The Dark Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Dark Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 21, 2017

Most chillers work very hard to conceal the identity of their primary antagonists. Mystery tends to encourage tighter suspense, leaving it up to the viewer to conjure images of evil before the real thing is finally ready to make its screen debut. 1979’s “The Dark” states right off the bat that an alien is on the loose in L.A., killing potential frights as the production exposes what’s really lurking in the shadows long before director John “Bud” Carlos is ready to expose villainy to the light. It’s a mistake, the first of many in this tepid horror endeavor, which always seems more excited to highlight banal conversations than dig into the possibilities of its extraterrestrial enemy, offering only a lukewarm whodunit where everyone already knows whodunit before the main titles.

In Los Angeles, something has arrived, and it has a taste for human flesh, shredding victims in the night. The latest to be murdered by the mystery beast is the estranged daughter of crime author Roy (William Devane), inspiring him to set out and find the culprit when the police fail to move fast enough on the case, with Detective Dave (Richard Jaekel) growing irritated with the whole situation. Working his way through the clues left behind by the killer, Roy teams with television reporter Zoe (Cathy Lee Crosby) to make a breakthrough, cozying up the journalist while additional lives are taken by the enigmatic prowler.

Perhaps producers for “The Dark” feared the feature would lose audience involvement if they had to wait for solid answers concerning the new serial killer in town. The screenplay by Stanford Whitmore certainly isn’t in a hurry to solve the case, trying to generate unease by portioning out the urban massacre in small portions, with the opening of the film detailing the death of Roy’s daughter, cruelly taken in the night. Carlos doesn’t make a violent picture, as graphic imagery is toned down for the production, which often plays like a television movie, setting up Roy as an unusual crime-buster, with his history as an architect of literary thrills giving him the upper hand when sniffing around for the killer, using his experience to find connections to the case. Other victims are claimed as well, including a middle-aged man up to no good with a prostitute, with his family weepily mourning a man they clearly didn’t know on the news. It’s the lone bit of humor that actually connects in “The Dark.”

Sleuthing isn’t dynamic in the picture, which primarily surveys simmering tensions between the cops and Roy, creating an itchy dynamic that’s massaged throughout the effort. Bedroom eyes are shared between the writer and Zoe, who’s after the story of the year to make her career, but stops to admire Roy as well, with the obvious urgency of the serial killer situation occasionally paused to generate a little heat between the leads. It’s absurd, but “The Dark” doesn’t have much else to do, finding alien interactions few and far between, with the film’s highlights exploring the humanoid’s weaponry: ocular laser blasts. The rest feels like filler, with Carlos trying to generate a commotion with talky stretches of tepid dialogue and uninspired hostilities.

The Dark Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "Brand new 2017 2K scan from the original camera negatives." It's a fine way for "The Dark" to graduate to HD, with the viewing experience sharp and communicative throughout. Detail is strong on facial particulars and locations, maintaining distances to best soak up Los Angeles vistas. Costumes also retain fibrous qualities. Primaries are strong, with brighter period hues and warm skintones. Delineation is challenging, as much of the movie takes place in the dark, but solidification isn't problematic. Source is free of pronounced damage.

The Dark Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers the essentials of the movie's limited scope, and while alien action and chases offer a pleasing heaviness, a few chaotic moments hit distortive extremes, fuzzing out highs for brief moments. Dialogue exchanges are defined and expressive, maintaining dramatic speeds. Scoring is clear, with satisfactory instrumentation. Atmospherics are acceptable.

The Dark Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features producer Igo Kantor and director John "Bud" Carlos.

• Isolated Score is offered.

• Interview (25:29, SD) with composer Roger Kellaway offers an understanding of creative choices when it comes to the score of "The Dark." Kellaway describes instruments and their sounds, and he works through his hazy memories of his time on the film, trying to deliver something different for a horror picture. More attention is placed on "Silent Scream," with Kellaway sharing professional triumphs on the 1979 chiller. Other credits, including "King Cobra" and "Evilspeak," are briefly analyzed.

• Interview (13:32, SD) with Carlos reveals his hasty hiring on "The Dark," with original director Tobe Hooper fired after three days, offering Carlos a shot to complete the film. The helmer discusses how villainy changed in the script, with all extraterrestrial material added in at the last minute. Carlos also covers his early career as a stuntman, handling various Al Adamson collaborations, and his work on "Mutant" and "Kingdom of the Spiders."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:34, HD) is included.

The Dark Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Dark" eventually arrives at a conclusion, though any sort of grand exploration of evil's origin and purpose on Earth isn't included, leaving it up to hasty narration to patch some narrative holes, but even that's not enough. Carlos intends to end with a bang, and he provides a suitably combustible finale, but it's truly the lone offering of hellraising in a feature that could've used more activity, especially when dealing with a killer who isn't even part of this world. "The Dark" isn't strange enough, weirdly playing it safe, as though the movie was meant to lead to a television series, with Roy taking on all the creatures of the night armed with feathered hair, a hot rod, and the love of Los Angeles's foxiest reporter. But no, the story begins and end here, and it barely holds interest.