The Dark (1979)

The Dark (1979)
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This well-acted but wildly disjointed sci-fi/horror film stars William Devane as a writer who takes a personal interest in a series of baffling decapitation murders in the L.A. area, all of which seem to indicate some kind of supernatural force at work. He is joined in his investigation by a TV reporter (Cathy Lee Crosby), while detective Dave Mooney (Richard Jaeckel puzzles over evidence that the killer may not even be human. Their subsequent monster hunt is both stylish and suspenseful but completely collapses at the end, trashing any attempt at explanation by revealing the murderer as a lumpy-browed alien brute with ill-fitting slacks and laser-beam eyes. After a tension-filled 80-minute set-up, the moronic climax brings the suspense to a jarring halt and was probably added late in the game by a lame-brained studio executive who decided in mid-production to change the killer into an alien. Directorial duties were originally assigned to Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), who bailed out early to be replaced by John "Bud" Cardos. Enough said. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

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Starring:
William DevaneCathy Lee Crosby, (more)
Director(s):
John Cardos
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of The Dark

This well-acted but wildly disjointed sci-fi/horror film stars William Devane as a writer who takes a personal interest in a series of baffling decapitation murders in the L.A. area, all of which seem to indicate some kind of supernatural force at work. He is joined in his investigation by a TV reporter (Cathy Lee Crosby), while detective Dave Mooney (Richard Jaeckel puzzles over evidence that the killer may not even be human. Their subsequent monster hunt is both stylish and suspenseful but completely collapses at the end, trashing any attempt at explanation by revealing the murderer as a lumpy-browed alien brute with ill-fitting slacks and laser-beam eyes. After a tension-filled 80-minute set-up, the moronic climax brings the suspense to a jarring halt and was probably added late in the game by a lame-brained studio executive who decided in mid-production to change the killer into an alien. Directorial duties were originally assigned to Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), who bailed out early to be replaced by John "Bud" Cardos. Enough said. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
92 mins

Complete Cast of The Dark


Director(s):
John Cardos
Writer(s):
Stanford Whitmore
Producer(s):
John CardosDerek PowerDick Clark
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Adult Language, Violence, Not For Children, Adult Situations)
Categories:
HorrorSci-Fi & Fantasy
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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    Member Reviews
     
    Robert W.

    Although it's a bit dated now, this movie was great back in th drive-in days. Don't expect any great revealation from watching this, just expect a B Grade horror/monster movie.

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    Chris W.

    If only this movie was made about 10 years later and had more gore. The story is kinda cool, good actors, and a creepy feel and score. However, the beams that come from the creatures eyes and explosions on it's targets are pretty lame.

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    GLENN A.

    This isn't a bad movie, but it's typical of what drive-ins showed as a 2nd feature (I forget what this played with back in its day). It's scary at times, and at others it's a bit jumpy. I liked the ending, scary! I think the movie is 'R' for about 10 seconds of violence...that was the difference I noticed when I saw this on the late movie (commercial TV) vs. VHS back in 1980. What was cut is nothing compared to today's movies!

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