Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Dark Places Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 7, 2022

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of The Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee Collection 2.

When is Dracula not Dracula? When Christopher Lee, obviously famous for playing that character, insists on "stretching" his range (and/or fangs) by frankly playing the character under a different name, as kind of comically happens at least a couple of times in this appealing second go round from Severin Films of some of Lee's European output. This sequel of sorts of (relative) rarities featuring Lee follows Severin's enjoyable The Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee Collection from last year, and my hunch is some Lee fans may actually enjoy the films aggregated in this set more than those that were part of this first release, perhaps due at least in part to the fact that Lee does get to strut his vampiric stuff on more than one occasion, no matter what name his character goes by. This is another nicely packaged release from Severin that also offers a really nicely done perfect bound booklet with some excellent writing by the always reliable Jonathan Rigby and a glut of great stills and promotional materials.

Some older readers or those interested in (now) cult television, may remember when "World Premiere" made for television offerings were something of a rage, and series like ABC's Movie of the Week were often Top 10 fare. Movie of the Week often offered horror or supernaturally tinged outings that quite frequently starred a performer arguably a bit past their prime in stories that were interesting enough to warrant ninety or so minutes of audience attention, but which probably would only be remembered afterward by true cult television fanatics. There's something at least a bit similar at play in Dark Places, a film which easily could have been an "episode" on Movie of the Week, what with its story of hidden loot, apparent madness and a haunted mansion.

While this film is part of a supposed Christopher Lee set, Dark Places is carried by and large by the work of Hammer regular Robert Hardy, here protraying a kind of hapless schlub named Edward Foster, as well as a more, um, active historical personage named Andrew Marr. Marr is seen on his deathbed whispering sweet nothings (?) into Foster's ear, and it turns out he's willed his vast estate to Hardy. The fact that Marr's deathbed is in a mental institution comes into play a bit later in the story, with the first act or so setting Foster up in a dilapidated and quite possibly haunted mansion. The fact that Foster was seen in the institution, seemingly as a clerk type, is later revealed to have a bit more context, which then helps inform the increasingly gonzo second and third acts, as Foster starts imagining he's a younger Marrs, who seems hell bent on some horrific behaviors.

Added into this quasi-time and/or identity traveling mix is the fact that Foster's former doctor, Ian Mandeville (Christopher Lee) and his sister (!) Sarah (Joan Collins), have their own motives for wanting to get inside the mansion and poke around, something that also interests an attorney named Prescott (Herbert Lom). Suffice it to say that Foster's increasing madness and/or possession dovetails into scheming by the Mandeville siblings and Prescott which doesn't end well for most of them. Hardy is really a lot of fun in this film, offering some nice distinctions between this two characterizations.

The flashback material detailing Marrs' treacherous history offers great quasi-cameos for both Jean Marsh, as Marrs' put upon wife, and Jane Birkin, as Marrs' put upon in another way mistress. Lee is suitably nefarious in his own suave manner, actually matched quite well by Lom. Collins may in fact have been getting past her ingenue seductress era by this point, but she's a fun addition as well. There's some fun structural flourishes on display as Foster and Marrs "trade places", sometimes as Hardy moves from room to room or even at times during simple camera pans.

Dark Places Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dark Places is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. The back cover of this release states that this is "the first official U.S. disc release", while further specifying that it was "scanned uncut in 4K from an internegative recently discovered in a London lab vault". I remember seeing this on VHS back in the day, and I'm frankly not even sure if I saw a bootleg or an "official" release, but I do remember a really shoddy video presentation. While suffusion here may be a bit variant and not always optimal at times (contrast screenshot 1 with screenshot 2), this is a nice upgrade that offers commendable detail levels and a nicely organic appearance throughout. There are occasional things like comically large reel change markers, and I'd argue that color timing may be just a bit on the blue side, but overall this is another "little" cult film that has arguably never looked better.

Dark Places Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dark Places features DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono tracks in English and French. There's noticeable if not gigantic differences between these options. To my ears the English track was brighter and clearer, and the French track can sound a bit muffled in the higher registers in particular, something that may be most apparent in some of the supposed auditory hallucinations Foster suffers. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Dark Places Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse


• Christopher Lee: The Cardogan Conversations (HD; 23:45) is a really appealing reminiscence by Jonathan Rigby, who recounts his history with the iconic actor.


• U.S. Teaser Trailer (HD; 00:54)


• Brazilian TV Spot (HD; 1:23)

Dark Places Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I actually got a surprising kick out of Dark Places. It's a fun little thriller where Hardy gets to play a character best both by inner demons and some devilish types working on him from the "outside", so to speak, and the film, if ultimately a bit too Grand Guignol in its wind up, provides nice turns for Lee, Lom and Collins as well. Technical merits are generally solid, and both the commentary and perhaps especially the really sweet reminiscence of Lee with Jonathan Rigby are very enjoyable. Recommended.