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Dark
Waters (1994)
Back
in 1994 I recall picking up a copy of Fangoria magazine
titled "The Lovecraft Issue" being that
it featured articles on the Brian Yuzna produced anthology
Necronomicon, Full Moon's The Lurking Fear,
and a strange new picture called Dark Waters. Now
having been a fan of monsters since I can remember and
horror films since I was six years old, the name alone
beckoned me to read on.
I am a fan of horror and gore films alike and am particular
about what I like in each sublevel of the horror genre.
Being a fan of horror films as I am and thoroughly enjoying
the more atmospheric visual palette the images alone displayed
in the magazine made me hungry to see the film. Deliciously
dark and strange. Then reading
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some of the great turmoil experienced during the making
of the film I became anxious to see it. That was the last
I heard about the film until 1996 when I shelled out $20
for a VHS copy labelled as a 3/5 in quality from Blackest
Heart Media in CA. I was enthralled that the film was anywhere
to be found. Despite being a second generation copy I fell
in love with the film which is extremely atmospheric and
exhibits enough of an ambiguously nightmarish ambiance to
have impressed H.P. Lovecraft himself. |
So
the point of my telling this tale is that NoShame films has
finally given the film, director Mariano Baino's feature debut,
its due with a state of the art transfer - immaculate sound
and picture, the way the director meant to have the film experienced...
and God Bless them for it! However, before I review the technical
aspects of the release let me give a brief synapsis of the film:
Sarah travels from London to a remote island, that time seems
to have forgotten, to investigate large sums of money that are
paid annually to a clandestine religious order. While staying
on the island she is discovers the horrible truth pertaining
to the purpose of the order as well as her fathers involvement
therein, thus sending her spiralling into a primal world of
chaos and madness. All simply to keep a deadly secret. An ancient
evil, an immortal aquatic demon being held at bay by the order
who have hidden the pieces of a talisman bearing the demon's
likeness and will stop at nothing to keep the pieces separated.
This film is living proof that multi million dollar budgets
rarely make a good film and that less is so much more - that
Baino understands the language that is film deep in his heart.
It nods appreciatively at the films of Mario Bava and the early
films of Dario Argento. The colors and sounds are intense, the
sets and locations are authentic making it easy to fall into
the world being painted by the director's artistic brush. The
film in itself is a miracle in that it even got made due to
the technical difficulties of filming in Russia, in Odessa,
where the studio sold out their space from under them forcing
the shooting to be completed in Kiev - dangerously close to
Chernobyl. The commentary and making of documentary thoroughly
capture the hardships of making the film and how the cast and
crew became that much more intent on finishing the piece because
of it all. Shipping delays, budgetary constraints, a revolution,
and more couldn't stop this film from seeing the light of day.
Hand it to Mariano Baino and cast and crew for caring about
the project so much that it did see completion.
The film may not have academy award winning acting (some of
that's a bit overrated anyhow) but it does have a strong cast,
a much more authentic cast of Russian locals as well as English
actress Louise Salter (Interview With The Vampire). What
NoShame films has done is create one of the most celebratory
and special editions of a film I have ever had the pleasure
of seeing let alone owning. The film is beautifully and digitally
remastered with a rather disturbing soundtrack. The special
features on this two disc set include a new 50 minute documentary
on the filming and production of Dark Waters, deleted
scenes, still galleries, Mariano Baino's wildly imaginitve and
disturbing short films: Dream Car, Caruncula,
and Never Ever After which are all worthy of repeated
viewings. There's also a music video, a commentary with Mariano
Baino. The limited edition box set includes both discs and a
48 page booklet choc full of information, photos, and storyboard
art from the film and a brilliant replica of the amulet with
the likeness of the "mother of all sorrows." A wonderful
idea as if to signify that the amulet has been pieced together
again unleashing the film unto the world!
If you love films, let alone horror films I highly recommend
picking this one up! It's a valiant first effort from Mariano
and if this film is any indication of what he's capable of then
I'd say that the horror genre has a much welcomed and powerful
addition!
Do not miss Dark Waters!
~Jason Wallach
Jason
Wallach / The Unquiet Void
www.theunquietvoid.com
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