Darkness (2002 film)
A family moves into a house haunted by an unfinished occult ritual.
Darkness is a 2002 supernatural horror film directed by Jaume Balagueró, starring Anna Paquin, Lena Olin, Iain Glen, Giancarlo Giannini, and Fele Martínez. It follows an American family who move into a house in the Spanish countryside where six children disappeared during an occult ritual forty years earlier. The film was an international co-production between Spain's Filmax and Dimension Films, and was noted by some scholars for its theme of family dysfunction set against paranormal events.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Jaume Balagueró
- Writer
- Jaume Balagueró, Fernando de Felipe
- Starring
- Anna Paquin
- Lena Olin
- Iain Glen
- Giancarlo Giannini
- Fele Martínez
- Fermin Reixach
- Stephan Enquist
- Music
- Carles Cases
- Producer
- Julio Fernández, Brian Yuzna
- Studio
- Fantastic Factory; Filmax, Dimension Films
- Cinematography
- Xavi Giménez
- Editing
- Luis de la Madrid
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In the early 1960s, an unfinished occult ritual causes six young children to vanish in the Spanish countryside. Forty years later, Mark Rua, his wife Maria, and their children—teenage Regina and young Paul—relocate from the United States to Mark's native Spain, settling in a large country home outside Barcelona. The family partly moved to be closer to Mark's father, Albert, a physician in the city. Soon after the move, Mark experiences seizures from his progressing Huntington's disease, which also makes him increasingly mentally unstable. The house suffers recurring electrical problems and power outages, heightening tensions between Regina, Mark, and Maria. Regina worries about her father's health, while Maria seems in denial. Paul is plagued by supernatural occurrences and develops a fear of the dark. Apparitions of six children watch Regina, and she notices a strange man observing the house. Mark discovers an antique photograph of three women in sunglasses while renovating a crawlspace. As Mark deteriorates, Regina investigates the house's history with Carlos, a swimming teacher she is dating. They trace the home to architect Villalobos, who designed it for a ritual requiring the sacrifice of seven children, each killed by hands that love them, during an eclipse that occurs every forty years. With the next eclipse approaching and one death needed to complete the earlier ritual, Regina fears Paul will be the next victim.
Production
In October 2000, Filmax sold U.S. distribution rights for Balagueró's The Nameless and the unmade Darkness to Miramax Films, with Dimension Films co-producing and providing forty percent of the budget. Casting took place in Barcelona and New York City; Lena Olin, Iain Glen, and Anna Paquin were announced in April 2001, though Natalie Portman had been considered for the lead. Principal photography began on 26 April 2001 in and around Barcelona on a budget of $10.6–$11 million, scheduled to end in late June 2001. Balagueró cited The Amityville Horror and The Shining as key influences.
Release
Darkness premiered at the Sitges Film Festival on 3 October 2002 and received a wide Spanish release on 11 October 2002. It was released in several European countries in 2003, but its U.S. release was delayed nearly two years. Dimension Films premiered a trailer online on 24 November 2004, followed by a television campaign, and released the film on 25 December 2004 in a heavily censored PG-13 version. The United Kingdom release followed on 18 March 2005 in an 88-minute cut. Buena Vista Home Entertainment released two DVD editions in 2005: an unrated original cut and the PG-13 theatrical cut. Echo Bridge Entertainment issued the film on Blu-ray in July 2012 with the extended cut, and Shout! Factory re-released it on Blu-ray on 28 May 2024 as a web store exclusive limited to 1,800 copies.
Reception
Despite little promotion, Darkness performed well at the box office. In Spain, it earned €1.6 million in its opening weekend and grossed €4 million overall. In the United States, released on Christmas Day 2004 in 1,718 theaters, it was the seventh-highest earner that weekend with $6.1 million, dropping to tenth the following week with $4.6 million. The film earned $22,163,442 in the U.S. and a worldwide total of $33,988,736. Critical reception was largely unfavorable, with an average rating of F on CinemaScore. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times gave it one out of four stars, calling it trite and flat. Ned Martel of The New York Times questioned why the mangled film was not junked. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly said it was vague and seemed scared of its own shadows. David Blaylock of The Village Voice noted hints of a statement on child abuse but found it mainly a commentary on poor electrical wiring. Bilge Ebiri of The New York Sun observed elements of a disturbing family drama, stifled by tired attempts to jolt the audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Darkness (2002 film)?
Darkness stars Anna Paquin, Lena Olin, Iain Glen, Giancarlo Giannini, Fele Martínez, Fermin Reixach and Stephan Enquist.
Who composed the music for Darkness (2002 film)?
The music for Darkness was composed by Carles Cases.
Who wrote Darkness (2002 film)?
Darkness was written by Jaume Balagueró and Fernando de Felipe.
How much did Darkness (2002 film) earn at the box office?
Darkness grossed $34.4 million.
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