FilmQuest 2021 REVIEW: The Mortuary Collection – Makes You Feel Alive
Once more unto the breach, dear friends! So far, our coverage of the fantastic FilmQuest 2021 has included reviews for the trippy Sister Tempest and the good (if spotty) They Live Inside Us. Today, we will talk about The Mortuary Collection, an anthology film currently exclusive to our dear friends over at Shudder. Will it leave us stiff as a board? Or will we feel reborn with ecstasy? Let’s find out!
Homage Done Right
It’s not uncommon, in the era of Stranger Things and It adaptations, to see films which pay tribute to decades gone. But the truth is, not all of them can rise above nostalgia and deliver a properly good moviegoing experience. I’m happy to report that The Mortuary Collection delivers in spades.
Centered around a small town mortuary and its resident mortician, the movie moves its plots (yes, plural) as the old timer shares stories with his new recruit.
The different tales in the anthology feel cohesive, both visually and in the way they feel. This isn’t something we can take for granted in anthology films. Indeed, films like México Bárbaro fall apart due to their disjointed feel, as if the fact that the short films are in an anthology together is a bit of an afterthought.
The Mortuary Collection, on the other hand, is visually stunning, yes, but also feels like a whole. It does help that, beyond the visual appeal, the acting is absolutely spot-on. There isn’t a single performance that is short of great, and Clancy Brown and Caitlin Custer in particular win you over from the first time they interact. Truly, then, a homage to the 70s and 80s done right.
With All Its Limitations
A homage to the 70s and 80s has appeal and nostalgia in its corner. Add to that a flawless execution, and The Mortuary Collection really is a great film. But, it isn’t all that scary. Fear sensibilities have evolved over the past 30 to 40 years, and what back then would have caused a riot, today barely causes a stir.
Obviously, horror is perhaps one of the most subjective things about art. We’re all afriad of different things. But as good as The Mortuary Collection is, it never sent a shiver down my spine. It never made me want to pause the film to take a walk.
And I’m OK with that, you know? I don’t need every horror movie to scare me. I know it sounds odd, but much like not every metal song needs to be about hardship and being tough, for me horror can be an aesthetic thing, an artistic vision, rather than a feeling of dread. That’s why I loved my time at this funeral home. But one needs to keep this in mind when walking in for service. There is, however, one hell of a turn that even I, as jaded as I am, did not see coming. It is *chef’s kiss* great.
The Mortuary Collection – More Than the Sum of Its Parts
At the end of the day, horror is different to everyone. That’s what I love about it. For me, though, The Mortuary Collection has the potential of taking its rightful place in the pantheon of greats, alongside Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow. The fact that neither of those classics scares me today doesn’t detract from their brilliance. Similarly, there’s more to this collection than just scaring, and way more than its (admittedly fun) morality tales. This is a concert in which every instrument is finely tuned, every performer delivering their best. I urge you to check it out. You will not be disappointed.
The Mortuary Collection was reviewed in the context of our FilmQuest 2021 coverage.
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The Mortuary Collection
Summary
The Mortuary Collection is an exceptional anthology, worthy of its place in the pantheon of classics.
