Will 'I Sell the Dead' see life beyond Slamdance?

Monaghan couldn't visit then, but the whole cast seemed ready to celebrate Friday night and joked that they had joined a lot of Park City's private clubs.

So will the movie play to the average person on the street? Fessenden thinks so.

"I would say we have made the independent 'Pirates of the Caribbean.' Nobody is quite as good looking as Johnny Depp — although Dom does OK — but I like to say it's a movie for the whole family, except for a couple of beheadings."

Why did he champion the cause of the unproven director and script writer?

"Glen gave me a lead role," he deadpanned. "Actually it is dour and handwringing, and it's a buddy film. I love the flavor."

Brenda Cooney, a New York theater actress, has worked with McQuaid from the early stages of the film's genesis.

"When you are on a project, sometimes you know it is good," she said. "The whole thing has been a great experience."

She was glad to have Monaghan show her the ropes of how to handle the press and do publicity for a movie.