In Search of Darkness

Last updated
In Search of Darkness
In Search of Darkness (2019) poster.jpg
Promotional release poster by Graham Humphreys
Directed by David A. Weiner
Written byDavid A. Weiner
Produced byDavid A. Weiner [1]
Jessica Dwyer [1]
Heather Wixson [1]
Starring John Carpenter
Heather Langenkamp
Joe Dante
Jeffrey Combs
Barbara Crampton
Keith David
Greg Nicotero
Bill Moseley
Caroline Williams
Kane Hodder
Sean S. Cunningham
Tom Holland
Edited bySamuel Way
Music byWeary Pines
Production
company
CreatorVC Studios
Release date
  • October 6, 2019 (2019-10-06)(Beyond Fest)
Running time
264 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish

In Search of Darkness is a 2019 documentary film written and directed by David A. Weiner and executive produced by Robin Block of CreatorVC Studios. An international co-production of the United Kingdom and the United States, the film explores the development and lasting impact of the horror film genre during the 1980s, and features interviews with numerous horror icons both from that decade and from the modern era, along with popular horror influencers. [2] [3]

Contents

In Search of Darkness premiered at the 2019 Beyond Fest. [4]

Cast

Production

In Search of Darkness initially began as a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter in October 2018, and the project met its initial goal in two days. [13] [14] It went on to amass £99,478 in pledges from 1,532 backers on Kickstarter, before later moving platforms to Indiegogo in March 2019, where it has raised over £234,300. [5] [8] The film received an exclusive release in 2019 to backers of the project. [15] [16]

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, In Search of Darkness has an approval rating of 94%, based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. [17] Josh Weiss of Forbes called the documentary "a scary good magnum opus" and recommended it for fans of horror fiction and for those interested in history, writing: "At times, you'll be lost in wonder at how this comprehensively epic behemoth was cut together in the first place. [...] This is a definitive, intimate, anecdotal, thematic, funny, and loving oral history of a decade that changed the face of big screen horror forever." [18] Michelle Swope of Dread Central gave the film a score of 5 out of 5, writing that "even at about four hours long, it's never boring", and summarizing it as "an all-encompassing, delightfully spooky love letter to eighties horror." [19]

Carolyn Mauricette of Rue Morgue wrote that "You might find the volume of information overwhelming at first because they come at you with a rapid-fire pace, but once you settle in, this documentary is a great ride." [20] Noah Berlatsky of The Verge called the documentary "a compulsively watchable delight" and wrote that "even hardcore genre fans are bound to find something new they'd like to see or something old they want to revisit". [21] Jessica Gomez of All Horror wrote: "It's well-researched, well-rounded, and filmed without bias. A masterpiece worthy of the most important decade of horror." [22]

Series

In Search of Darkness was the second installment of the In Search of documentary series, following In Search of the Last Action Heroes , which is dedicated to 1980s and 1990s action cinema. [23]
It was followed by several further films: In Search of Tomorrow , which chronicles science fiction films of the 1980s, and In Search of Darkness: Part II [24] and Part III , which serve as a direct continuation of In Search of Darkness. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Englund</span> American actor and director

Robert Barton Englund is an American actor and director. Englund is best known for playing the villain Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and Willie in the V television franchise (1983-1985). Englund has received multiple accolades and honors, including a Saturn Award, a Fangoria Chainsaw Award, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kane Hodder</span> American actor, stuntman, and author

Kane Warren Hodder is an American actor, stuntman, and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Todd</span> American actor

Tony Todd is an American actor who is best known for portraying the title character of the Candyman film series (1992–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felissa Rose</span> American actress

Felissa Rose Esposito, better known as simply Felissa Rose, is an American actress and producer. Rose has amassed over 150 film credits, and is best known for her work in the horror genre, for which she is recognized as a "scream queen".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dee Wallace</span> American actress (born 1948)

Deanna Wallace, also known as Dee Wallace Stone, is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Mary Taylor in the 1982 blockbuster science fiction film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Crampton</span> American actress

Barbara Crampton is an American actress and producer. She began her career in the 1980s in television soap operas before starring in horror and thriller films. In 2024, Crampton was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.

