Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: STARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT
EAN: 0013137215698
Format: Color
Item Dimensions: Array
Label: Starz / Anchor Bay
Languages: Array
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
MPN: DV72156
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Starz / Anchor Bay
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2007-05-22
Running Time: 92
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Theatrical Release Date: 2006

This Lynchian nightmare stars Thora Birch (AMERICAN BEAUTY) as a woman who can't escape her bad dreams. The line begins to blur between reality and the horror that lives in her mind making everyone--including the audience--wonder what's really happening. DARK CORNERS also stars Toby Stephens (DIE ANOTHER DAY) and Christien Anholt (RELIC HUNTER).Runtime: 95 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 013137215698 Manufacturer No: DV72156

Customer Rating:
Summary: Better than I expected, not as good as I hoped.
Comment: Dark Corners (Ray Gower, 2006)

This movie had almost bottomless potential-- done right, it could have been one of those indie gems that becomes a cult favorite. There are flashes of that brilliance throughout the movie. But it never quite reaches its true potential, and there are times when it gets so badly derailed that it's incapable of getting back on track. Because of this, it's one of the most disappointing movies I've seen in recent memory, while I have to give writer/director Ray Gower respect for having had the ambition to take on such a formidable project in his first attempt at writing and directing a movie.

Thora Birch (American Beauty) plays two roles here. Susan Hamilton is a happily-married woman who's trying to get pregnant. When she falls asleep, she adopts an alter ego, Karen Clarke, who lives on the (very, very) bad side of town, works for a crazy undertaker, and is constantly followed by strange characters whose intentions are never certain. As the film goes on, we begin to wonder which of these realities is the "real" one, or whether Susan Hamilton and Karen Clarke are actually doppelgangers living in the same town. And what's the deal with the Night Stalker, the serial killer active in the city? What does he have to do with the story?

There's so much here. Gower has a wonderful ear for dialogue; there are scenes here that rival the best of Tarantino, as far as the script goes. The acting ranges from the competent to the brilliant; Birch, especially, has rarely been better. The cinematography is always interesting, if a bit obvious in its influences.

And therein lies some of the weak spots that pock the film; it's a little too much at times, in every respect. It's not just the cinematography. The symbolism rears out of the shadows and whacks you across the face every now and again. The script loses focus. The dialogue wears thin. In every case, the film gets back on track quickly, but each of the slips adds up. And then, by the time we get to the major derangement, it's all added up to the point where the movie drops out completely. It's unable to recover, and it just keeps spiraling downwards. But despite that, there's so much here that says that Gower's going to be a heavy hitter some day that I'm really looking forward to his next movie, to see if he's managed to control some of the downsides while not losing the upsides. ** ½

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Better than I was expecting
Comment: I caught the edited-for-TV version on SciFi and when it started, it seemed like it might be just another bad SciFi Saturday night flick but I ended up watching this to the end. Kind of like a car wreck that you just have to turn & look, this film manages to be weird but still interesting enough to keep you watching and make you wonder what the heck is going on. One thing I liked about this film was the color of it - some of the outdoor scenes had an almost sepia color tone to it that really added to the mood the director wanted to create. If you're a Thora Birch fan (as I became after seeing Ghost World), you'll probably like her in this, too. This is on my will-buy list. 3 and a half stars.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Hell Awaits...
Comment: I enjoy movies that I can't figure out immediately. I also like movies that are a bit odd, off-kilter so to speak. You know, films like MEMENTO, HEADSPACE, JACOB'S LADDER, CARNIVAL OF SOULS, etc. Well, DARK CORNERS fits right in with these other classics of bleakess and dread! Thora Birch (American Beauty, Ghost World, The Hole) plays the dual role of Susan- in the sunny, happy world of light, and Karen- in the darkworld of nightmare. I was perplexed by what connection there could possibly be between these two women. I was pleasantly stunned by the answers at the end! The last movie to make my jaw drop (in a good way) was HIGH TENSION. DARK CORNERS had that same twisty, grabber of a finalé for me. So, if you are a fan of the macabre, weird, or creepy, then this one will be a treat...

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Strong Women in Peril - Again
Comment: Thanks to Thora this is much better than average. A weird dual world theme is explored in this clever but not great scare film. The script and direction are just okay. Nice look too. Not too graphic, more of a suspenseful mind game. A good example of the lead raising the whole production. Also see the obscure "Left in Darkness" for another good but not great film with a strong female part.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Okay movie.
Comment: I bought this movie because it was a horror movie starring Thora Birch. I expected it to be a total piece of crap. I was suprised. It was a decent movie. There are movies such as THE MESSENGERS and PULSE which I bought thinking they were going to be good and for me personally, I thought this movie which I had no expectations of, was better than the two aforementioned movies which I thought would be good when I bought them.

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