The Dark (1979)

User Rating:

3.2/10   

Director:

John 'Bud' Cardos

Writer:

Stanford Whitmore (writer)

Release Date:

27 April 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

After fear...beyond terror...there is THE DARK!

Plot:

An alien mutilator stalks and kills human prey during the night.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Laser Beam | Police | City | Murder

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

William Devane	...	Roy Warner / Steve Dupree
Cathy Lee Crosby	...	Zoe Owens
Richard Jaeckel	...	Det. Dave Mooney
Keenan Wynn	...	Sherman 'Sherm' Moss
Warren J. Kemmerling	...	Police Captain Speer (as Warren Kemmerling)
Biff Elliot	...	Detective Jack Bresler
Jacquelyn Hyde	...	De Renzy
Casey Kasem	...	Police Pathologist
Vivian Blaine	...	Courtney Floyd
John Bloom	...	The Dark
Bill Derringer	...	Herman Burmeister (as William Derringer)
Jay Lawrence	...	Jim Hampton
Russ Marin	...	Dr. Baranowski
Vernon Washington	...	Henry Lydell
Mel Anderson	...	Policeman

Also Known As:

The Mutilator

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (theatrical rating) (cut) | UK:18 (pre cert VHS) | Australia:M | Norway:18 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Film Ventures International (FVI)

Trivia:

The television station is KFVI. The last part "FVI" refers to this film's production company, Film Ventures International. When Shelley is by the movie theater at the beginning of the film, we can see three movie posters, Chi sei? (1974) (better known as Beyond the Door), Grizzly (1976) and _Power, The (1980)_. These films were produced by Film Ventures International.

Quotes:

Zoe Owens: Come on Sherman, I want to do this story.
Sherman Moss: Why?
Zoe Owens: Because this is the first impact on my career.
Sherman Moss: Why the hell do you think I sent you to do those swim suit shows? You've been with us exactly seven months.
Zoe Owens: Well look at the ratings!
Sherman Moss: Well of course! Half the male population of L.A. is staying up all night trying to get in your pants!

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever, Volume 2: The Deuce (2006) (V)

Sleep-inducing.

Low-budget and low-grade horror film will only make you want to re-watch "The Predator", just to remember how you can do this kind of stuff right. The attack sequences here are so poorly filmed that you can hardly see what's happening, and they are separated by LONG, suspenseless, pointless stretches of "plot development"; however, the plot never really develops. A deadeningly dull flick. (*)