There is something so ridiculously charming about DEAD LOVER that it’s hard not to smile. The film comes in “Stink-O-Vision,” a sort of William Castle stunt where cards with numbered scents are listed and correspond with scenes in the film. I PRAY they have that in whatever a home release looks like for the film because, even though I didn’t get to partake of it for the review, the charm of the idea is irresistible.
DEAD LOVER is a love story, of a sort. It is the story of a lonely gravedigger desperate to find a partner. She works alone in the graveyard, speaking to the moon, her only friend, and dreaming of finding a partner. During an evening funeral, the gravedigger meets someone who is not repulsed by her funeral funk, but is in fact drawn to it. The two share a bed, and words of love, but when he leaves suddenly, she is left alone once more, and doubt creeps in. When she is given what is believed to be proof that her lover has died, she goes to great lengths to find a way to revive him, perhaps too far.
The film is made in such a way as to make its low-budget a point of pride. The movie is made like a stage play, with dramatic lighting, actors playing multiple roles, and the sets are simple and contained. The movie was made with its limitations in mind, and as such, the film has more personality because of the directorial choices that were made. It’s an over-the-top, horny, weird movie, and it revels in that fact.
The director brings a flair for the theatrical, and while the movie makes wild, crazy swings, it never loses its sense of self.
The movie isn’t for everyone, and the filmmakers know that. It’s weird, it’s gross, and it’s silly. I may not have loved all of the choices they made, and have my qualms about some of the ending, it’s a fun, and solid film. It’s the sort of film that fans who love weirdness, indie movies, and underground art will eat up. I cannot imagine how it got a theatrical release because it is so weird and distinct, but I am glad for it. If you’re in the UK, it’s worth a trip to the movies.
The film is in UK theaters now.
3.25 out of 5
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27378311/
TL;DR: A weird, hyper-theatrical oddy that will find fans who love it, if you are looking for something horny, and strange.
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 