Dead Bodies (2003/Ireland)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C-     Feature: B-

 

 

As an Irish cinema continues to slowly take shape, genre features can be expected, which is exactly what Robert Quinn’s Dead Bodies (2003) is.  The film involves young Tommy (Andrew Scott) hanging with his girlfriend, only to find her dead later that night.  He does not know what to do, panics and eventual chaos ensures.  Did he kill her and not know it?  Did someone else do it and with a reason to frame him? Was it just happenstance?  What else might happen?

 

Of course, the absence of the young lady is realized and a police investigation ensures.  Though this does not turn into a formulaic police procedural, the film eventually implodes onto itself after some good plotting, interesting performances, interesting possibilities and showing us an Ireland we do not see much.  In the end, it does not add up and the promise of the Derek Landy screenplay never pans out.  It is worth seeing for what does work.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image was shot in digital High Definition video and looks it in many scenes in the lack of detail and hazing when objects (people in particular) move.  Color is not bad considering, but the darkness covers up some flaws in the usually dark shooting.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has Pro Logic surrounds, but the music is only so memorable, though who knows what the Dolby Digital theatrical sound sounded like.  Extras include trailers for other Magnolia Pictures, but that is it despite a U.K. version with audio commentary, et al.  Maybe Magnolia will change their mind or get more goodies at the last minute, but no more was on our advanced copy.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo