Gothy, goony and gloriously bold, ‘Dead Lover’ puts the frankness back in Frankenstein

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I’m drawn to your imperfections, your rawest and most unpleasant qualities. I desire a complete immersion in everything that makes you uniquely, even repulsively, you – a total acceptance of all that others might find distasteful.

Could any on-screen romance be sweeter? The film’s charming dialogue, written by couple Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie, is especially captivating to the character of Gravedigger (played by Glowicki), who’s been creating a perfume to mask her unusual scent. She soon realizes that the right person will love her just as she is, discovering she’s actually quite appealing after all.

Glowicki’s second film, “Dead Lover,” famously offered an optional “Stink-O-Vision” experience, and it’s a truly unique and bizarre movie. Like many other strange Canadian films – including those by David Cronenberg and Matt Johnson – it received funding from Telefilm Canada, which we can be grateful for.

This film is a strikingly creative and homemade project where the director, and star, works alongside a talented team. Becca Morrin’s set designs and Ashley Devereux’s art direction create a beautifully gothic atmosphere. The film’s combination of deliberate artfulness and genuine emotion is reminiscent of the work of Canadian filmmakers like Guy Maddin and Matthew Rankin, but it also feels like a modern take on the classic Frankenstein story, viewed through a feminist lens.

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Recent films like “Poor Things” and “Lisa Frankenstein” offer fresh takes on Mary Shelley’s classic story of Frankenstein. What’s particularly interesting is how these new versions change the story when women are the ones bringing things – or people – back to life?

The film begins with a quote from Mary Shelley – “There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand.” Her novel, “Frankenstein,” published in 1818, has long been seen as a story with feminist themes, even if some adaptations, like Guillermo del Toro’s, lean more towards a male perspective. The book explores the frightening power of creating life and how closely linked that is to death. Many female filmmakers have highlighted these ideas, most recently seen in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride!” However, this film feels more aligned with Laura Moss’s medical thriller, “birth/rebirth,” and especially similar to Zelda Williams’ playful and charming “Lisa Frankenstein,” which tells the story of a young woman who brings her boyfriend back to life by stitching him together.

The Gravedigger shares her deepest wishes with us and the moon, using playful Cockney rhyming slang. She longs for a traditional life: a single, lasting love and a family. After facing a lot of disappointment, she finally meets Petrie in the cemetery and rescues him from a dangerous animal while he’s grieving the loss of his opera singer sister, Leah Doz. Once they give in to their passion, the Gravedigger is eager to start a life together right away.

Driven by a desire to have a child, Lover seeks fertility treatments in Europe but tragically drowns at sea. All that remains is a single finger, brought back to his partner by fishermen. A resourceful scientist known as the Gravedigger uses this finger to create a regenerative elixir, resulting in a growing tentacle that eventually needs a full body – and the sister of the deceased seems like the perfect host. However, when this new Creature, Doz, is brought to life, chaos erupts, pulling in the sister’s heartbroken and jealous husband, Lowen Morrow, and creating a complicated and potentially disastrous romantic entanglement.

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‘The Bride!’ is a fresh and daring take on the classic ‘Bride of Frankenstein’ story, brought to life by Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. Writer and director Maggie Gyllenhaal has created a more ambitious and expansive film.

Glowicki is a remarkably talented director, skillfully guiding her small cast through this ambitious and unusual project. Actors Petrie, Doz, and Morrow impressively take on several roles, including a lively Greek chorus and a group of fishermen – showcasing a truly impressive range of Canadian accents. Glowicki’s dedication to her unique artistic vision is unwavering, and her performance as an actress is breathtaking. With striking Halloween makeup and colorful lighting, she delivers a raw and deeply emotional portrayal of the lengths people will go to for love, a performance that feels visceral and genuine.

Featuring a dreamy, atmospheric soundtrack by U.S. Girls reminiscent of “Twin Peaks,” “Dead Lover” is a uniquely sensual and unsettling film. It’s a beautifully strange and provocative exploration of love, embracing both the beautiful and the bizarre – perfect for anyone who appreciates a bit of dark romance.

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2026-03-28 00:01