Screenplays
in Production &
On Screen
Darkest Night:
Now Available in U.S. & Canada on Kings of Horror, as well as
on DVD
in Europe
Filmed in a "found video and mock-documentary" style, Darkest Night depicts a family holiday reunion at an isolated home in the Philippine Sagada Mountains. The family's happy time is shattered by bizarre, supernatural and tragic horrors no one can explain. Their house is cut off from civilization and plunged into darkness by forces that shut down much of modern technology. Strange events rapidly spread fear and panic. The area becomes totally isolated.
Then, one by one, the family members die or disappear in weird and
terrifying ways, defying natural laws. The few who are left, including
the main characters, young Susan and her fiancé Ken, struggle for
survival amid family conflicts and dark terrors. They must find out what
is happening to them so they can escape this deadly trap.
Shocked, they finally they discover who their true tormentor is, as well
as how and why these terrible things are happening. Is it too late to
keep the rest of them from dying? Is the fate that awaits them even
worse than death or hell? A mystical book they find seems to hold the
key to controlling unseen dark forces that threaten to unleash ghosts
from an evil past.
Finally, survival depends on Susan and Ken. Can they trust each other,
or even themselves, to contain the fears that threaten to destroy them?
Suspense and mystery keep you unsettled and guessing till the very end,
when they uncover and and confront their real enemy.
This film is a psychological horror story with intense family drama,
suspense, action and terror. It contains a minimum of gore, violence or
graphic special effects. There are no cliché or oft-used thrill
gimmicks. The viewer is led step by step into a dark world of sinister
and fantastical events, where the familiar meets the supernatural, and
your most cherished loved one could be your mortal enemy.
On the surface, Darkest Night is an entertaining and truly
scary thriller, in the best traditions of Asian and American horror
films. However, for those who want to probe deeper, the story has
multiple layers of family relationships, character motivation and
thematic depth. The film also provides insightful commentary on modern
society and how its elements have a corrupting influence on family
relationships.
Darkest Night reveals the potential for evil and domination
that often lurks under the smiling face of family
"togetherness." Even the most outwardly happy of modern families can
hide painful and twisted emotions.
Darkest Night was shot on location in Luzon by
Williams' film company
Gothic
Pictures International.
It screened at the Filipino-American Cinema (FACINE) Film
Festival in San Francisco. The film was released in North
America in July 2013 and is now fully available on
DVD and most VOD platforms, in the U.S. and Canada. It
is availaale now from the
Kings
of Horror YouTube channel.
In addition, the film was recently released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. For more information, see the film's website.
Produced Film: The Last Year
To read about Russ Williams' 2002 produced film The
Last Year, available on DVD, click here.