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Truly Dreadful Film

Better Late Then Never

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

'Alone in the Dark' is an almost all but forgotten slasher from the heights of that era. It looks and feels almost identical to a Freddy or Jason flick(it should as Jack Shoulder is in the director's chair). It is a movie that evokes all the Pavlovian responses of blood and spooky stuff. It's a level above though and I think has a lot of cult campy fun awaiting viewers who seek it out. The script is way too much in it's silliness and contrived story lines but 'Alone in the Dark' is absolutely blessed with a stellar cast. The likes of Jack Palance and Martin Landau fall into the roles of our killers. They make the film as does the familiar face of horror legend Donald Pleasance.Jack Palance and Martin Landau as our crazed psychos,I feel as I have to reiterate that. It sounds odd but it is absolute brilliant casting. Heck Palance's presence practically could be a walking horror film in his mad intensity. Landau is having a blast too. He knows what this is and so he spends his time with his mad eyes glaring at the camera. I think had it been lesser character actors this thing would have not been able to find that right mix between too much and just enough silliness.Landau and Palance are brilliant but the main attraction of an already stacked cast is Donald Pleasance. Pleasance is very consciously parodying his Halloween role. There are moments of nonchalant deadpan macabre humor from Pleasance that are hilarious. There's a moment where Pleasance gives the mad pyromaniac Landau a match that is just so beautifully understated in this mad world. The central premise though is kind of hard to get by in that it is so silly, (a mental institution harboring psychos is powered by electricity, a storm causes a black out and they just walk out the door). If the film had gone for a more comedic edge it may have worked but it just seems like too much of a glaring 'Really?!' even for this kind of movie.

Synopsis:Dr. Dan Potter is assigned as a lead psychologist to four dangerous madmen at an alternative psychiatric facility. When a blackout knocks out the electricity at the facility, the lunatics are loose and are out for Dr. Potter and his family. Review: What is impressionable about Alone in the Dark (1882) is how much it had going for it even before the filming even started. This is Jack Sholder's first feature film, while he may not be a household name, he went on to contribute a great deal to the horror genre. Sholder wrote a rather simple but desirable script about four locked-up murderous psychopaths who escape and are out for blood. To top off the script, Sholder managed to hook an incredible line-up of leading men and a horror icon. These actors include the likes of Jack Palance, Martin Landau, Donald Pleasence and Dwight Schultz. As it came together on film, the script and cast were so profound and entertaining, it lives up to any pre-anticipated thoughts. With all that being said, Alone in the Dark is by no means a perfect movie, with its share of plot holes, bad dialog and predictableness. Actors were also limited as a typecast only to their known strengths, example Donald Pleasence plays an eccentric psychologist, no way, we have never seen that before… Tying up some of these loose ends would have established Alone in the Dark as one of the most prominent slasher movies of the 1980's. This little horror gym is very entertaining without a dull moment and doesn't nearly get the credit it deserves.

The 1980's was on the rise of slashers. Before Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees, there's "Alone in the Dark" . In an asylum, there are 4 mental patients who are convinced that the doctor(Dwight Schultz, before playing "Howling Mad" Murdock on the A-Team) has killed the original one. So they devise a scheme to escape, and take him out. The guard there overhears it and warned the new doctor. He takes it lightly. The killer quad escapes killing anyone who got in their way. During the route of escape, the doctor and his sister go to a concert where a very crude punk band were playing, a power failure occurred, and the doctor was glad to be relieved of such manner he couldn't take much longer. During the outage, the murderous quad find their way to a sporting store for some weapons. And they trade the doctor's car for a van when they killed the owner. Then comes my favorite scene between the bicycle messenger and the maniacs. They took him out, and get his hat and uniform. Then comes the plan. After the police warn the neighborhood about the 4, everyone is on guard. It's very interesting to see, and the surprise is there in this film. This is perfect for horror fans. Great cast, great plot. I recommend this film straight out! 3 out of 5 stars.

This movie is better than the title would suggest. There's an amazing cast here, comprised of horror vet Donald Pleasance and general freak show actors Jack Palance and Martin Landau. This movie has the classic build...complete with outdoor autumnal New England scenery and estate views with insane-asylum setting and mood. Also, there's the new-family-just-moved-in freaky vibe as well as a punk band concert scene tangent. All of which scream (with the help of a keyboard-laden soundtrack) early 1980's. And not in the worst way. Martin Landau seems truly disturbed throughout the film. His performance alone is worth the watch. I felt Donald Pleasance was actually smoking alternative substances, which led him to an inspired performance as the doctor who is treating the patients, but who may need treatment of his own.Historical relevance: 8 Individual actor performance: 8.5 Overall quality: 6Jen's Ultimate: 7