Darkroom

This show is another under the radar gem, this was an anthology horror I honestly never heard about until there was a marathon of it on the "Sci-Fi" channel. Yeah this show's not a classic but it could have been, if this show like any developing photograph given a little more time, it could have been with the line up of other anthology horror shows like "Tales from the Darkside" and "The Twilight Zone" (80's revival); sadly the shows ratings just didn't develop fast enough what a shame.

I really like that intro which I'll admit is one of the creepiest intros up there with "Are you Afraid of the Dark" and those two shows I mentioned earlier, and it's an honorable mention in favorite themes. Just seeing that camera constantly moving through an unknown house which really created a sense of disorientation, creeped me out as I was afraid the camera was going to pick up on a ghost or monster within the unknown household. And hear that creepy music with the narration by James Coburn, I'll admit those things gave me a small chill.

The late great James Coburn is just very good as the host, he defiantly has the voice that just fits with the show, almost feels like the kind of voice you might hear in a horror radio show (shame that actor never got to do those). Always like how he's always going throughout the house and even shows us each developing photo which goes with the upcoming story.

Despite a short time the show managed to have some memorable stories, from a double billing episode where the first one is sort of an E.C. comics like tale on a Voodoo Priestess getting revenge on a dirty pimp.

The second is a sad but interesting tale on a Vietnam Vet whose guilt finally catches up with him in the form of small solders; this tale sort of predates a Steven King short story from "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" which was uncannily similar. Makes me wonder if Steven King watched this show.

Another is almost a superhero tale, on a down on his luck protagonist that's is a target for mobsters and his only salvation is a mystical make up bag that can change him into anything. This tale was one of Billy Crystal's debuts and the episode is defiantly worth looking at for his performance which is impressive.

Final note, it would be really cool if this show got a DVD and Blu Ray release as this show is another lost unreleased gem. "Mill Creek Entertainment" should think of getting on this as they are famous for releasing some shows and movies forgotten and under the radar, it's a thought to consider anyway.

Overall, it's a solid anthology horror show, it's not quite a classic but like any developing photograph is worth a look.

Rating: 3 stars

Fun little EC-ish horror anthology series that lasted only seven episodes on ABC in 1981/82. Each episode had 2 to 3 short stories in it with a total of 16 stories in all. The best of these being the 1-2 punch of "Needlepoint", a VERY short voodoo revenge story that scared the living hell out of me when I was 4 years old (no V-chip back then), and "Siege of 31 August" with Ronny Cox as a Vietnam vet who gets his just desserts for terrible war crimes. Too bad it only ran half of a season. Universal really needs to release this on DVD soon as stars like Billy Crystal, Helen Hunt, Brian Dennehey, Claude Akins, and more gave this short lived series some much needed future star power. Here's hoping they're reading this.

I just binge watched every episode of this show on NBC so if you've been looking for it go watch it there before it vanishes back into the void of forgotten tv shows. First off it isn't 16 episodes as listed here it's 8 and each episode has 2 or 3 stories. Out of the 16 stories about 4 were actually good. The rest are very forgettable and i LOVE old movies and tv.

The major problem with this show is poor writing and episodes are either too long or too short. The 4 i feel you should watch are The Bogeyman Will Get You, Uncle George , A Quiet Funeral , and Make-up starring a young Billy Crystal. Those episodes were actually fun and the right length. Who knows you may like some of the other stories it was fun seeing all of the old character actors that popped up in EVERYTHING back in the 70s and 80s.

"You are in a house. Maybe your Own. Maybe one you've never seen before. You feel it... something evil. You run, but there's no escape. Nowhere to turn. You feel something beckoning you. Drawing you into the terror that awaits you in the DARKROOM!"

I just watched the complete series of Darkroom over the last couple of nights and was completely surprised by how compelling, effective, creepy and amusing the short stories were in this anthology series. There was a nice variety to the tales in tone and length, with a certain cleverness within their imaginative twists and turns. Ending on a killer note. They were well-made and ably brought across with sound technical delivery despite the cheap looking origins.

The memorable intro is ominously unnerving and from the photographic darkroom James Coburn effortlessly narrates with a wry touch. Familiar faces in the cast show up, some even before hitting it big. Interesting to see some genre film-makers attached; Paul Lynch (Prom Night, Humongous), Curtis Harrington (Queen of Blood, The Killing Kind & Ruby) and Rick Rosenthal (Halloween 2). Other than one story I didn't care for (Daisies), I really enjoyed this creative, if short-lived series.

Some of my favourites were 'Make-Up' starring Billy Crystal and Brian Dennehy, 'The Partnership' starring David Carradine and 'Exit Line' starring Samantha Eggar and Stan Shaw.

Well worth a look if you were entertained by the likes of 'Night Gallery' and 'Alfred Hitchcok Presents'.

...

What hath Rod Serling wrought?

You can tell a network's in trouble when it has to drag the same musty ideas out of the closet over and over and OVER again. Here's a prime example of going to the well way too often.

"Darkroom" was an anthology series in the same vein as "The Twilight Zone", "The Outer Limits", "Night Gallery" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" - so what's the big diff this time? Well, remember the artistry, talent and well-written stories in those prior series? None of that's in evidence here.

James Coburn hosts here much in the same vein as he played the bad guy in "Looker", which ain't saying much. The stories aren't much, either - every single one of them is downbeat, ugly, nasty and defeatist. I mean, COME ON! Even Serling had the good sense to have a comic episode of the "Zone" once in a while.

Even though there are a few familiar faces in the stories (Robert Webber, Claude Akins, Rue McClanahan, Billy Crystal, Michael Constantine, etc.), nothing they do here will ever come up on their A&E Biographies. At least, they hope so.

No wonder it didn't last a full season. Who, in their right mind, would subject themselves to a whole season of under-developed defeatist sludge? Of course, this is the same decade that brought us "Twilight Zone: The Movie"....

No stars for "Darkroom"; the buck f-stops here.

TIDBIT - "Darkroom" premiered on Thursdays on ABC right before the Robert Stack police drama "Strike Force", another Cop series that was as dark and mean-spirited as "Darkroom".

Maybe if Stack and Coburn switched places and had their shows produced by the ZAZ guys (whom Stack worked with on "Airplane!")...?