The Dark (2005)

Director:

John Fawcett

Writers (WGA):

Simon Maginn (novel)
Stephen Massicotte (screenplay)

Release Date:

May 2005 (Canada)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

One of the living for one of the dead.

Plot:

In mourning over the tragic drowning of their daughter Sarah, James and Adèle are visited by Ebrill, a young girl who claims she died 60 years ago ... and bares a startling resemblance to Sarah.

Plot Keywords:

Wales | Sheep | Father Daughter Relationship | Guilt | Afterlife

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Maria Bello	...	Adèlle
Sean Bean	...	James
Maurice Roëves	...	Dafydd
Sophie Stuckey	...	Sarah
Abigail Stone	...	Ebril
Richard Elfyn	...	Rowan
Casper Harvey	...	Young Dafydd
Eluned Jones	...	Doctor
Gwenyth Petty	...	Librarian
Robin Griffith	...	Police Inspector
Mike Keggen	...	Rib Skipper
Tonya Smith	...	Main Stumblehead Martyr

Also Known As:

The Dark (Germany)
Karanlik (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
La oscuridad (Argentina) (cable TV title) [es]
Pimedus (Estonia) [et]
The Dark (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
The Dark (Finland) [fi]
The Dark (Italy) [it]
The Dark (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for some violent/disturbing images and language.

Runtime:

93 min | Philippines:92 min (cut)

Country:

Germany | UK

Language:

English | Welsh

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:16 | Singapore:PG | USA:R | Brazil:14 | Germany:16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Philippines:R-13 | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/16 | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Constantin Film

Trivia:

The concept of "Annwn" (Annwyn) is not made up especially for the film or the book on which it was based. "Annwn" is an underworld or other world found in Welsh legend, a land of the dead. It is said to lay far in the west and could be accessed by the living through a door located at the mouth of the Severn once a year. Surviving from pre-Christian Celtic mythology, it's neither Heaven nor Hell in the Christian sense, humans can enter spiritually or corporeally. This is the first film about Annwn.

Interesting ideas, not as bad as people are making out.

Hey, i just thought i'd comment here to say that, while this is not the BEST horror movie made, it shows some very interesting ideas, and some great directing, it has a few jumps, and some scenes (especially near the end) that look pretty creepy, this really did have the potential to be a brilliant film. The main problem though, was with the structure of the film, from about 30 minutes into the movie, things start to feel muddled, and some of the characters actions don't seem to reflect the motivation you'd think they would have. For instance, when brought back from the dead, by her father, Abrill caused the sheep to go insane and die (yes like in the ring, with the horses), and the way her father treated her, seems unbelievable, considering that actions he took to bring her back, i mean, whats more important, his own daughter, or some sheep? for crying out loud man, dump the sheep and get a new career! you just brought your daughter back from the freaking dead!! If you ask me, without spoiling it for you, Abrill was very justified in her actions after what happened to her, after all she didn't ask for any of it. Another thing was what Dafyyd did to Abrill, surly he would be mad at the man that killed his parents!? If i were him i wouldn't want to do anything to Abrill but thank her! moving on... even despite this, i still found this movie very enjoyable, the opening and the conclusion especially, and the relationship between Sarah and Adele, and when you compare it to a lot of rubbish that makes it to the cinema (boogeyman, hide and seek,alone in the dark), it makes you wander why this is going straight to DVD in most places, because it certainly deserves a lot more attention than it's getting.

6 out of 10