TILL DEATH DO US PART: THE RISE OF GOTHIC HORROR
With the resurgence of gothic horror movies such as Nosferatu (2024), the Romanticist topics of death, love, decomposition, the sublime, and the transcendental nature of existence are making a comeback in popular culture. Jacob Hamblin’s “Till Death Do Us Part,” which was previously an official selection for Hollyshorts (Dread Central coverage), FilmQuest, Utah Film Festival, and Zions Indie Film Festival, is a masterful work that captures Romanticist ideas beautifully.
Film Poster
Romanticist poet Edgar Allan Poe once famously said, “The death of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetic topic in the world” (The Philosophy of Composition, 1846). Till Death Do Us Part, which takes place in the 1800’s, embraces this theme while reminding us that there is a fine line between love and death, that there is a grimmer side to infatuation, and that sometimes love can kill.
Dave Martinez as Alden Pryer
From the beginning, Till Death Do Us Part lures you in with its narration and animated sequence to set the scene. Then, it follows an undertaker’s apprentice, Alden Pryer, who is madly in love with a local woman. When a rich murdered bride-to-be ends up in the morgue, Mr. Pryer’s devotion comes into question as he contemplates stealing the ring from her corpse for his own love interest. Despite warnings from his mentor that he should never steal from the dead, will Mr. Pryer’s desparate infatuation overcome all morality?
Maggie Scott as Alden Pryer’s love interest Elise
With standout performances by Dave Martinez, Monica Moore Smith, Jasen Wade, Maggie Scott, Bethany Hubbard Jones, and Joshua Howard, the viewer is entranced by this grim world of lost love. The masterful direction by Jacob Hamblin, exquisite cinematography by Jackson Dean Ahlander, editing by Jordan Boren and Tyler Boren, sound design by Brian Parsons and Jackson Dean Ahlander, terrifying special makeup effects by Aspen Raine, and haunting score by Zach Sundwall take this dark tale to mesmerizing and unforgettable levels.
Dave Martinez as Alden Pryer and Monica Moore Smith as The Bride
The tone in Till Death Do Us Part harkens to films such as Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Frankenstein, and The Lighthouse, and it is an eerie and welcome reminder that gothic horror is here to stay.
Jasen Wade as The Undertaker
Additionally, it is worthy to note that the concept of “the literary sublime” was prominent in Romanticist literature and gothic films. It often involved the juxtapositions of dark and light, the life and beautiful versus decay and entropy, and the realm of experience beyond the measurable (Burke, 1757). The format of black and white in Till Death Do Us Part is a bold choice, and it captures the sublime theme beaitifully. We look forward to more projects from the imagination of Hamblin and highly recommend this spooky short.
Till Death Do Us Part director Jacob Hamblin
Review by Alicia Oberle Farmer