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Asylum of Darkness
USA 2017
produced by Lawreen Yakkel for SOD Productions
directed by Jay Woelfel
starring Nick Baldasare, Amanda Howell, Richard Hatch, Frank Jones jr, Tiffany Shepis, John Hawk, Tim Thomerson, Patricia McBride, Robert Lacy, Matt Proctor, Scott Summitt, Liz Wheeler, Cash Kimmerle, Cole Geschwender, Tanya Hutchins, Joe Stepp, Josh Kalani, John Kuhn
written and music by Jay Woelfel, special makeup effects by Gerner & Spears FX
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Dwight (Nick Baldasare) is an inmate of an insane asylum, a place he
knows he doesn't belong because he knows he's as sane as you and me. Sure,
he has little recollection of his time before he was committed, he thinks
Dr Shaker (Richard Hatch), who's treating his face, has a bunt away or
rotted away face, he thinks his fellow inmate Van Gogh (Frank Jones jr)
can kill by painting, and he has no idea who the beautiful woman (Tiffany
Shepis) who visits him every day wearing a wedding gown even is ... but
naturally, there might be good explanations for all of this. Eventually,
Dwight manages to break out - and during his escape, he tries to save a
man from a car wreck, but for some reason that man refuses to be saved and
dies in spite of Dwight's best efforts ... so Dwight figures, since he has
tried to do the right thing, he at least might spend the night at the dead
man's place and get some decent street clothes - sure, it might be
stealing, but then again the guy died in defiance of Dwight's best
efforts. The next day Dwight awakens in the dead guy's house, and
realizes he not only has some recollections of his "host", but
also seems to ease into that guy's life, with even his wife Ellen (Amanda
Howell) believing him to be the real deal. So for some inexplicable
reason, he seems to have dealt his life in for a better one - with the
exception that Ellen hates him with a passion actually. But him being not
really her husband, he figures he might be able to fix things, as that
other guy seems to have been an absolute asshole, and sane or insane as
Dwight might be, he at least tries to do right ... There are a few
disturbing things though, for one, Dwight does have recollecitons of his
past life, to the point where he hires a private eye (Tim Thomerson) to
find out about it and the asylum he's been kept at, and then Doctor Shaker
appears to him again and again, especially after Dwight finds out he
hasn't even been real back when. And then there are these faceless people
(or shapeshifters?) that follow him everywhere and that want to get hold
of either his body or his soul, he can't be sure of that ... True,
my synopsis of Asylum of Darkness might read like a rather pulpy
piece of psycho horror, and even some of the welcomely old school
creatures and tentacle effects in the film might suggest the same, but in
approach, Asylum of Darkness is something quite unique, a film that
seems to very much enjoy to get lost in its intentionally mazelike plot
only to find shortcuts and detours that one might not even have thought
of, that likes to mix horror with the unapologetically grotesque, and that
refuses to give too simple answers, instead lets the viewers piece
together the story by themselves. This though is all carried by a
restrained directorial effort that invariably puts atmosphere over
spectacle, a solid ensemble cast, and a great use of some classical music
intermingled with the film's enjoyably old school score. Worth a look,
but be warned, this one will probably stay with you for a bit ...
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