Eyes in the Dark
Encyclopedia
Eyes in the Dark is a 2010 American horror film written and directed by Bjorn Anderson
. It is filmed in the "found footage
" style.
in a nightmare. He was influenced by Cloverfield
and The Blair Witch Project
to shoot the movie in a similar first-person point-of-view style. Anderson first pitched the idea of the Eyes in the Dark to producers Joseph Cole and Mike Ash in 2007 while finishing their first film, Warrior's End
. Principal photography
was done during the summer of 2008, but additional scenes were filmed later.
, Fright Night Film Fest, Local Sightings, and Killer Film Fest. The movie was released on DVD through Amazon.com
on March 21, 2011.
Bjorn Anderson (director)
Bjorn Anderson is known for producing and directing independent features, and is the owner of the production company, Emerald City Pictures. His films typically feature the picturesque landscapes of Washington State.-Early life:...
. It is filmed in the "found footage
Found footage (genre)
Found footage is a genre of filmmaking, especially horror, in which all or a substantial part of a film is presented as discovered film or video recordings, often left behind by missing or dead protagonists. The events onscreen are seen through the camera of one or more of the characters involved,...
" style.
Plot
The movie follows seven college students as they take a weekend trip to a lodge in the Cascade Mountains. As they film themselves for their video blog, they record some strange occurrences. The students and the lodge's caretaker come across a mysterious cave with strange markings. They soon become hunted by an unknown force with glowing red eyes.Cast
- Wayne BastrupWayne BastrupWayne Bastrup is an American actor and musician. He is known for his lead role in the independent feature filmEyes in the Dark and for being the drummer of the band Gunbunny. Wayne was born the 20th of January 1976, in Port Townsend, Washington, USA. He has a masters degree in Architecture from the...
as Josh Adams - Melissa GoadMelissa Goad-Early life:Melissa-Rae Annette Goad was born July 10, 1982 in Seattle, Washington and grew up in nearby Kent. She was entered in a beauty pageant by her mother at the age of 5, which inspired her to become an actor. She participated in her school's drama programs as she grew up...
as Lacy Meyers - John Symonds as Dean McClaren
- Maureen FranciscoMaureen FranciscoMaureen Francisco is a TV reporter, actor, and public figure. She is known for her role on the reality show Solitary 3.0.-Personal life:Maureen Francisco was born into poverty near Manila, Philippines and lived in a small home with 15 relatives. She moved to the United States with her family at the...
as Heather Conroy - Telisa Steen as Stephanie Miller
- Melinda Ausserer as Allison Stevens
- Jason Robison as John Smith
- Paul EenhoornPaul EenhoornPaul Eenhoorn is an Australian-born actor working in Seattle. Since moving to Seattle, he has quickly grown to be a well-respected actor in the film community there. His work has been seen at many film festivals around the world. Paul played the villain, Mr. Daniels in the family comedy Max Rules...
as Anders - Ernie Joseph as Dr. Steven Monteray
- Charlie Sims as Dr. Wesley Mason
Production
The idea for the film came to director Bjorn AndersonBjorn Anderson (director)
Bjorn Anderson is known for producing and directing independent features, and is the owner of the production company, Emerald City Pictures. His films typically feature the picturesque landscapes of Washington State.-Early life:...
in a nightmare. He was influenced by Cloverfield
Cloverfield
Cloverfield is a 2008 American disaster-monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams and written by Drew Goddard.The film follows six young New Yorkers attending a going-away party on the night that a gigantic monster attacks the city...
and The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
to shoot the movie in a similar first-person point-of-view style. Anderson first pitched the idea of the Eyes in the Dark to producers Joseph Cole and Mike Ash in 2007 while finishing their first film, Warrior's End
Warrior's End
Warrior's End is a 2009 medieval epic film written and directed by Bjorn Anderson and filmed in Washington State.-Plot:While on tour of the northwestern border, the prince of Midea and his companions discover invading armies from neighboring Kilea...
. Principal photography
Principal photography
thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
was done during the summer of 2008, but additional scenes were filmed later.
Release
The film had its world premiere on April 25, 2010 at the Alabama International Film Festival. In 2010, it was also an official selection for Seattle's True Independent Film FestivalSeattle's True Independent Film Festival (STIFF)
Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival was started in 2005 by a group of filmmakers whose feature film Swamper was rejected by the Seattle International Film Festival. STIFF was modeled after the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City UT as a way to champion local and true independent films that...
, Fright Night Film Fest, Local Sightings, and Killer Film Fest. The movie was released on DVD through Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
on March 21, 2011.
Reception
Viewings of the trailer for Eyes in the Dark created curiosity for what the red eyes are. After attending an early, private screening, movie reviewer Jeff Walls said that he “enjoyed the film” and it “was edited together really well.” Just before the DVD release, Reviewer Hal C. F. Astell describes the movie as "astounding" in comparison to big budget movies like Avatar. He goes on to say, "it's refreshing to see such a carefully crafted micro-budget film."External links
- Film director with Island ties premieres independent movie Mercer Island Reporter article