Tuesday 2 November 2010

Alone In The Dark (1982)

What a curious little film. Starring Martin Landau, Jack Palance and Donald Pleasance it was always going to be interesting, but I really had no idea of what to expect. A new doctor is struggling to fit in at the mental hospital he's been placed. When a powercut disables the hospital's security system four of the most dangerous inmates escape. They eventually surround the doctor's house, forcing him and his young family to fight for their survival.

This was…well…weird. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it just didn't feel like a normal horror film. The way it's written, shot and paced just made me feel a bit uneasy, but not in a 'I'm scared' kinda way. I just couldn't figure out what type of film it was trying to be. Despite there being no supernatural elements to the story, and the plot itself being fairly straight forward, none of it felt realistic. It's almost like all the characters were non-humorous caricatures of themselves…if that makes any sense. At time it plays out like a chiller intended for the whole family, but then it gets too sinister and gruesome for that to have been the intention.

It's not that it's a bad film, in fact I quite enjoyed it. I just don't know where to place it. It's well worth watching for the great cast, Jack Palance in particular. If you do watch it, let me know what you think. I'm still a bit confused by the whole thing.

Alone In The Dark on imdb

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