Dark August

Obscure horror flick about a Mikhail Saakashvili lookalike stalked by the grandfather of girl whom he accidentally killed. There's certainly nothing significant about "Dark August", unless we interpret it as a '70s time capsule.* What I mean by a similarity to Robert Altman's movies is that one scene has two groups of people simultaneously carrying on conversations. Of course, I might be the only person who interpreted that. Otherwise, I would never think to equate this movie with Altman's films.

Anyway, this flick is just a way to pass time. Starring J.J. Barry, Carole Shelyne and Kim Hunter.

*In the past month, four 1970s icons have left this life: David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.

Sal DeVito (J. J. Barry), finished with New York City's problems, and separated from his spouse, has moved to Stowe, Vermont where he maintains his occupation as illustrator, encouraged by a new romantic involvement with local painter and gallery owner Jackie (Carole Shelyne). Unfortunately, soon after his arrival in the Vermont town, Sal kills a young girl who runs in the path of his auto, arousing the animus of her grandfather with whom she lived, who then places a curse upon Sal, as seen when action opens, the camera focused upon the old man's mouth as he utters a lengthy malediction. After Sal and those close to him begin to suffer from a series of mysterious misfortunes, a friend of Jackie's suggests employing a local sorceress, Adrianna (Kim Hunter), to raise the spell, and a confrontation inevitably ensues between the Forces of Good and of Evil. This is the basis for a plot developed skillfully by director Martin Goldman who, alongside the two principal players, is responsible for a script that is cobbled as the film is being shot, resulting in a naturalistic feeling with no lapse of interest to a viewer. A high level of intensity characterizes the acting by the entire cast, with the laurels not unexpectedly going to the accomplished Hunter, who cunningly creates her role as a latter-day shamaness within a mundane setting. Cinematographer Richard E. Brooks offers a wide gamut of techniques, including frequent use of a hand held camera and effective slow tracking, while his creative use of angles and lighting produces a quality akin to cinema verité. Solely filmed on location and with little available funding, a good deal is achieved in an aesthetic sense, although shallow production values are evident in a work wherein the teeming avenues of tourist choked Stowe provide an ironic and surreal background for matters of witchcraft.

I remember reading wonderful review of "Dark August" written by Stephen Thrower in "Nightmare USA" and I wanted to see the film so badly.It finally happened.A young girl is accidentally killed by a car driven by a careless city artist.The girl's grandfather curses the young man.His life is turned into nightmare as he sees a mysterious figure in black."Dark August" is well-made and captivating black magic terror tale set in a small American town.It has its share of gruesome surprises and is surprisingly well-acted.The climax is memorable and horrifying.It's a crying shame that "Dark August" is so criminally obscure.But I live and breathe such obscure horror.8 out of 10.

It comes as no surprise that "Dark August" turns out to be the only movie written by its lead actor...because surely no one else would have cast this guy in a lead role, let alone one where he's frequently shirtless in order to show off a body that really does not cry to be shown off. He plays a very Noo Yawk fella who's left the stressful city for a Vermont small town, only that isn't working out because he accidentally ran over a little girl (she ran out of a field in front of his car), and now the entire town hates him. Worse, the little girl's grandfather may have put some curse on him, which manifests itself in various boring ways here--glimpses of mysterious hooded figures, the hero having seizure-like episodes, etc. But basically very little of interest happens, then the movie just stops.

Despite the modest budget, it's not badly made, with relative polish if no great style. But the script is the kind you can tell is "horror" only because the writer knew that genre was marketable; it doesn't manifest any real knack for or interest in horror, let alone original ideas in that vein. What it's really interested in is providing a vanity showcase for an actor whom it doesn't flatter. J.J. Barry is the type who would have been fine as "Cop #3," "Pushy Neighbor" or some other stock supporting figure, but he is not appealing physically or as a personality; in fact his protagonist comes off as a blowhard, yet the film (and actor) still seem to mistakenly believe we're rooting for him. Not improving things is the heroine, who is an OK actress but has a pinched, beaky face and rather alarmingly bony figure--so of course they both get nude scenes that are presumably meant to be "sexy," and are anything but. Also off-key is the rather cheesy-sounding electronic score, which might have been apt if stereotypical for a sci-fi subject, but is just wrong for this supernatural tale, which needed something less shrill and more unsettling.

Worse movies have gotten distribution (and even been commercially successful), but you can see why this one completely disappeared. It's not technically incompetent, and some of the supporting actors are decent. Yet in terms of the most basic rewards--lead actors you enjoy watching, a plot that goes somewhere, providing any thrills or novelty--it has almost zilch to recommend it.

A modern yarn about a curse. Less a horror movie than a modern folk tale, I suspect those expecting horror are the ones most disappointed in this.

I was impressed overall with the cinematic competence of this semi-obscure film. Well-cast, well-acted, and well directed, there is also a soundtrack by William S. Fischer which adds a lot - in particular a beautiful piano piece while the local witch assembles a remedy for a child.

Great Vermont scenery, and J.J. Barry is well-cast here as a modern everyman thrown into this bizarre and tragic situation.

The magical ritual herein will be interesting for students of the occult: drawing variously from Christianity (the Lord's Prayer), Qabbalah, bits from Crowley (IAO) and Wicca, along with a fairly extended tarot card sequence are well done.

This is not a great film but it is a good one, if you aren't expecting something to keep you on the edge of your seat. This is just not that kind of story.