Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: THE GLORIOUS DEAD [Fantastic Fest - Austin, Texas]
The Adams Family always does well in approaching micro budget horror. Their last: "Mother Of Flies" (also seen at Fantastic Fest) uses Toby Poser’s always intensive acting to bring forth a context of dread. With their newest “The Glorious Dead” [Alumnus], they take on something a bit bigger and more ambitious but with their signature style. Toby plays a small town Sheriff who starts noticing people and animals going missing. Using Upstate New York in the snowy winter creates a unique mileau different from their previous film. Of course there are odes to "Fargo" and "The Walking Dead" but the mythology behind their new creation (though not specifically explained) is nonetheless very vivid in its sort of body horror motif. Small holes start opening in the ground and are sort of hard to explain unless you see it. At the same time certain creatures begin appearing and, like "Hellraiser", seems to be drawn to certain people. The Sheriff starts to slowly lose control. Her deputy is played by Toby’s daughter Zelda Adams with an almost androgynous flair but keeps up with her mother tit-for-tat without giving anything away.
The vernacular is f-bomb heavy but falls right into their bounds of humor. The metal like score was written by Zelda and performed by the family band Hellbender like all their films. While the DIY aesthetic is heavy, the family is widening the scope and figuring out bigger visual effects matched with their normal practical effects. The final shot alone is a giant leap...and though it was likely simply done and helped by the overcast sky, it is nonetheless jarring. Also the use of firearms is even more pronounced in this film. A scene where the sheriff and deputy come to the home of an man who has been attacked by a creature is quite jarring too because of the action the daughter takes (not one of the family). The requisite aftermath involves Zelda’s character and is pretty brutal. "The Glorious Dead" is not perfect but it continues to show how much the Adams know their brand and how to keep pushing it forward. Poser, as always, controls the screen. It, of course, is great to see an older protagonist in a film like this since this kind of horror seems to skew young. This kind of story, by comparison, reflects an older experience while still showing the passion this family has for horror. "The Glorious Dead" is a DIY treasure in a way: gritty and not necessarily slick but genre to the core and willing to go the mile on a micro-budget. 87%/B/B+
By Tim Wassberg
