‘It will consume you.’
The Dark is a 1993 sci-fi horror monster movie about a prehistoric rodent that lives under a graveyard and eats the buried corpses. However, it has acquired a taste for living flesh!
Craig Pryce (Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter) directed the movie from a screenplay by Robert C. Cooper (several Stargate series; The Club 1994). Robert Bergman and Craig Pryce produced it. Executive produced by Peter R. Simpson.
The Lightshow Communications-Ontario Film Development Corporation-Pryceless Productions movie stars Cynthia Belliveau, Jaimz Woolvett, Neve Campbell (Scream franchise), Dennis O’Connor, Brion James (Scanner Cop; The Horror Show), Stephen McHattie, Scott Wickware, Desmond Campbell, Bruce Beaton, Thick Wilson/Addison Bell, Robbie Rox, Ian MacDonald, Christopher Bondy and William Lynn.
Plot:
During a midnight visit to his wife’s grave, scientist Hunter Henderson (Stephen McHattie) hears shots and decides to investigate. When he gets a bit too close to the action, he is shot, but his wounds are miraculously healed by the mysterious creature that FBI agents have been attempting to kill. After losing his partner in the firefight, Agent Paul Buckner (Brion James) is determined to see the death of the unknown beast, but Hunter is just as determined to save it…
Reviews [may contain spoilers]:
“Not a bad little B-movie, The Dark has enough ridiculousness to keep you chuckling throughout the obvious plot holes. But its obvious similarities to many other films, both Canadian and American, do not exactly make it stand apart from the crowd.” Canuxploitation!
“The Dark sometimes stumbles, but there are many good sequences and the climactic clash with the creature is tense and thrilling. Commendably, the actors play it as if they believe every word of it, adding to its effectiveness.” Derek Winnert
“This horror/sci-fi item is so well-acted and intelligently paced that the filmmakers almost manage to camouflage the essential silliness of their scenario, which involves a prehistoric beast who lives under a cemetery and feeds on corpses. Alas, despite some decent scare sequences, The Dark is one of those cases where almost doesn’t count.” Entertainment Weekly
” …The Dark compensates with an engaged and engaging cast that seems to be having fun recreating the ambience of ’50s sci-fi. And Pryce knows well enough to keep the creature mostly in the shadows. Speaking of shadows, Michael Storey’s cinematography more than lives up to the challenge of shooting mostly at night and in dim tunnels on a limited budget.” Films from Beyond the Time Barrier
“With a surfeit of characters (leading, frankly, to a character-to-incident ratio that is not favorable to the picture), a sophomoric script (from the same lad who wrote The Club), mediocre performances (though not outright bad; these actors are too professional for that) and really underwhelming direction, the conclusion must and can only be that The Dark is not a very good movie!” Ha ha, it’s Burl!
“The Dark is one of those movies that you will keep on and continue watching just to see the creature—every scene between its appearances may be a good time to get some housework done, work on that story you’re writing, or stare off in the distance, wondering how Campbell was even given another shot at acting after this film.” Quick Horror Movie Reviews
“Fans of serious horror entertainment will certainly be disappointed, but animal horror fans, for whom it often doesn’t have to be logical or unfunny, will be happy with this little film for in-between times, but should know that the animal itself appears relatively rarely. But at least expectations are kept quite high, even if there is hardly any excitement.” Schlombies Film Reviews [translated from German]
MOVIES and MANIA rating:
Trailer:
Choice dialogue:
Tracy [Cynthia Belliveau]: “You think you can just save my life, have sex with me and leave?”
Gary ‘Hunter’ Henderson [Stephen McHattie]: “I think it’s a carnivorous scavenger… it eats the dead.”
Jake [Dennis O’Connor]: “Oh, pardon me. Doctor Psycho is going for the Nobel Prize.”
Cast and characters [end credits order]:
Stephen McHattie … Gary ‘Hunter’ Henderson
Scott Wickware … Carl Miller
Brion James … Paul Buckner
Desmond Campbell … FBI Agent
Dennis O’Connor … Jake
Jaimz Woolvett … Ed
Cynthia Belliveau … Tracy
Bruce Beaton … Biker
Thick Wilson/Addison Bell … Al the Cook
Robbie Rox … Biker 2
Ian MacDonald … Biker 3
Neve Campbell … Jesse Donovan
Christopher Bondy … Gabe
William Lynn … Arnold Goodman
Country of origin:
Canada
Filming locations:
Ontario, Canada
Budget:
CA$1,000,000 (estimated)
Technical specs:
1 hour 27 minutes
Ultra Stereo
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