Writer-director-star Alex Cox adapts Nikolai Gogol’s novel into a mannered western with Dead Souls. Co-written by Gianni Garko, the story follows the mysterious Stridler (Cox) on a most unusual quest. The man, who hasn’t done much “lately,” strolls into a small Arizona border town asking to buy the names, birth dates, and hometowns of dead Mexicans. Yes, Strindler is after the deceased lowly workers, and no one knows why.
Strindler has Borracho (Zander Schloss) ferrying him about to talk to the Mayor Avery (Eric Schumacher), Sheriff Purdy (Brendan Guy Murphy), and the head of the mine, Oso (Ted Falagan). With each new encounter, Strindler claims slightly different reasons for wanting a list of names of dead Mexicans. But the secrecy surrounding what the man is doing gnaws at The Kid (Shayn Herndon), who challenges the elderly Strindler to a duel. Will Strindler survive the gunfight, or will the mystery of his deeds be his undoing?
Dead Souls is funny in that offbeat, purely Cox kind of way. For anyone familiar with the man’s output, the kind of humor at play will feel comfortable. But does the comedy work with the mystery and drama of it all? Very much so, yes. Strindler saddling a horse the wrong way might sound like an expected joke, but the punchline isn’t that he’s backwards on the beast. Just about every moment of levity is working two or three punchlines at the same time. This means that, despite the narrative’s heaviness, it is constantly amusing.
A quiet moment of restraint before the weirdness hits in Dead Souls (2026). Courtesy of Exterminating Angel / Zapruder Films.
“…the secrecy surrounding what the man is doing gnaws at The Kid, who challenges the elderly Strindler to a duel.”
Luckily, the strangeness of Strindler’s business, as well as the man himself, is intriguing. The need for the list is unknown to all; there is no dramatic irony here. The reason Strindler reinvents himself for his audience adds to the mystery that is afoot. By the time the musical number hits, audiences are either all in or have already tuned in. If viewers stick around to the end, they will be treated to an unusual, fun western that is peculiar to a fault.
The theme of Dead Souls isn’t exactly subtle. This is a story about the status and rights of immigrants and the jobs they hold. That it is told via the deceased adds a layer of belief and the roles of life and death play in how one remembers someone’s legacy. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to find out where the outsider artist Cox lands on these issues. The enjoyment comes from experiencing the wild, original way he and his co-writer chose to put those ideas and values on the screen.
Cox plays Strindler with a mix of confusion and determination. He cuts a decent protagonist, and knows how far to push the character’s comedy and the mystery to not throw off all watching. Schloss is tons of fun as the lead’s forced accomplice. Falagan’s speech, but who is actually honest, really makes audiences think. Herndon comes across as so unhinged that he’s scary. Amariah Dionne plays Rose, and she brings a lot of heart and sweetness to the part.
Dead Souls is mannered, very mannered, which might throw some audience members off. But the comedy, drama, and mystery all work well. The message is keenly observed and told with a sharp wit. The cast is strong, with Cox being a very charismatic and enigmatic figure. If one likes Cox’s other films, then this will be a no-brainer to check out. If an audience member loves westerns, then this is an easy recommendation. However, viewers who don’t want to think will do best to look elsewhere.
For more information on Dead Souls, visit Alex Cox’s Facebook page.
"…the comedy, drama, and mystery all work well."
