The Dark Half

You know that Halloween is just around the corner when a batch of classic horrors start get that lush re-issue treatment. And this October, scare fans are in for a treat with Eureka Entertainments’ duel-format blu-ray, DVD release of the George A. Romero/Stephen King cult The Dark Half. 

Riffing on Jekyll and Hyde as only the Master of Horror can, The Dark Half follows the tale of author Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton) who decides to finally kill off the pseudonymous schlock horror writer he’s created to put money in the bank. [SPOILER ALERT] But when the people around him are found gruesomely slain—and his own fingerprints dot the crime scenes—Beaumont discovers that Stark has taken on a life of his own…and isn’t at all happy at Beaumont’s attempts to dispose of him.

The Dark Half is both gripping and creepy, with an intelligent screenplay, a first-rate cast and some genuinely unnerving Twin Peaks-esque moments thrown into the mix. Those who have been following Castle Rock will be interested, too, to see the screen origins of many characters who went on to become staples of the King-verse.

The Dark Half suffers somewhat from its age in terms of SFX, but there are some gloriously gruesome Giallo-style moments which make the film a fun, if not exactly horrific ride. Eureka’s transfer is excellent and an array of extras give fans of the genre plenty to get their fangs into. Break out the beers and snacks, this is definitely one for the collection.