I’m not going to spend too much time on Deep in the Darkness
because it isn’t my favorite Scream Factory release, however I think that
there’s an audience for it. What you have here is another cross pollination with
Scream Factory and Chiller TV movie. Chiller TV movies can range from low end
SyFy releases to … lower ened SyFy releases. Sometimes you get a nice plot or
an original effect or two. Often times you get some pretty terrible acting with
a has been cast and a popularity driven feature that focuses on the subgenre of
the day release that proves unoriginal. Every so often you’ll get a release
worth watching, but the good news is that most of these releases are good for
one watch just to see what the Hell is going on. We’ve discussed my love/hate relationship with
the Chiller/Scream connection, but I always try to find something that shows
why Scream sought to put out the release other than contractual obligation.
Deep in the Darkness is fairly bland with a strong ending.
The payoff is not wholly disappointing and fans of HP Lovecraft might chock
this one up to another shitty adaptation of one of his stories (unofficially of
course because this ain’t an HP flick).
This is a film adaptation, just not a Lovecraft adaptation. Michael
Laimo apparently took influence from the 70’s made for TV movie Don’t Be Afraid
of the Dark and spun it into an award winning book… that is now a less than
award winning movie. The book will have a sequel soon. Another of Laimo’s
books, Dead Souls, was also turned into a movie by Chiller TV, and you all know
how I feel about that one. (Credit to the great and powerful Wiki for the
backstory on the Laimo book info).
I suppose if you liked Quantum Leap you could say that
seeing Dean Stockwell would be a bonus, but let’s not bring in the Backula
factor (interesting to note that this would be the second release in a year
where a Quantum Leap star is featured in a Scream Factory release ie Lord of
Illusions). You also get Sean Patrick Thomas of Cruel Intentions fame if that
sort of thing interests you.
I can’t firmly recommend Deep in the Darkness, but I am not
going to outright discourage you from checking it out. It’s not Dead Souls bad.
It’s not even the worst thing I’ve seen this year, and the movie itself looks
good as a newer HD flick on Blu-ray. Try to find the creepy in the creatures
from the woods and you might get into it.
Deep in the Darkness is available April 21st:
Synopsis from Scream Factory:
Dr. Michael Cayle thought leaving the chaotic lifestyle of
New York City for the quiet, small town of Ashborough would bring his family
closer together. Soon after arriving, however, he discovers the town's deepest
secret: a terrifying and controlling race of creatures that live in the
darkness in the woods behind his home.
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