Joseph Bishara is an American composer, music producer, and actor, best known for his work scoring films such as Insidious, 11-11-11, Dark Skies, and The Conjuring. Although his career began with the 1998 Biblical drama Joseph's Gift, he composes music for mainly horror and thriller films, and has collaborated several times with director James Wan. Projects by directors John Carpenter and Joseph Zito, and musicians Ray Manzarek and Diamanda Galás have incorporated his work. In addition to composing, he frequently appears in films he is involved in, usually made up as a demon or other supernatural creature. He has also been a producer on Repo! The Genetic Opera and other projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead</span> American filmmaking duo

Justin Benson and Aaron Scott Moorhead are an American filmmaking duo. Both have served in directing, producing, editing, and acting roles in their projects, while Moorhead is also a cinematographer and Benson is a writer.

<i>Into the Dark</i> (TV series) American horror anthology series

Into the Dark is an American horror anthology television series produced for Hulu, with each stand-alone episodic installment based around a different holiday. The first season premiered on October 5, 2018, and consists of twelve feature-length episodes of television films. Into the Dark was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 4, 2019, and also consists of twelve episodes.

The Devil's Machine, originally titled Automata, is a 2019 horror film directed by Lawrie Brewster, based on a script written by Sarah Daly. It stars Alexandra Hulme, who frequently stars in Brewster's films. It also marks the third film Brewster and Daly's Hex Studios has created with Dark Dunes Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David A. Weiner</span> American filmmaker, magazine editor, and journalist

David A. Weiner is an American filmmaker, magazine editor, and journalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art the Clown</span> Fictional character in the Terrifier franchise

Art the Clown is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the Terrifier franchise and related media. Created by Damien Leone, the character first appeared in the short films The 9th Circle (2008) and Terrifier (2011). Both shorts were included in the anthology film All Hallows' Eve (2013) which marked the character's feature film debut. In these early appearances, he was portrayed by Mike Giannelli before his retirement from acting. He was replaced by David Howard Thornton, who portrayed Art in Terrifier (2016), Terrifier 2 (2022), and Terrifier 3 (2024).

<i>Pledge</i> (film) 2018 American film

Pledge is a 2018 American horror film, written by Zack Weiner, directed by Daniel Robbins, and produced by Mark Rapaport and Keaton Heinrichs. The film centers on collegiate hazing taken to extremes. It had its world premiere at the 2018 Fantasia International Film Festival, and was released in theaters and on VOD on January 11, 2019, through IFC Midnight.

Daniel Robbins is an American filmmaker best known for the 2018 horror film Pledge and the 2024 comedy Bad Shabbos which won the Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.

<i>In Search of Darkness: Part II</i> 2021 documentary film about horror films from the 1980s

In Search of Darkness: Part II is a 2020 documentary film written and directed by David A. Weiner. It is a sequel to Weiner's 2019 documentary In Search of Darkness.

Chop Chop is a 2020 American horror thriller film directed by Rony Patel, starring Atala Arce and Jake Taylor.

<i>The Bray Road Beast</i> (film) 2018 American documentary film

The Bray Road Beast is a 2018 American documentary film about the Beast of Bray Road, a purported humanoid wolf-life creature allegedly sighted in Elkhorn, Walworth County, Wisconsin. Directed and co-produced by Seth Breedlove, the film is the seventh documentary by his production company Small Town Monsters. It is narrated by Lyle Blackburn and features both animated sequences and live-action reenactments of alleged sightings of the titular cryptid. The music for the film was composed by Brandon Dalo and Underoath member Chris Dudley.

Seth Breedlove is an American filmmaker and founder of the Wadsworth, Ohio-based production company Small Town Monsters. Under the Small Town Monsters banner, Breedlove has directed over a dozen documentary films and miniseries related to cryptids and cryptozoology, including Minerva Monster (2015), Boggy Creek Monster (2016), The Mothman of Point Pleasant (2017), and The Mothman Legacy (2020).

