This morning I had the pleasure of being able to watch an early screening of She's Dead, the newest film from UK filmmaker Nik Box. This was my first time watching a Box film, but it won't be my last. I'm going to have to make my way through his back catalogue which consists of titles such as Dracula vs the Ninja on the Moon and Brutal Jesus and the House of Wasted Youth.
I liked this movie. A lot.
She's Dead is the type of film that makes me admire and love independent filmmaking so very much. Shot over 4 days this past August in one location with a cast of 4 and a crew of 1 with a budget of about £800, which I think translates to about $1,300, this is a truly independent film.
The film starts with a fairly basic and simple setup. It's 5:57 PM and we see a room covered in plastic and hear a narrator telling that old joke about getting so drunk that he blows chunks. You know the one. Then we see Ben, played by co-writer Alexander Lewis. Lewis is on the phone talking to someone very panicked. He's telling this other person how he's messed up and he needs help.
Ben leaves and returns with a large man. This is Mr. Clean (Julian Seager). Ben quickly explains his situation to Mr. Clean. He went out last night, brought a girl home (Serena Chloe Gardner) and when he woke up she was dead. Mr. Clean is there to help him dispose of the body, but he has a first rules that Ben needs to agree to first. The most important rule is rule number three. Mr. Clean needs tea. This is non-negotiable.
Oh, and they have to get rid of the body before Ben's parents get home. They get home at 7:00 PM on the dot.
What we get next is a darkly comedic hour of Ben and Mr. Clean trying to get rid of the body. Ben's friend Barry (Jamie Smith) stops by and only adds to their woes.
She's Dead has some very funny in a pretty effed up way moments. One in particular that stood out for me involves Barry, a candy bar and fantastic sound design. I'll leave it at that. You'll have to watch the film to see what happens next.
This may not be for everyone, but we're not called Dark of the Matinee for nothing.
Box is a very skilled filmmaker. He takes a simple premise and takes it in an interesting, new direction. Just when you think you know what road She's Dead is going down, Box decides to take that left at Albuquerque.
Each one of our characters is unique and different in their own ways. All actors deliver strong performances. Special kudos to Gardner. She does a great job playing a dead girl. That's not easy.
She's Dead is a fun, quick, dark horror comedy. It was a great introduction to the work of Box and I can't wait to see more.
A super limited number of copies of She's Dead are currently available from Dead Good Films Like Productions. Pay them a visit today and see if you can get your hands on a copy before it's too late.
written by Christopher Coffel
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