Once in a while, there are films that one cannot fully grasp unless they see for themselves; Deep Dark is one of those movies. The film walks the line between Horror and Fantasy while mixed with some seriously twisted humor. Deep Dark was written and directed by Michael Medaglia and is his first full-length film debut. Following a successful festival run, this odd and original movie was released on November 10, 2015 for DVD and VOD via Uncork’d Entertainment.
- Still from Deep Dark
Struggling artist, Hermann Haig (Sean McGrath: The Twilight Saga: New Moon 2009, Grimm 2015), cannot seem to get his art seen or sold. After learning that he will soon be losing his room at his mother’s house to a local tenant, Hermann is desperate for the attention of local gallery owner, Devora Klein (Anne Sorce: Wild 2014). After he is made to look like a joke with his odd creations, he turns to his successful uncle for advice. His uncle tells him to rent his old apartment and he will be given the inspiration that he needs. Once he arrives, he is unsure about what could be inspirational within the rundown apartment, but he soon receives a message from an unlikely source… a hole in the wall. Hermann soon figures out that he and the hole can communicate clearly and “she” even has a voice (voiced by Denise Poirier: Æon Flux 1995, Spawn 1997-1998). The Hole explains that she will provide him with what he needs, but he must keep her company in exchange, which he agrees to do. His projects are successful and soon The Hole wants more of him than he expected. Hermann finds himself in a surreal situation and must decide how far he is willing to go for a new life.
- Still from Deep Dark
While this situation is extremely far-fetched, there is a bizarre sense of believability due to Sean McGrath’s performance. Although there are some humorous elements to the movie, Deep Dark is most definitely not a Dark Comedy. He truly prevented the film from feeling silly, which could have easily happened considering how much time McGrath’s character spends conversing with an actual hole in the wall. McGrath also pulled off an intimate scene that, although incredibly awkward, was impressive acting-wise. That scene will not soon be forgotten by anyone who watches. Denise Poirier did an excellent job conveying emotion without ever being seen as The Hole’s voice. It cannot be easy giving life to an inanimate object, but she was able to do so quite well. Poirier was charming and feminine, but her voice always has a hint of madness and seduction. While some of the other actors were not as strong, everyone seemed to work together cohesively.
It is quite obvious that Deep Dark had a low budget to work with, but that did not seem to hold the cast and crew back. Although the gore was not too over the top or extensive, it was effective. The tone transitioned nicely from awkward humor, to a darker tone, to horror while keeping the pace going. There were a few bland moments within the dialogue, but overall it seemed to flow naturally.
- Still from Deep Dark
Deep Dark may not find a mass audience due to how quirky the topic is, but there is no doubt that it will find an audience. It is impressive that first time director Michael Medaglia went in such an ambitious direction, yet pulled it off as well as he did. Deep Dark is a refreshing and original addition in Indie Horror. CrypricRock give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.
- Uncork’d Entertainment
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