<i>The Mothman of Point Pleasant</i> 2017 American documentary film

The Mothman of Point Pleasant is a 2017 American documentary film about the Mothman, a purported humanoid creature reportedly sighted in the area of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Directed, produced, and edited by Seth Breedlove, the film is the fourth documentary by his production company Small Town Monsters.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Millican, Josh (October 22, 2019). "Latest Exclusive Clip from In Search of Darkness: Heather Langenkamp Talks Tina's Death & Bathtub Scene from Nightmare on Elm Street". Dread Central . Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  2. ↑ Millican, Josh (September 6, 2018). "Take "A Journey Into Iconic 80's Horror" in Upcoming Doc In Search of Darkness". Dread Central . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Miska, Brad (March 22, 2019). "Exclusive Clip: John Carpenter Joins '80s Horror Documentary 'In Search of Darkness'!". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  4. ↑ "In Search of Darkness - American Cinematheque". americancinemathequecalendar.com. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "In Search of Darkness". Indiegogo . Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Collis, Clark (March 6, 2019). "Gory trailer for '80s horror doc In Search of Darkness puts Chucky, Freddy, and Jason in spotlight". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  7. ↑ Millican, Josh (March 13, 2019). "Exclusive Clip of Barbara Crampton in "Definitive" 80s Horror Documentary In Search of Darkness". Dread Central . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "In Search of Darkness - The Definitive '80s Horror Doc". Kickstarter . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Miska, Brad (March 5, 2019). "Epic Trailer for Horror Doc 'In Search of Darkness' Hits the 80s Nostalgia Sweet Spot! [Exclusive]". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Wixson, Heather (November 1, 2018). "Final Stretch Goal for In Search of Darkness Kickstarter Campaign Celebrates the Iconic Women of 1980s Horror". DailyDead.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Miska, Brad (March 25, 2019). "Alex Winter Talks 'The Lost Boys' Working Against All Odds in the '80s Horror Documentary 'In Search of Darkness'! [Exclusive]". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  12. ↑ "In Search of Darkness Elvira Collector's Edition". 80shorrordoc.com. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  13. ↑ Leighton, Susan (March 25, 2019). "David Weiner: The Nostalgia Curator goes In Search of Darkness". 1428Elm.com. FanSided. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  14. ↑ Taylor, Nick (March 27, 2019). "Horror Business: David Weiner, Director of In Search of Darkness, The Definitive 80's Horror Documentary". Dread Central . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  15. ↑ Jackson, Matthew (March 6, 2019). "Chuck to Hellraiser, In Search of Darkness doc promises 'definitive' look at '80s horror". Syfy Wire . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  16. ↑ Couch, Aaron (March 12, 2019). "'In Search of Darkness' Trailer Is a Dive Into '80s Horror". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  17. ↑ "In Search of Darkness: A Journey Into Iconic 80s Horror (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  18. ↑ Weiss, Josh (October 23, 2019). "'In Search Of Darkness' Is A Scary Good Oral History Of '80s Horror With A Little Some-THING For Everyone (Review)". Forbes . Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  19. ↑ Swope, Michelle (October 8, 2019). "In Search of Darkness Review – Eighties Horror Documentary Takes a Delightful Deep Dive into the Most Iconic Era in Cinema". Dread Central . Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  20. ↑ Mauricette, Carolyn (October 17, 2019). "New Documentary 'In Search of Darkness' Takes A Deep Dive Into '80s Horror". Rue Morgue . Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  21. ↑ Berlatsky, Noah (October 7, 2019). "In Search of Darkness sets out to be the definitive 1980s horror doc – and mostly succeeds". The Verge . Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  22. ↑ Gomez, Jessica (October 18, 2019). "In Search of Darkness Documentary Review". AllHorror.com. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Shoot to Thrill". Retro Gamer. No. 223. Bath: Future. 5 August 2021. p. 8. ISSN   1742-3155.
  24. ↑ Weiss, Josh (March 8, 2021). "'In Search Of Darkness Part II' Director David Weiner On Probing The Obscure Corners Of '80s Horror". Forbes . Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  25. ↑ Squires, John (May 7, 2021). "The Massive 1980s Horror Documentary Series Will Continue With 'In Search of Darkness: Part III'!". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved May 22, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.