The Slasher Golden Age began with Halloween in 1978 and ended right around the time a group of protesting moms with too much time on their hands led to the truncated theatrical release of Silent Night, Deadly Night in 1984. Of course, the production of slasher films didn’t stop there. Theses films remained prominent throughout the rest of the decade, only they became even more “economical” (read: indie AF) as time went on. In the early 80s, horror meant quick cash at the box office and even bigger dollar signs came pouring in with the advent of home video. The budgets got lower and the profits larger. Still, there’s nothing as magical as the Golden Age.
With “Keeping it Golden” I aim to chronicle my journey watching every single slasher film from that period, 78′ – 84′. By my calculations (and I’m certain I’m missing a few), there are a total 194 films featuring masked murderers and nubile corpses in the making, and I’m going to watch them all! Sure, some of them are classics I’ve seen a zillion times already (Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street). However, there are plenty that I’ve never gotten around to, or, simply, never knew existed (Fatal Games, The Phantom Killer). For a list of all the films, head here. And, please, if you notice any omissions – let me know.
“Keeping it Golden” #1: Alone in the Dark (1982)
“A mind moving fast is crazy. Mind slow is sane. Mind stopped…is God.” – Donald Pleasence as Dr. Leo Bain
Friday the 13th: Part 3 was released on August 13th, 1982. As I’m sure we’re all aware, this is the film where one Mr. Jason Voorhees discovered his iconic hockey mask. Only three months later, November 12th, 1982, another sicko with a penchant for murder got ahold of one too. The Bleeder might not have been intentionally copying the deformed camper with mommy issues, but it’s safe to say he never earned quite the same reverence in the slasher canon as ol’ Jason. It’s likely the film in question, Alone in the Dark, was in production around the same time as Friday 3, and the dueling hockey masks were simply a coincidence. While, Friday the 13th was a surefire franchise at this point, fledgling New Line Cinema was still looking for their own horror cash cow. Wes Craven and his crispy nightmare demon were still two years away, and producer Robert Shaye was turning to then newbie Jack Sholder for a slasher film to compete in the crowded dead teenager market.
Sholder was a first time writer/director, raring to take a crack at a feature. His script for Alone in the Dark played with a lot of the cliches already inherent in the slasher genre while still managing to elevate the material from just another run of the mill “kids get killed by a psycho” schtick. Sholder presented not just one villain but four! In the film, a young doctor, Dr. Dan Potter, moves his family to a new town for a job he’s secured at the Haven, an out there mental institution ran by the hippie-dippie Dr. Leo Bain (Donald Pleasence…playing an even more off his rocker doc than Loomis from the Halloween series). Bain has interesting ideas in regards to mental health. He believes his patients should be free to make their own decisions and roam about as they please. This philosophy even extends to the murderous psychopaths on the third floor. There are no bars on their windows, and the only thing keeping them from the outside world is an electronic [not so] state of the art security system. And unfortunately for Dr. Potter, the lead loonies believe he not only replaced their previous doctor but that he killed him. When a blackout sends the entire town into darkness, it’s only one helpless security guard and a few flights of stairs between the inmates and their intended victims – Potter and his family.
The setup is simple but much more layered than one would typically expect from the genre. There’s plenty of gold to mine from Pleasence’s conked out portrayal of Dr. Bain in juxtaposition to the uptight Potter. Potter’s family also manages to help add some emotional heft to the story. His wife, Nell, is nervous about his wild sister, Toni, coming to visit. Toni has just recovered from a nervous break and Nell isn’t sure if she can handle it. Their daughter, Lyla, is just about as precocious a child that’s ever been on screen, but the young actress at play manages to make the character far more endearing than such roles tend to be. In fact, a moment late in the film where young Lyla requests a Valium to cope with the mounting tension from the killers circling at the family’s door is easily one of the movie’s standouts.
Of course, we have to talk about the killers! The three main baddies are Erland van Lidth as Fatty, Martin Landau as Preacher, and Jack Palance as Hawkes. It’s astonishing to see such established actors as Landau and Palance supposedly “slumming” it in a genre picture, but they both bring their A games to the roles. Landau as the religious zealot who just can’t help but punish the wicked, never misses a chance to let loose a maniacal laugh capped off with a chillingly demented grin. It’s Palance that steals the show, however. As Hawkes, Palance perfectly portrays a man who could smile in your face one second and just as easily as crush your throat with his bare hands the next. It’s a perfect balancing act between someone who knows they’re crazy, knows they have to pretend not to be crazy, and someone who just doesn’t give a fuck that they’re crazy. The man can (and does) cycle through all three in a matter of one line delivery. It’s chilling and, quite honestly, a performance for the horror film record books that folks have been sleeping on for too long now. He’s really that good.
It doesn’t take long for the entire town to descend into madness after the blackout. The power goes out and people are instantly rioting and looting the local shops. This proves the perfect backdrop for our escaped loonies to stock up on the arsenal they need for their prey. SPOILERS FOLLOW. The Bleeder, which I mentioned up top, is the fourth escaped lunatic whose identity is kept secret. We first see him sporting a stolen hockey mask and ripping out the throat of a rioter with a garden hoe. We learn his moniker is due to the fact his nose bleeds profusely after he’s landed a kill. The fact that we never see his face early on comes into play with a wicked twist actually concocted by the film’s producer, Robert Shaye (also New Line exec). While the film would still work without the addition of this character, it culminates in a moment that pays off in spades during the final act. END SPOILERS.
Ultimately, Alone in the Dark is a smart, suspenseful addition to the Slasher Golden Age (further referred to as SGA). While the bodycount is relatively high and some of the kills are fairly bloody, this isn’t a film for gorehounds. A few bits and bobs of grue should satisfy those with a bloodlust, however. The main draw is easily the performances from Hollywood heavyweights (Palance and Landau) and horror royalty (Pleasence and even Lin Shaye pops in for a fun cameo). Several suspenseful moments will draw you to the edge of your seat. And if you’re like me, a certain jump scare designed by the legend, Tom Savini, will have you practically leaping out of your skin (for reals, it’s a good one). Somewhat early in the slasher cycle, Alone in the Dark doesn’t necessarily play by all the rules (perhaps, because they weren’t all set in stone yet). It features an ending that defies expectations yet feels completely satisfying in a dramatic sense, just not the kind of slam-bang climax audiences would typically expect of this type of film. It’s this elevated approach that makes Alone in the Dark the type of film worth championing…and the perfect start to “Keeping it Golden.”
The Golden Tally:
Bodycount: 10
Jump Scares: 3
Best Murder Sequence: Machete Bed
SGA Tropes: Fake Out Dream Sequence (though, surprisingly from a villain’s perspective), Black Character Dies First, Babysitter Invites Over Boyfriend, Sex Equals Death, Casting Donald Pleasence
Until next week, Keep it Golden!