ALONE IN THE DARK (DVD) (DTS/DOL DIG 5.1/1.85:1/16X9) DVD

Alone in the Dark
This is a very enjoyable tongue-in-cheek horror film about some homicidal maniacs who break out of an asylum and terrorize a psychiatrist's family on a dark and stormy night. Martin Landau and Jack Palance are particularly funny, but there are some genuine scares as well. One scene, in which a frightened woman is menaced on her bed by a maniac thrusting a butcher-knife up through the mattress, is a clever send-up that will nevertheless linger in the memory. The coda, in which the crazy Palance has a bizarre encounter with a spaced-out punk chick in a nightclub, is a real gem. Recommended. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Cast Jack Palance as Frank Hawkes Donald Pleasence as Dr. Leo Bain Martin Landau as Bryon "Preacher" Sutcliff Dwight Schultz as Dan Potter Erland Van Lidth as Ronald "Fatty" Elster Deborah Hedwall as Nell Potter Phillip Clark as Tom Smith/Skaggs

Crew Peter Monroe - Art Director Sara Risher - Associate Producer Jack Sholder - Director Arline Garson - Editor Benni Korzen - Executive Producer Renato Serio - Composer (Music Score) Joseph Mangine - Cinematographer Robert Shaye - Producer Robert Shaye - Screen Story Jack Sholder - Screen Story Michael Harpster - Screen Story Robert Shaye - Screenwriter Jack Sholder - Screenwriter

Alone in the Dark
This satirical take on the slasher genre is a welcome antidote for those burnt out on the many run-of-the-mill examples of the form. The script, penned by director Jack Sholder, takes a little while to rev up, but it works in plenty of sly humor along the way, usually riffing on the idea that sanity is a relative concept. The script also boasts characters that are unusually rich in dimensions for this kind of movie. These amusingly offbeat characters at brought to life nicely by an above-average cast: future A-Team loony Dwight Schultz gets to play it straight here as the psychiatrist hero and Jack Palance, Martin Landau, and Erland Van Lidth all register strongly as three different kinds of psychos, all bringing both menace and wit to their roles. However, it is Donald Pleasance who practically walks away with the movie, thanks to his deviously funny performance as an institution director who identifies a little too strongly with the patients he treats. Behind the camera, Sholder's pacing is little off in a few spots, but he gives the film a stylish look (aided nicely by Joseph Mangine's shadowy style of cinematography) and pulls everything together for a thrilling final act that is capped by a haunting yet funny parting shot. To sum up, Alone in the Dark is one of the best (and most subversive) entries in the '80s slasher boom and a worthy choice for horror fans of this era of film. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
 

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General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: DD2: Dolby Digital Stereo DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DTS: Digital Theater Systems (akin to 5.1) Additional Features: New anamorphic widescreen transfer New audio commentary with director Jack Sholder New video interview with actress Carol Levy New video interview with Underground New York Punk favorites The Sick F*cks and Adam Rockoff, who perform two songs in the film Theatrical trailer Liner notes by Fangoria's Michael Gingold Extensive gallery containing rare artwork, lobby cards and more DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 93 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- Alone in the Dark 1. The Preacher's Nightmare: Main Title [4:37] 2. Doctor Dan Potter [4:47] 3. The Men on the Third Floor [5:43] 4. Another Day on the Job [6:07] 5. The New, Improved Toni [3:39] 6. Blackout [4:22] 7. The Escape [10:01] 8. A New Hat [5:10] 9. The Babysitter [14:34] 10. A Very Serious Situation [8:55] 11. Leo Arrives [4:38] 12. Through the Window [7:33] 13. The Bleeder [4:17] 14. Saved By the News [3:38] 15. Frank Hits the Clubs [2:40] 16. End Credits [2:36]