Dead Lover — Review
Source: Cartuna
One of my favorite things about cinema is the fact that it combines multiple art forms into one. In doing so, film has the ability to appeal to multiple senses. Naturally, there are the visuals on screen and the accompanying music or audio. But great movies also make us feel something, maybe not in the literal sense, but in the emotional or psychological sense. What few films manage to do, however, is utilize our sense of smell. Smell-O-Vision first emerged in 1960 with Jack Cardiff’s Scent of Mystery. After an array of technical issues and negative reviews of the film, Smell-O-Vision failed to catch on. In 1981, John Waters parodied the concept of Smell-O-Vision with scratch-and-sniff Odorama cards to accompany his film Polyester. The scratch-and-sniff approach was replicated several times, including for the 2003 animated film Rugrats Go Wild. Now, the concept is back with a vengeance under the name Stink-O-Vision for Grace Glowicki’s new film, Dead Lover.
Even without the scratch-and-sniff card, Dead Lover feels like the kind of movie you can actually smell, as its imagery effectively conjures the pungent, foul odors. However, the Stink-O-Vision cards undeniably enhance the experience, offering 10 unique scents to sniff throughout the film. But the name Stink-O-Vision isn’t a gimmick; it’s a warning. While there are some less offensive fragrances, such as banana and milkshake, most of the odors are absolutely, downright vile.
Source: Cartuna
Dead Lover was clearly a labor of love for Glowicki, who wrote, directed, produced, and stars in the film. Her husband and frequent collaborator Ben Petrie also wore many hats. Not only did he co-write and produce the film, but he also stars as seven different characters. In fact, only four actors appear throughout the film. Leah Doz and Lowen Morrow each play five different characters. One can’t help but admire the scrappy inventiveness that went into bringing Dead Lover to life. The film was shot entirely on a soundstage to create a minimalist aesthetic evocative of German expressionist classics like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), with characters being spotlit. The distinct visual style feels like both a homage to silent film classics and something completely original.
Rhayne Vermette shot the project on 16mm film, and her cinematography creates an underground, experimental, surreal vibe reminiscent of the works of Kenneth Anger. The use of practical effects and analog in-camera visual effects amplifies the playful, hand-crafted aesthetic, while the creative and peculiar prosthetics, makeup, and costume designs heighten the sense of theatricality. Meghan Remy’s experimental pop project, U.S. Girls, composed the film’s synth-heavy score, which adds to Dead Lover’s avant-garde, punk artistic texture. The use of the theremin gives the music a haunting, ghostly quality that complements the narrative themes. The music is one of the highlights, and, if anything, I’d argue that it’s underutilized throughout the film.
Source: Cartuna
Dead Lover follows a malodorous, lonely gravedigger played enthusiastically by Glowicki herself. She desperately wants to be loved, but her aroma seems to repel everyone she encounters. That is, until she meets Lover (Petrie), a poet who doesn’t merely tolerate her stench; he craves it. However, their romance is short-lived when Lover drowns at sea. Thus begins a whirlwind of scientific experiments to try and resurrect her dead lover in a plot heavily inspired by Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Moreover, the way the film plays with gender and absurd, dark humor calls to mind Frank Henenlotter’s 1990 black comedy Frankenhooker.
The simple storyline and minimalist style allow Dead Lover’s putrid stench to take center stage. Between this film and Annapurna Sriram’s Fucktoys (2025), it feels as though the fearless filmmakers who dare to direct something freaky enough to deem them worthy successors to the Pope of Trash, John Waters, are women, and I, for one, am absolutely here for it. Anyone who watched Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! (2026) and found themselves wishing those films had been more disgusting, depraved, and dirty, will revel in the repugnant world that Glowicki and team have conjured up.
Dead Lover is not simply a gimmick or experiment in smell-based cinema. Glowicki’s film is an audacious reminder that movies are still capable of surprising us and pushing boundaries in ways we never thought possible. In fact, this film does more than push boundaries; it delightfully thrashes around in them like a dog jovially rolling around in a steaming pile of feces. While many filmmakers are playing it safe and striving to direct movies with mainstream appeal, Glowicki proves she isn’t afraid to take risks and craft something gleefully grotesque for all the freaky film lovers of the world. Dead Lover may not look pristine or smell sweet, but Glowicki’s fearless commitment to her unique and brilliantly bizarre artistic vision is what makes the film feel fresh. Whether audiences love it or hate it, it’s sure to leave an impression, like a persistent, pungent odor you just can’t shake. Dead Lover is the type of movie that lingers long after the credits roll, because I swear I can still smell it.
Dead Lover is now playing in Stink-O-Vision in select theaters.
