughed so hard I couldn't catch my breath. The script and direction by Glenn McQuaid are fantastic. I can't wait to see more from this talented young man. The performances make the movie. Larry Fessenden and Dominic Monaghan are just delightful as the graverobber Willy and his apprentice Arthur. Ron Perlman turns in a fantastic performance (as usual) as a less-than-sympathetic jailhouse priest. Bonus: Angus Scrimm as an unscrupulous doctor! As always, he balances menace and humor perfectly.

This is a style of horror comedy that really hasn't been seen since Vincent Price did "Comedy of Terrors," "The Raven," and "Theater of Blood." The movie is genuinely scary in places, then it'll suddenly flip back into hilarious mode, keeping you totally off balance. Some parts are scary and funny at the same time.

I can only afford to see three movies at SIFF this year, but even if the other two are awful, "I Sell The Dead" was worth the price of all three. I'm going to be looking for more movies from Larry Fessenden's Glass Eye Pix. He's giving the horror genre a much-needed kick in the butt.