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‘I Sell the Dead’ Gets March Date with Blu-ray/DVD

Published

14 years ago

February 4, 2010

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.

Home Video

‘Mute Witness’ – Watch the Trailer for Arrow Video’s 4K Restoration of the 1995 Horror Movie [Exclusive]

Published

4 days ago

April 12, 2024

John Squires

The 1995 horror movie Mute Witness has found a whole new audience here in 2024, with Shudder finally bringing the cat-and-mouse thriller to streaming earlier this month.

Additionally, Arrow Video is bringing Mute Witness to 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray for the very first time on June 11, and we’ve scored the trailer for their brand new restoration.

Watch the trailer below and read on for everything you need to know!

Director Anthony Waller (The Piper, An American Werewolf in Paris) combines cat-and-mouse suspense with classic intrigue in Mute Witness, an updated take on the Hitchcockian thriller in which the only witness to a brutal crime can neither speak nor cry out in terror.

Limited Edition Bonus Features include:

4K restoration approved by director Anthony Waller
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in HDR10
Restored original lossless stereo soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by writer/director Anthony Waller
Brand new audio commentary with production designer Matthias Kammermeier and composer Wilbert Hirsch, moderated by critic Lee Gambin
The Silent Death, brand new visual essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, examining Mute Witness and its relationship with snuff films
The Wizard Behind the Curtain, brand new visual essay by author and critic Chris Alexander, exploring the phenomenon of the film-within-a-film
Original “Snuff Movie” presentation, produced to generate interest from investors and distributors, featuring interviews with Anthony Waller and members of the creative team
Original location scouting footage
Original footage with Alec Guinness, filmed a decade prior to the rest of Mute Witness
Teaser trailer
Trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michelle Kisner

In the film, Billy Hughes (Marina Zudina) is a mute special effects artist working on a low budget American slasher movie being shot in Russia. Accidentally locked in the studio late one night, she stumbles upon two men shooting what appears to be a snuff film. Having borne witness to their victim’s final moments, Billy desperately flees – but this is only the start of a protracted night of terror, drawing her and her friends into a tangled web of intrigue, involving the KGB, the Moscow police… and a mysterious crime kingpin known as “The Reaper.”

Arrow Video previews the new release, “Filmed on location in Moscow and co-starring Fay Ripley (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein) and Evan Richards (Society), Mute Witness is an unpredictable, nerve-shreddingly tense viewing experience. Now fully restored in 4K and presented alongside a host of new and recently unearthed bonus materials, there has never been a better opportunity to discover – or rediscover – this gem of 90s thriller cinema.”

You can pre-order your copy from Diabolik today.