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‘I Sell the Dead’ Gets March Date with Blu-ray/DVD
Buried secrets will eventually resurface – along with the bodies that carry them – in I Sell the Dead, a horror movie that brings the fog-filled thrills of old to a new generation of fear fans. Produced by shock cinema master Larry Fessenden (The House of The Devil), who also co-stars, the movie claws its way onto Blu-ray and DVD from IFC Films via MPI Media Group on March 30, 2010, with SRP of $29.98 and $19.98, respectively.
It was a time of ghouls, ghosts and most ghastly of all, the fine art of grave-robbing. In this homage to the rich gothic style of Britain’s Hammer Films, Dominic Monaghan of “The Lord of the Rings” and “Flash Forward” stars as 19th century corpse snatcher Arthur Blake, who pilfered the cemeteries and coffins of England until his capture by police. But just before Blake is to meet the hangman’s noose, he will confess to a peculiar priest (Ron Perlman of “Hellboy” and “Sons of Anarchy”) his gruesome tale of vampires, zombies and cadaver-dealing that takes him from the savagery of the criminal underworld to the terrors of the undead.
Larry Fessenden, producer-star of “The Last Winter” and director of “Wendigo” – two modern masterpieces – turns in another memorable performance in I SELL THE DEAD as the grave-robber who trains the young Monaghan. Angus Scrimm (“Phantasm”) co-stars in this deliriously grisly and hilarious homage to foggy graveyards, bloody mayhem and the golden age of gothic horror.
I SELL THE DEAD, the feature directorial debut of Glenn McQuaid, received rave reviews from both genre and mainstream critics, indicating the film’s across-the-board appeal. Horror review site DreadCentral.com gave the movie 4 Bloody Knives, while Fangoria’s Chris Alexander wrote, “If you pine for that delectable golden era of ghoulish, bodice-ripping big-screen terror, I SELL THE DEAD is the fright flick for you!”
“Gruesomely good!” praised Stephen Whitty in the Newark Star-Ledger. Jeannette Catsoulis of National Public Radio said, “Its wit and style … are thoroughly modern, as is a hilarious ending that leaves the sequel door wide open. And why not?” The New York Post’s V.A. Musetto said, “Genre fans will definitely get off on I SELL THE DEAD.” The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Barsanti praised, “Glenn McQuaid’s microbudgeted debut is a jauntily gothic period spook story.”
Lauding the movie’s deft blend of horror and comedy, The New York Times’ Manohla Dargis wrote, “The Hammeresque shivers give way to Abbott and Costello-style slapstick.”
I SELL THE DEAD, which ran at New York’s premier indie showcase, the IFC Center, won the award for Best Cinematography at the Slamdance festival.
Editorials
Arrow Video’s ‘Stranger Things: The Complete Series’ is the Ultimate Collector’s Box Set for Fans
Available as of today from Arrow Video is a new box set that might arguably be the definitive way to watch Netflix’s blockbuster series Stranger Things.
At the very least, Stranger Things: The Complete Series puts emphasis on “complete.” That’s evident in its special features alone.
Special and Deluxe editions of Stranger Things: The Complete Series are available for purchase now, featuring an array of exclusive bonus content, including bloopers, interviews with the cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes featurettes, designed for the ultimate Stranger Things experience.
The Deluxe Edition is presented in custom packaging featuring newly-commissioned artwork, alongside a wealth of extra material: a 148-page booklet, exclusive art cards, a Hellfire Club patch, double-sided posters for each season, and much more.
This limited-edition release features all 42 episodes of the show’s five season run on more than 25 discs, all housed in a set featuring gorgeous artwork by Juan Ramos. “We always dreamed that Stranger Things could be owned in its entirety,” said Matt and Ross Duffer, “not just as a collector’s set, but as a way to preserve the show for decades to come.”
Their imprint looms large over the release, including writing in the 148-page book that also includes original design sketches, concept art, and storyboards. All of which would warrant the steep price tag alone for the diehard Stranger Things fan, but Arrow Video upped the ante with collectible surprises as well. Arcade patches, stickers, Hellfire Club dice, and an extremely detailed map of Hawkins, Indiana- double-sided to account for the Upside Down, of course – are among the highlights for this all-ages set.
Adorn your walls with posters representative of your favorite season! That’s also an option with this set’s offerings.
All of which to say that it’s rare for Netflix to make the jump into physical media, and they’ve enlisted Arrow Video to give it the best possible treatment. They certainly brought utmost care and attention to this release. As such, both the standard and deluxe sets come with steep price tags that start at $160 depending on format. While that’s likely a deterrent to the casual viewer, it’s more than worth it for fans.
It may be less convenient than hitting play on Netflix, sure, but there’s a lot to be said about the potential for quality upgrades to your viewing. No spotty internet or compression issues to be found here when it comes to the 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray discs.
That’s really the biggest takeaway from this release: the untapped potential still of Netflix’s streaming library of originals that are ripe for similar treatment. Series and films that could receive Arrow Video levels of treatment on physical media.
Fans of Stranger Things can venture into the Upside Down one last time this spooky season at Halloween Horror Nights, but there may be no better way to ring in the series’ tenth anniversary than a rewatch with this expansive, well-curated box set.
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