Alone in the Dark

MOVIE #1,652 • 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿 • 05.22.24 D̷I̷R̷E̷C̷T̷O̷R̷ ̷F̷I̷L̷L̷-̷I̷N̷ ̷S̷E̷R̷I̷E̷S̷:̷ JACK SHOLDER The mood and performances are much better here (compared to the more beloved horror from 1982 I just watched) but the plot is still sorely lacking. It’s actually an interesting contrast: the killer(s) here, thankfully, have some personality (It’s quite the old guy cast: Jack Palance, Martin Landau and an obese pedophile… AKA the dream team) but the half-baked psychotic revenge storyline is DOA and the title doesn’t really make sense (sure, there’s a blackout but nobody's ever “alone” and everything is quite well-lit — not that it matters, just saying). Some more random fun facts/observations: (1) Very fitting this takes place in NJ, home to many a classic horror movie; (2) Is this an anti-nuclear power movie?; (3) I appreciated how society collapses IMMEDIATELY following the blackout; (4)Tom Savini is credited for creating the make-up effects for the random ghoul that shows up in a complete non-sequitur hallucination.

And the end scene is simply a head-scratcher...


I realizes that makes little sense without any more context, but there's simply no context to add. Palance goes to a punk club after NOT killing the family when he has a chance and then that happens. Legit fascinating tbh.

In closing, GO GIANTS!!!

(the obese pedophile roots for the birds, obviously — that's why he threw the helmet!)

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CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ MOVIE #1,651 - (YOU ARE HERE) - MOVIE #1,653 ⫸

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Alone in the Dark is a 1982 American slasher film co-written and directed by Jack Sholder in his directorial debut, and starring Jack Palance, Martin Landau, Donald Pleasence, Dwight Schultz, and Erland Van Lidth. The plot follows a psychiatrist's family who are besieged by four escaped mental patients during a power blackout. Following Stunts and Polyester, it was one of the first films produced by New Line Cinema. It was released on November 19, 1982.