5.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A psycho-killer is on the loose at Janet Templeton's family farm. When Janet's sister is brutally murdered, her boyfriend and her family become targets of the killer's psychotic and passionate aggression. "Darkroom" will take you to the edge of sanity and beyond.
Starring: Aarin Teich, Jill Pierce, Jeff Arbaugh, Sara Lee Wade, Allen LiebermanHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
After tackling the nightmare of murder in a small-town house located near an orange grove in 1988’s “Grandmother’s House,” producer Nico Mastorakis returns in 1989 with “Darkroom,” which presents the horror of…murder in a small-town house located near an orange grove. I’ll give Mastorakis this much: the man isn’t afraid of repeating himself. Changing speeds from grandparent fears to photographic menace, Mastorakis and director Terrence O’Hara strive to make a proper slasher event with “Darkroom,” unleashing various red herrings and exploring unusual personalities as they showcase a simple tale of serial killing, trying to remain with the basics to best survive the low-budget endeavor. There’s blood and lust, death and betrayal, and if you happen to be a fan of California agriculture, the production has premiere orange grove action for all.
"Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative," "Darkroom" comes to Blu-ray with a wonderfully clean and clear viewing experience. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers exceptional detail, surveying skin surfaces that vary in age and distress, and costuming stays fibrous, handling casual gear from the 1980s. Locations offer sharpness, displaying decoration and depth with care. Colors are alert, presenting bright primaries with clothing and interior design. Bloodshed supplies a deep red. Greenery is superb, supplying a rich sense of orange groves and rural travel. Skintones are natural. Delineation is precise, with nothing lost during shadowy encounters. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in strong shape, without pronounced wear and tear.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix remains an inviting listening event, but it's also working with some crude additions, with sound effects cranked up at times to make their presence known. Dialogue exchanges are clear, sustaining thespian emphasis and surges of panic and threat. Scoring is persistent but sharp, finding chirpy synth support keeping up with the action without intrusion, selling any emotion it can find. Surrounds aren't active, pushing out some atmospherics and musical needs. Low-end is thin.
As with "Grandmother's House," "Darkroom" reaches an absurdly extended climax, with Mastorakis not satisfied until every inch of the location has been covered with vehicles or on foot, finding violence spilling out into nature, but mostly contained to the household, giving O'Hara opportunities to stage more traditional scenes of suspense. It's exhausting, but at least there's momentum, with action keeping things on the move, while the killer's identity isn't saved to the final moments, clarifying the threat well before the film comes to a close. "Darkroom" isn't sharp enough to truly thrill, with O'Hara not seasoned enough to make magic with minimal screen tools and limited actors, often going for the obvious just to reach a sellable run time (there's a lot of padding to beef up the endeavor). However, there are chunks of the effort that emerge with style and tension, and the photography angle gives the movie a pleasing layer of illness, also inspiring creative main titles (as opposed to the usual "white words on black screen" routine). Slasher fans will likely be more forgiving with the endeavor's shortcomings, but all is not lost, as O'Hara has periodic clarity with his vision and Mastorakis has his beloved orange groves.
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