Ahoy, squirts! Quint here playing a little Comic-Con catch up. I wanted to make sure my favorite stuff I saw was reported on before Comic-Con fades too far into memory.
In preparation for Comic-Con I pulled out my copy of the Warner’s Archives release of the original television movie DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK. I bought it because I’m kind of obsessed with horror and after growing up with Spielberg’s amazing DUEL I try to give ‘70s TV the benefit of the doubt.
Let’s just say I didn’t care for it. I can see the elements that put the fear of God into the children who snuck in a TV viewing of it… the whispering demons, the bleak as shit ending… but Kim Darby is a horrible, horrible actress. Even in True Grit, but even more so in Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.
I almost wish I could have seen the ’73 TV film early in my life to enjoy it on the level of those who love it.
However, this is the perfect storm for a remake… a film that has really smart elements, but due to budget restraints and a lack of creative vision really falls short. In other words, a better concept than movie.
I love that Guillermo del Toro champions young directors and helps mould them into great filmmakers with a sharp eye. I’m a big, big fan of THE ORPHANAGE and can’t wait to see future films from J.A. Bayona.
This time out it’s Troy Nixey, illustrator and comic book artist known for his work in books like Mike Mignola’s BATMAN: THE DOOM THAT CAME TO GOTHAM and from the footage they showed I have to say “Holy Shit! This guy is one to watch!”
For one, the trailer they cut was brilliant, a great horror teaser that opens with the little demon voices over blackness and then leaves you hanging with nothing but a dark screen for dozens of seconds… I felt my stomach tighten up, waiting for the jump and even for me, a jaded horror fan familiar with the pacing of scares, I was caught off guard, hit right at that sweet spot when the tension is at its peak and when you’re not expecting the scare.
And it wasn’t just me. All 6,000 people in the audience jumped out of their skins. And that wasn’t the only time. There’s a shot of a little girl (Bailee Madison) crawling under her sheets in her bed, looking for the source of whispers that is drawn out to excruciating suspenseful lengths and when the ghastly face of the little demon pops up the lady behind me literally shrieked.
If you’re not familiar with the story, it’s about a woman who unblocks a chimney in an old house and unknowingly releases little bastard tormenting demons.
Unlike the original film, this one has a sense of production value. Del Toro’s fascination with fairy tales is evident in the lighting, which has ink-black shadows and bright shafts of dusty light through stained glass window. Oliver Stapleton’s work as cinematographer looks to be incredible from the footage shown.
Outside of the sharp trailer they showed the opening of the movie, which was totally Gothic as a maid carrying a candle hears a commotion down in the basement and slowly descends the dark stairs. She not only hears movement, but those goddamn whispers.
But it’s not the demons she has to be scared of, it’s her master. Lord Blackwood is a sweet old guy… except his son has been taken by the demons who demand he delivers them certain… things… in order to get his kid back.
So this poor lady trips on a wire, falls hard and Blackwood comes out, blood on his face and straddles her, slurring an apology as he squeezes her mouth open and places a metal chisel against her teeth… the most fucked up part about this, by the way, was that the chisel scraped back and forth on her teeth a few times.
As she screams he raises a hammer and holds it in a shaking fist until he brings it crashing down to some god awful sound effects. God awful in a good way, of course… but breaking teeth sounds ain’t exactly pleasant.
Our crazy old dude goes scurrying around on his hands and knees collecting broken teeth and putting them on a small platter, which he takes to the open fire place. He’s slurring his words, mumbling about getting them the teeth they want. “They’re not children's teeth,” he says… but they’re good. Then he smiles a bloody and gum-filled smile and we see he also removed all his own teeth.
The creatures whispers rise in pitch and intensity as we look up from down the in the dark bowels of this deep fire place.
Apparently the young maiden’s teeth and the old, worried father’s teeth aren’t good enough. He asks for his son back and he hears the kid call out for him, so, naturally, he leans into the fireplace, looking down into the darkness. There’s movement and light, but his hope turns to dread as he’s yanked in, legs kicking up a storm outside the fireplace before they disappear from view as he joins his, assuredly, doomed little boy.
Pretty crazy stuff. Totally gothic, creepy and unsettling. The audience went nuts for the footage, which is easily near the top of my favorites of the Con shortlist.
One of the most memorable portions of the Q&A, featuring Guillermo, Troy and producer/webmaster done good Nick Nunziata was when Guillermo was talking about the movie’s R-rating. To quote… “Horror has to have balls… sweaty and wrinkled!”
Hopefully we’ll see the trailer pop up soon for this… but I gotta say… they should save it for theatrical and not release it online for a while. It’s one thing to watch it on your computer monitor, it’s another to sit in a dark theater with an awesome surround sound system, surrounded by a bunch of strangers, and experience the teaser.
With that all said, I’m going to call it a night and get to my extremely busy day tomorrow! I’m headed to the Ray Harryhausen exhibit at The Academy tomorrow and I’m psyched to see his works of genius up close and personal.
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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