If You Like Dark Castle Films, Then You’ll Love ‘Dark House’ [The Overlooked Motel]
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Today’s pick is sort of a guilty pleasure. It’s not a film that gets everything right. But Darin Scott’s Dark House is an indie effort that has enough going for it to be plenty effective. The film features some great jump scares, several brutal kills, and an imaginative storyline. Though not all of the performances are top-notch, Jeffrey Combs is at his scenery-chewing best as the proprietor of a series of haunted attractions. Moreover, Meghan Ory makes for a compelling final gal who must face off against a malevolent specter and come face to face with childhood trauma. Despite its shortcomings, I consider Dark House an entertaining haunted house horror likely to appeal to fans of the Dark Castle remakes of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s.
The setup for Dark House goes as follows:
The film catches up with Claire (Meghan Ory), an aspiring actor who wants to be on the stage or screen more than anything. The only piece that’s holding her back is a traumatic experience from her childhood. Claire witnessed a massacre at the Darrode House (a foster home for displaced children) as a youngster and her life hasn’t been the same since. Claire takes mental health meds to cope with her trauma. However, she has discontinued her prescription regimen to tap into her emotions more deeply and use those uncomfortable feelings to improve her acting.
Claire’s therapist is worried about her lack of progress and tells her she needs to confront her trauma head-on. So, when Walston Rey (Jeffrey Combs) swings by her acting class and reveals that he’s turned the Darrode House into a spooky attraction, she convinces her peers to sign up to be scare actors at the haunt. After all, it is $300 for a day’s work. And none of her classmates seem to be paying the bills with acting proceeds. So, why not? Things seem normal when Claire and company first arrive at the Darrode House for their new gig. But they eventually discover a malevolent presence has taken control of the dwelling and their odds of escape are becoming less likely with each passing second.
Before I launch right into why you should give Dark House a chance, please allow me a brief moment to offer a blanket disclaimer: Some of the acting is a little rough. The dialogue is sometimes cringe. The color grading isn’t quite as polished as I’d like. And some of the effects and depictions of technology haven’t aged well. However, if you can look past some of the picture’s shortcomings, there’s still plenty to enjoy about this supernatural spook fest. With that in mind, let’s talk about what the film gets right.
Dark House works in spite of its shortcomings
For me, Dark House serves similar energy to the Dark Castle remakes of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. Your mileage may vary, but I am an unapologetic fan of several films from that catalog. Though Scott’s feature lacks the polish and luster of the aforementioned efforts, there are undeniable thematic commonalities. The supernatural specters are similarly vicious and mean-spirited to those from the Dark Castle catalog. The look and feel of the monsters are vaguely reminiscent of the remakes of 13 Ghosts and The House on Haunted Hill. The films from that production house often placed style over substance, and Dark House is similarly noteworthy for its stylized violence, set design, and atmosphere. There may not be a great deal going on beneath the surface, but the presentation here is impressive enough that I’m more than willing to enjoy the film for what it is, rather than what it isn’t.
A strong cast makes the film function effectively
Aside from the great atmosphere and visuals, Dark House also benefits from the presence of Jeffrey Combs as Walston Rey. He’s doing his best Vincent Price impression here. He chews up the scenery left and right, and he seems to be having an absolute blast. I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing the role as effortlessly as he does. As a horror icon, he understands the assignment and delivers on the objective.
Meghan Ory is also a good choice to play final femme Claire. She’s had a fairly successful television career in the years since Dark House, and I’m not surprised. Some of the cast struggle to turn in natural performances, but Claire is a well-rendered character. Ory convincingly conveys the nuance of her character’s fragile psyche. Claire is scripted with a level of depth and balances out her less-dynamic counterparts. Additionally, her backstory comes into play in an impressive way. We learn more about her past as she faces off against the delightfully unhinged Mrs. Darrode in a harrowing third-act showdown. The finale lands way harder knowing what we learn in the final moments.
Speaking of the denouement, Scott really goes for it with the ending. It’s bleak, surprising, and full of viscera. The film builds to a violent crescendo that’s legitimately surprising and more than a little unsettling. I will stop there to avoid spoiling anything. But rest assured that Dark House has at least a couple of surprises in store for first-time viewers.
On the whole:
Dark House delivers a couple of strong performances, lots of gruesome imagery, a high level of imagination, and an atmosphere that feels like it would almost be at home in a Dark Castle production. The film is currently available as a digital download from Amazon. You can also track down a copy of the DVD on the secondary market. Give it a shot! You may just find that the picture’s strengths far outweigh what doesn’t quite work.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you want to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter, Threads, or Instagram.
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