If there is a real lesson to be learned from watching "Little Miss Sunshine," "National Lampoon's Vacation" or "Weekend at Bernie's," it's that corpses equal comedy gold.

Cinematically, we also know stepmothers are always evil. So when Mark and Brian Stanton's dad, a dedicated University of Oklahoma fan, dies, and his money-grubbing shrew of a wife breaks with his wishes and buries him in Texas, the brothers round up the posse "¦ and the shovels.

At a cost of $5,500, "The Stanton Family Grave Robbery" is the first feature-length film from director Mark Potts, an OU graduate student.

The 20-day whirlwind production started last year, Potts said, logging footage in parts of the metro, Enid and Austin, Texas.

Potts co-wrote the film with Cole Selix and Kevin Costello, who also star as the brothers. The 80-minute film was shown to deadCENTER Film Festival audiences in June, and returns to the metro for 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday screenings at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch.

The film is part of the museum's "Bumper Crop!" program, a six-movie showcase of local films playing Thursday through Sunday.

Potts said he and some of the movie's crew will attend Friday's screening of "The Stanton Family Grave Robbery." The museum's film curator, Brian Hearn, said filmmakers with each of the "Bumper Crop!" selections will also attend their respective film's screenings.

 "”Joe Wertz