听 Maria Bello and Sean Bean star in The Dark. It's a "derivative" supernatural thriller set in Wales which felt like a minor demotion for Bello after Golden Globe-nominated performances in The Cooler and A History Of Violence. It was also bit of a let down for director John Fawcett whose 2001 horror Ginger Snaps made a much bigger splash with moviegoers and critics.
Things That Go Baah In The Night
A revised ending and a gallery of cast and crew interviews is all that's on offer in the bonus section. Bello's is one of the shortest interviews at just under three minutes, during which time she simply sets up the story and tries to convince us that it was "the beautiful writing for the characters" that turned her on to making the film. Sean Bean sells it slightly differently. "Weird things happen with sheep," he says - and reveals how glad he is not to be playing a villain for once. Young newcomer Abigail Stone is as precocious as you'd expect, describing Fawcett as "a bit pushy sometimes".
Not surprisingly, Fawcett gets most of the talk time (13 minutes worth) where he reveals a couple of interesting points about the development of the story. Apparently he fired the original writer in favour of Stephen Massicotte because he wanted a film that wasn't just "spooky" but fitted squarely within the supernatural thriller mould. Massicote doesn't add much more detail than that in his own brief interview, but you can see a distinct separation of styles when you compare the original ending to the theatrical cut. Of course that alternative ending is included here and it's a lot more understated yet mushier than the OTT shock-and-jaw-drop finale seen in cinemas.
There is no commentary to accompany the film or any direct behind-the-scenes access. Except for the Fawcett interview, the extras for The Dark don't shed much light at all.
EXTRA FEATURES
The Dark is released on DVD on Monday 11th September.
