The Light and the Dark

There are a few reasons why Dead Bodies is a big deal, argues Joe Griffin. It could make a star of its star. It's a fine example of what High Definition digital technology can do. Probably the most important thing about this film, though, is that there's a good chance that it will make money. [Extract]

Tommy (Andrew Scott) has just reunited with his spoiled bitch of a girlfriend (Katie Davies). During one of their many rows, Tommy pushes Kate and storms out the door, down to the gym to work it off. When Tommy and his best mate Noel (Darren Healy) return, she's dead. The first of many twists hits us with Kate's late night burial. Then things get complicated... Is this beginning to sound like something you might buy a ticket to see? Certainly it's a nice step forward for Irish cinema: modern and different, but not self-consciously so. And certainly Buena Vista have high hopes. A wide distribution awaits, preceded by an aggressive marketing campaign.

This campaign began with the world premiere, which closed the Dublin International Film Festival. Accompanied by actors Andrew Scott and Kelly Reilly, Robert Quinn was on hand to give his "fourth ever interview". According to the director, writer Derek Landy started out on the script while working on the family farm in North County Dublin. The usual process followed. It found a production company and, in Quinn, a director that warmed to it: "When I first read the title I didn't quite know what I was going to get. I was aware that the writer was 22 when he had written it, which is pretty extraordinary, I think. I read it, and suddenly I thought; 'Did I just read that? Is that an Irish script?' And I started again. I read the whole thing twice. Straight away. I was totally captivated by it immediately. And we've changed very little from what we had originally."

The full article is printed in Film Ireland 92