"In the Dark," a film that was only showcased at the Chicago Underground Film Festival and subsequently relegated, like many other low-budget titles, to obscurity. Despite its lack of visibility and the scarcity of discussion surrounding it, the film is highly intriguing within the realm of early 21st-century independent cinema. It is part of the SOV (Shot on Video) movement and delves into the twin impulses of fascination and fear evoked by voyeurism, facilitated by the use of compact, easy-to-handle cameras. The film's aesthetic oscillates between noir and punk, with elements of mondo and even a feigned found footage style without fully becoming a mockumentary.
Adapted from Richard Layton's novel of the same name, published six years prior, "In the Dark" was shot using low-resolution cameras and live audio, which explains why the only existing copy is of such poor quality. However, this seemingly unfavorable aspect lends the film a rawness that aligns with its dark and challenging narrative. The "flawed" imagery intensifies the themes of disorientation, character manipulation, psychosexual tension, and addiction to the game... As time progresses and images from the video game "Silent Hill" – showing a character running aimlessly – intertwine with the journeys of Jane, the protagonist, a genuine connection is established between the qualities of an avatar and those of the character. Jane becomes a figure led by an invisible, omnipotent being, alien to her reality, and in her relentless search for clue-laden cards and money, the seed of a real, endless, and macabre video game is sown. Each "mission" becomes increasingly surreal and dangerous, leading to a point of no return manifested in the film as an infernal "House of Horrors" (with a poster of a part of hell from "The Garden of Delights" by Bosch included)...
Beyond what has been mentioned, Jane is pursued by various men throughout the film, yet she stands out for her independence and freedom in making decisions. This is ironic since the M.O.G. (Master of the Game) indirectly controls her up to the point of breaking into her room and writing clues all over her body – in a color scene, the only one in the film, which represents a significant formal decision because it's more expensive and signifies a divergence: the transition from game to psychosis. Jane is merely an uninspired character (she's a librarian) guided through a nocturnal landscape of clues and accumulated money that stretches into absurdity. From the invasion of the "House of Horrors," the film becomes something volatile, continuously exploring its own potential for cliché (in a positive sense), reaching a point where the game loses its original purpose (to earn money) and becomes the machine that sustains Jane's life and keeps the film moving... Advancing to the next point and continuing to move forward with new information without reaching any destination (like the avatar from Silent Hill). From the morbid to the psychological drama, through a series of messages written on paper and flesh, "In the Dark" makes notable use of emptiness (emotional, physical, in the number of locations, in the characters...) ultimately highlighting its precariousness.
