THE DARK
US, 1979, 92 minutes, Colour.
William Devane, Cathy Lee Crosby, Vivian Blaine, Richard Jaeckel, Keenan Wynn.
Directed by John Cardos.
The Dark is a piece of late '70s science fiction blended with police investigation and media treatment. This kind of theme became much more popular during the '80s with such films as The Hidden (also with an alien coming to Earth and becoming a serial killer) and such thrillers as Shocker.
The film is conventional enough - aliens coming to Earth, interacting with humans, violent deaths, the alien absorbing human energies; there is the expected police investigation and failure; there is the glamorous newsreader who is on to an exclusive.
William Devane stars as a former policeman on bad times whose daughter is murdered and who tries to investigate. Cathy Lee Crosby is the ambitious TV journalist. The supporting cast includes Keenan Wynn as the station head, Richard Jaeckel as the police investigator. Vivian Blaine guest stars as a hostess.
The film uses its special effects whenever the monster appears - not so often, but for murderous purposes.
1. Entertaining thriller? Science fiction? Police investigation? The media?
2. The American city, the precincts, the neighbourhoods? The special effects and stunt work? The violent sequences? Thriller impact? Musical score?
3. The title, the atmosphere of the dark, the use of light and darkness, the disguise of the alien as a blind man? The murders at night?
4. The prologue, the information about life in the galaxies? Aliens coming to Earth? Plausibility and implausibility of the plot? The frightened young girl, her pursuer, her death? Setting the tone for the thriller?
5. The police and their investigations, Mooney and his assistant, their sceptical attitudes, doing their best, pressure from the captain, from the media and the antagonism towards Zoe? The meetings, the briefings by the coroner? The interview with the clairvoyant and their scepticism? The continued pursuit, clashes with Warner? The associate and his continued eating? The confrontation with the black youth? The protesters? The final search for the monster, the death of the associate, the killing of the monster?
6. Warner, coming back to the city, his past? The impact of his daughter's death? Looking for his wife? The encounter with the police, with Zoe and his antagonism towards her? The reconciliation, in love with her? His continued pursuit of the case, going to the clairvoyant, looking with Zoe for the young actor who was to be victim? The final confrontation?
7. Zoe, her work at the station, relationship with Sherman, her ambitions, reading the news, the exclusive, her reporting? Collaboration with the police? Sherman and his frightening her in the garage - and his own fright? Her connection with Warner, following the case through, searching for the victim?
8. The clairvoyant, on the boat, the young actor, her vision, seeing the monster, trying to warn the police, their being rude to her, her talking with Warner, the attack of the monster on her?
9. The victims - the young girl, the strong and burly man, the black man with the prostitute (and her later testimony, on TV)? The actor and his selfishness, his dream, brutality towards his girlfriend, the car chase and his death?
10. The atmosphere in the city, the potential for panic? The responsibility and role of media? Police information, investigations, mayors and pressure? The background of society in the city, the gang and their protests, the affluent and their boat parties?
11. The monster, the blind man, the eyes and the power for fire? The brutal killings? Being engulfed in flame?
