In the Dark (2015)
Starring Jordan Stephens, Natalie Ruffino, Justin Hand
Directed by David Buchert, Chris St.Croix
I’ve always been a sucker for a good horror anthology piece – now when I say “good,” I mean an inviting wrap-around story that is book-ended by some strong outer stories, and I’ll even be willing to forgive if one isn’t quite up to par. I truly feel that Creepshow stands tall on that mountain as the king that has yet to be dethroned, and while there have been some worthwhile additions over the past years, no one has come close to planting that prized flag on the rocky top.
Director David Buchert gives it his all (with a small budget) and provides an amusing venture into the fright-convocation with In the Dark, and the 85-minute feature kicks off with a couple of honeys (Ruffino and Grace Kelly Mason) who’ve run afoul of the law and decide to wait things out in The Motel – their time is spent checking out a bag of horror VHS tapes, therefore serving as the set-up to our small collection of stories.
First up was The Keeper – about a band of criminals who meet a weary man who could either be their salvation or their ruination (cue evil music). A decent way to kick things off – slightly hokey imagery, but that’s par for the course. Tale #2 was Dummy – which really needs no description, but it’s got an eerie tone to it, and if you despise those ugly little ventriloquist dolls, this might be the one you’ll want to bypass.
As we groove towards the final yarn, To Be Loved, you should be fully satiated with scares and laughs, and with an end push for our lawless lasses that have been glued to the tube in The Motel, we really get to see a group of smaller presentations that don’t lag too terribly long (a sure-fire killer for anthology installments), and while the monetary constraints were obviously on the low end of the totem pole, the overall product still manages to look good, and Buchert pulls off a nice film that should serve as a fun addition to your Halloween marathon viewing. Recommended.
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Film
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