‘The Glorious Dead’ Review: Another Bizarre and Memorable Mystery From The Adams Family [FrightFest]

Married writer and director duo John Adams and Toby Poser (often referred to as the ‘Adams family‘), who previously collaborated on The Deeper You Dig, Hellbender, Hellhole, and Mother of Flies, have returned with The Glorious Dead, a small-town mystery which proved to be one of the strangest films to be screened at this year’s FrightFest.

Poser stars as Sheriff Deb, who discovers various sinister goings-on within her small town. Initially, blood comes out of a resident’s tap, which Deb initially dismisses as a dead animal getting stuck in the plumbing. But soon, people begin acting out of character, animals disappear from a ranch, and, after a while, the dead begin to rise. The respectable Deb does everything she can to try to uphold the law when everything in her town turns into chaos and mayhem, with the supernatural elements of the mystery soon becoming hard for the valiant law enforcement official to deny. The talented Poser portrays Deb as a strong and determined woman who never shies away from her responsibilities, making the character the kind of police officer you would be proud to represent your town. Because it focuses on a female sheriff in a snow-filled small town, The Glorious Dead will probably be remembered as a horror version of Fargo, and the comparisons are well-earned.

Deb receives help from Deputy Mikey (Zelda Adams), who also struggles to maintain her composure when the mystery deepens. And Judith Roberts also appears as Carol, Deb’s elderly, possibly senile mother, who seems oblivious to the seriousness of what is going on. Adams appears as Deb’s late husband, Hank, who apparently took his secrets to the grave. The supporting cast members all did their best with their roles, with the unusual characters they played helping The Glorious Dead to become even more strange and unique. On the other hand, the soundtrack by the Adams family’s band, H6llb6nd6r, sounds as unhinged as you could possibly imagine. Needless to say, there is a great abundance of weirdness going on within the confines of the town featured in the story, making Deb’s plight to keep things in order become increasingly desperate.