#sov horror

It looks like Jane's working days may be over when she receives a ticket to fun and adventure... a letter inviting her into a lucrative game hosted by a mysterious benefactor known only as MOG. Only playing for MOG isn't always fun. Surprises rarely are, and MOG loves to keep Jane in the dark about everything. Except when Jane tries to quit the game, MOG makes one thing very clear... she's playing for life...

The film has most recently been shown at: ~the Chicago Underground Film Festival ~the SFIndie Digital Underground Program ~IFP Market in New York (20 minute segment "Work in Progress")

Announcement/Dedication: All of us involved in the making of In the Dark regret to announce the recent death of Richard Laymon. Our hearts are with his family and all Laymon fans worldwide. The film will continue in memory of Richard Laymon and his great contribution to horror literature.

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8/31/00 - Steve Gerlach, Web Author of Richard Laymon Kills! (the official Laymon website)

Once in a while a film comes along that manages to do something Hollywood hasn't been able to do for years: scare you. Really scare you.

In The Dark is that film.

Filmed without Hollywood bigwigs or studio sets, In The Dark will quickly become a horror classic wherever it is screened. The action, filmed with hand-held cameras and accompanied by sharp editing, is non-stop from the first (pre-credits) scene to the very last.

Gemineye Productions has turned in a film which is absolutely staggering. Not only have they produced the first film from a Richard Laymon novel and filmed it while staying almost totally loyal to the book (something Hollywood would never do!), they have also been able to invoke a feeling of real terror in the audience by using black and white film (changing to color for only one horrifying scene...with the color making it even more horrific) and getting by with only the bare necessities - making the film feel oh-so-very much like real life.

Every aspect of this film is perfect: from the actors with their top-rate dialogue to the locations and their murky lighting. In the Dark is the first film since Hitchock's version of Psycho to instill real fear into the audience. It also succeeds in "real-life-horror" much better than Blair Witch could ever have hoped.

The film was watched by Laymon fans who had read the book, and also by non-Laymonites. Both groups were equally spellbound and were on the edge of their seats...right to the very end, where there is a surprise for everyone - even Laymon fans who remember the book so well.

With the right backing and a distributor to push the film through the Hollywood quagmire and onto cinema screens, In The Dark could easily become a blockbuster. No matter what you do, see it.

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7/21/00 - Richard Laymon, the author himself

I've watched this film four times, so far. Each time, I've enjoy it more. Each time, I've also discovered small new details, new intricasies, new depths. In my opinion, it's a movie that many people will feel compelled to watch again and again. It is a must-see for my fans. It's the film version they've been hoping for but probably thought would never get made. See? It can be done! It has been done. Horror fans in general, including those who've never heard of me, will go ape for In the Dark. Though it resembles various other movies in one way or another, it is very original, very different from anything that's come along before. I've pretty much seen them all, and I predict that In the Dark will achieve "cult" status as soon as people get a chance to see it.

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