“You are not a metaphor for beauty. You are beauty.”
Filmmaking is an interesting game. At a time when the industry has settled into a world of sequels, prequels, reboots, and live-action remakes, film fans yearn for an original concept. Enter Grace Glowicki, a Canadian multi-hyphenated talent whose Dead Lover gives enthusiasts a reason to get excited.
The film tells the story of a Gravedigger who, reeking of rotten flesh, craves the love and companionship of another. Against all odds, she finds that in a flamboyant poet who bears an irresistible attraction to her scent. A fast-paced love affair sees them marry quickly, both eager to start a family. But those dreams are cut short when the poet drowns while away at sea. The only thing recovered from the wreckage is his severed finger. Stricken with immense grief, she enacts a series of experiments to resurrect her love and continue their unlikely fairytale.
A semi-love letter to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the world of Mel Brooks, Dead Lover is not a casual film experience. The high-concept, low-budget production, filmed entirely on a black box sound stage, is a testament to the creative vibrancy of Glowicki and co-writer Ben Petrie. Together, they craft a unique product that, while divisive, will appease genre fans as they embrace the theater troupe mentality and give audiences something unmistakably distinct to digest.
Glowicki, who also directed and stars as the Gravedigger, is the lone actor to embody a single role in the film. Supporting players depict a slew of characters as the highly talented cast creates a dark and morbid world around their leading lady. The film continues to make a distinct impact using practical effects and visual illusions. Each invites viewers to embark on a rare, unorthodox journey as the cast, on numerous occasions, runs in place to symbolize a change in location. The result is hysterical laughter from viewers who are undoubtedly along for the ride.
Accentuated by its blend of dark humor and romanticism, the twisted production appears to have one destiny in mind: cult status. Campy from the onset, the film bears a visual appeal that, unprepared, will likely turn off most mainstream film consumers. But for those who enjoy the eccentric and unconventional, the film proves a breeding ground for fun, unexpected mayhem.
As our Gravedigger continues to deal with her grief, discovering that most scientific experiments carry a degree of risk, you cannot deny the self-awareness that the film proudly bears. A testament to its creator, Dead Lover stays clear of the proverbial box, living so far outside the lines of normality that you slowly become entranced with Glowicki’s mind and the deranged and visually stimulated product she has created.
Though there are no set jokes, the humor runs the roost throughout. Those in on the large-scale joke will take immediate pleasure in understanding the prescribed vibe. Others will lose interest and focus as they search for a more familiar, linear production. Dead Lover isn’t a middle-of-the-road film. It isn’t meant to be. But that is part of its attraction. And though the experience will be annoying and unsettling for many, for others, it will be a moment of pure elation and celebration of a cinematic product that, unfortunately, doesn’t come around often.
