THE MORTUARY COLLECTION ***** 2019 USA Dir: Ryan Spindell. 108 mins
A lonely mortician, Montgomery Dark (the delightfully devilish Clancy Brown), entertains Sam (Caitlin Fisher), a young woman applying for a job at his funeral home. Her curiosity is piqued by the books that fill his office, so he shares with her four tales of death and deadly comeuppance.
Director Spindell has created a fantastic world full of unexpected characters and ghastly delight. Although fans of TALES FROM THE CRYPT or classic horror comics might recognize some familiar themes, this film delivers delicious twists and turns with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek.
THE MORTUARY COLLECTION is, to borrow words from Sam, “totally dark, twisted, and awesome.” Celebrating different genres is a horror anthology staple, and whether it’s Cronenbergian body horror, Poe’s macabre romanticism, or a good old 80s slash-‘em-up, this film nails every one. Oozing campy gore one minute while floating ethereally the next, this well-paced, eerie little collection of nightmares is a delightful addition to the anthology subgenre.
Review by Julia Lynch
