In Search of Darkness
Documentary on 1980s horror film genre.
In Search of Darkness is a 2019 documentary co-produced by the UK and US, written and directed by David A. Weiner, with Robin Block of CreatorVC Studios serving as executive producer. The film examines how the horror genre developed and left a lasting mark during the 1980s, and includes interviews with prominent horror figures from that era and today, as well as well-known horror influencers. It first screened at the 2019 Beyond Fest.
The project began with a Kickstarter campaign in October 2018, reaching its initial goal within two days. It ultimately collected £99,478 from 1,532 backers on that platform before moving to Indiegogo in March 2019, where it raised over £234,300. The documentary was initially released exclusively to its backers in 2019.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 100% approval rating based on 13 reviews, with an average score of 8.3/10. Critics praised it as a comprehensive and engaging tribute to 1980s horror. Josh Weiss of Forbes called it "a scary good magnum opus," noting its exhaustive scope and intimate, anecdotal style. Michelle Swope of Dread Central gave it a perfect 5/5, saying that despite its four-hour runtime, it remains consistently interesting. Carolyn Mauricette of Rue Morgue described the rapid-fire information as overwhelming at first but ultimately a great ride. Noah Berlatsky of The Verge deemed it "a compulsively watchable delight" that offers something new even for seasoned genre fans. Jessica Gomez of All Horror called it "a masterpiece worthy of the most important decade of horror."
This documentary is the second entry in the *In Search of* series, following *In Search of the Last Action Heroes*, which focused on 1980s and 1990s action cinema. Subsequent installments include *In Search of Tomorrow* (about 1980s sci-fi), *In Search of Darkness: Part II*, *Part III*, *In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994*, and *In Search of Darkness: 1995-1999*, all direct continuations. In 2026, *In Search of Darkness ’70s* was announced, covering 1970s horror films.
Quick Facts
- Director
- David A. Weiner
- Producer
- David A. Weiner / Jessica Dwyer / Heather Wixson
- 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
- Music
- Weary Pines
- Editing
- Samuel Way
- Studio
- CreatorVC Studios
- Released
- 6 October 2019 · Beyond Fest
- Runtime
- 264 minutes
- Country
- United Kingdom / United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In Search of Darkness initially began as a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter in October 2018, meeting its initial goal in two days. 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 raised over £234,300. The film received an exclusive release in 2019 to backers of the project.
Reader's Guide
In Search of Darkness is 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. 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, Part III, In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994, and In Search of Darkness: 1995-1999, which serve as a direct continuation. In 2026, In Search of Darkness ’70s was announced, exploring horror movies of the 1970s. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 13 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. Critics praised its comprehensive scope and engaging presentation, with Josh Weiss of Forbes calling it 'a scary good magnum opus' and Michelle Swope of Dread Central giving it 5 out of 5, noting that 'even at about four hours long, it's never boring.'
Did You Know?
- In Search of Darkness premiered at the 2019 Beyond Fest.
- The film raised over £234,300 on Indiegogo after moving from Kickstarter.
- It has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 reviews.
- The documentary is approximately four hours long.
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