A woman struggles for survival beneath a frozen lake while a serial killer stalks her from the surface.A woman struggles for survival beneath a frozen lake while a serial killer stalks her from the surface.A woman struggles for survival beneath a frozen lake while a serial killer stalks her from the surface.
Lauren Mae Shafer
- Rachel
- (as Lauren Shafer)
Arielle Olkhovsky
- Grace
- (as Arielle Kchikian)
Seraphina Anne Zorn
- Sasha
- (as Sarah Zorn)
Tom Trusco
- Wedding Reception
- (as Thomas J. Trusco)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThere are only three words spoken in the entire film.
- GoofsThere would have only been one set of footprints leading from the dive site on the pond and they wouldn't have been the protagonist's. If when her body was discovered, there would have been no explanation for her getting to the pond without being carried.
Featured review
A woman (Lauren Mae Shafer) struggles for survival beneath a frozen lake while a metrosexual killer (David G. B. Brown) stalks her from the surface and we slowly find out they are not strangers.
The mad genius behind this film is writer-producer-director Douglas Schulze, who has been a rising force in the world of indie horror. But although we tend to associate a film mostly with the director, Jonathan D'Ambrosio really deserves as much credit for "Dark Below", with his serving as co-writer, editor and art / production design. His fingerprints are all over this one.
The film has a slim cast, with the most notable name being Veronica Cartwright. The lead, Lauren Mae Shafer, may be building a reputation among horror fans with her roles in "Mimesis" (also from Douglas Schulze and co-starring Brown) and "Secrets in the Walls". A few others show up in flashbacks, but are really unimportant. Shafer virtually carries the entire film on her shoulders.
The creators make a very bold decision going for the complete lack of dialogue, which makes it almost like watching a symphony rather than a film – this, in turn, makes it very much a showcase for composer David Bateman. The modern silent film, as well as the plot of using a woman's expert swimming abilities against her, are absolutely original. Originality is rare in any genre, but especially in horror. (Can we stop making zombie movies yet?)
If any criticism could be thrown at the film, it would be to ask: did it need to be feature-length? Already very short by feature standards, it could have been a longer short film just as effectively. I suppose for marketing purposes, you would prefer to have the feature. Few theaters, at least outside of festivals, screen short films. (Maybe they should.)
All in all, an original and innovative film. It may not appeal to all audiences, but those who want to see something different and who have a little patience (this is not a bloody slasher film) will be rewarded.
The mad genius behind this film is writer-producer-director Douglas Schulze, who has been a rising force in the world of indie horror. But although we tend to associate a film mostly with the director, Jonathan D'Ambrosio really deserves as much credit for "Dark Below", with his serving as co-writer, editor and art / production design. His fingerprints are all over this one.
The film has a slim cast, with the most notable name being Veronica Cartwright. The lead, Lauren Mae Shafer, may be building a reputation among horror fans with her roles in "Mimesis" (also from Douglas Schulze and co-starring Brown) and "Secrets in the Walls". A few others show up in flashbacks, but are really unimportant. Shafer virtually carries the entire film on her shoulders.
The creators make a very bold decision going for the complete lack of dialogue, which makes it almost like watching a symphony rather than a film – this, in turn, makes it very much a showcase for composer David Bateman. The modern silent film, as well as the plot of using a woman's expert swimming abilities against her, are absolutely original. Originality is rare in any genre, but especially in horror. (Can we stop making zombie movies yet?)
If any criticism could be thrown at the film, it would be to ask: did it need to be feature-length? Already very short by feature standards, it could have been a longer short film just as effectively. I suppose for marketing purposes, you would prefer to have the feature. Few theaters, at least outside of festivals, screen short films. (Maybe they should.)
All in all, an original and innovative film. It may not appeal to all audiences, but those who want to see something different and who have a little patience (this is not a bloody slasher film) will be rewarded.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Тьма внизу
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $750,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $7,095
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,526
- Mar 12, 2017
- Gross worldwide
- $7,095
- Runtime1 hour 15 minutes
- Color
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