Dark Days (2000)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Marc Singer

Release Date:

9 March 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Near Penn Station, next to the Amtrak tracks, squatters have been living for years. Marc Singer goes underground to live with them...

Plot Keywords:

Amtrak | Rehabilitation | Community | Drug Addiction | New York

Awards:

6 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Marc Singer

...

Himself

Directed by
Marc Singer

Produced by
Giancarlo Bonati	....	associate producer
Scott Bradley	....	associate producer
Ben Freedman	....	co-producer
Rick Giles	....	associate producer
Christopher Griffith	....	associate producer
Avra Jain	....	associate producer
Mette Jensen	....	associate producer
Randall Mesdon	....	executive producer
Gordon Paul	....	executive producer
Paolo Seganti	....	executive producer
Marc Singer	....	producer
Charlotte Stockdale	....	associate producer
Morton Swinsky	....	executive producer
David Wike	....	producer
David Wike	....	associate producer

Original Music by
DJ Shadow

Cinematography by
Marc Singer

Film Editing by
Melissa Niedich

Sound Department
Frank Cadden	....	sound effects editor
Peter Levin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Levin	....	supervising sound editor
Barbara Parks	....	supervising sound editor
Steven Simons	....	sound re-recording mixer

Other crew
Jeff Kaplan	....	35 mm blow-up
Jeff Kaplan	....	opticals
Jeff Kaplan	....	titles
Richard Laslo	....	35 mm blow-up
Richard Laslo	....	opticals
Richard Laslo	....	titles
Jerry Siegel	....	35 mm blow-up
Jerry Siegel	....	opticals
Jerry Siegel	....	titles
Curtis Tsui	....	35 mm blow-up
Curtis Tsui	....	opticals
Curtis Tsui	....	titles

Production Companies

• Picture Farm

Distributors

• Madman Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Palm Pictures
• Sundance Channel
• Wide Angle Pictures

Other Companies

• REI Media Group  35 mm blow-up
• REI Media Group  titles and opticals

Runtime:

94 min | Germany:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | New Zealand:M | UK:15

Company:

Picture Farm

Trivia:

The soundtrack for the film was provided by DJ Shadow (aka Josh Davis), who is a critically-acclaimed producer and DJ. He is notorious, however, for being very protective of licensing his music for other venues or projects, having declined many other scoring offers in the past. When a friend of Singer's saw the footage assembled to a rough cut, he suggested Shadow for the soundtrack. Singer got hold of a couple of Shadow's albums, and loved the music so much, he began to cut the music into his film without any contact with the DJ. When fellow producer Ben Freedman told him he would need the rights to the music, the duo concocted a scheme whereby they would write a note to him and give it to an attractive female friend who would go backstage after a show and personally hand-deliver it. It worked. Weeks later, the two scheduled a flight to LA to coincide with a last-minute meeting with Shadow and his agent. According to Shadow, he was prepared to turn down the men's offer to use his music. But when they showed him a rough edit of the film with his music that Singer had already cut-in, Shadow was taken aback and completely impressed. He not only let them use existing titles, but even remixed some older tracks intercut with new audio samples recorded by Singer in the tunnels as a special score done for the film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2001) (TV)

Rare gem...

It's been told and retold the story of the making of this film, and I won't do that here, but let me just mention that when a documentary so effectively and succinctly captures the vibes of its subjects without either overbearing direction or (the eternally cursed) voice over, it is a good thing. I saw this on the big screen, and part of my love of this film already came from watching it with a group of other people. Situations changed, stories were told. The documentary with a narrative arc and undeniable authenticity is such a rare species. Particularly touching was the presence of dogs proving we are all alike in our need for companionship. Singer doesn't linger too long on one idea and allows the viewer room to exist within the outstanding atmosphere he creates.

Outstanding and impossible to imagine it not having been released properly in Sydney until its now 2 week run.