Movie Type: Supernatural Horror, Psychological Thriller
Themes: Writer's Life, Twins and Lookalikes, Creative Block
Main Cast: Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker, Julie Harris, Robert Joy
Release Year: 1991
Country: US
Run Time: 122 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Marking the first collaboration between horror legends George A. Romero and Stephen King since 1982's Creepshow, this moody, atmospheric adaptation of King's novel was actually completed in 1991, but the highly-publicized bankruptcy of its distributor Orion Pictures in that same year nearly doomed The Dark Half to distribution limbo. King's story revolves around successful author Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton), whose popularity on the college circuit owes a great deal to the financial success of a series of violent pulp thrillers written under the pseudonym of "George Stark." When he decides to cast aside his disreputable alter-ego by "killing" Stark off in a mock ceremony, it precipitates a string of sadistic murders matching those in his pulp novels, which are discovered to be the work of Stark himself (also played by Hutton). Looking like a maniacal white-trash version of his counterpart, Stark is not so willing to quit the writing game -- even if it means coming after Thad's wife (Amy Madigan) and their baby. It's only a matter of time before suspicions turn to Thad, who is the only one who knows the real origins of his hideous twin. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
Review
One of the slighter stories by horror novelist Stephen King becomes one of the better (although by no means the best) of the many film adaptations of his work. The taut script by writer/director George A. Romero, while sacrificing some elements that would have better explained the tale's supernatural elements, keeps the pace humming along briskly, never allowing the audience to chew for too long on the film's more outlandish and logic-defying elements. Timothy Hutton gives a solid performance, if not exactly a riveting one, as the dual central characters (predictably, he works better as the villain than as the vanilla-bland hero). The central premise of The Dark Half (1991) is an absurd one, a variation on the far more terrifying primal-fear concept that fuels the superior Misery (1990). But even seen clearly in the light of day as an artistic also-ran, it's a fun, guilty-pleasure experience for horror and King buffs. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Kent Broadhurst - Mike Donaldson; Chelsea Field - Annie Pangborn; Beth Grant - Shayla Beaumont; Rutanya Alda - Miriam Cowley; Tom Mardirosian - Rick Cowley; Glenn Colerider - Homer Gamache; Royal Dano - Digger Holt; Lamont Arnold - NYC Cop #1; David W. Butler - Trooper #1; William Cameron - Officer Hamilton; David Earle - Officer #2; Christine Forrest - Trudy Wiggins; Lee Hayes - NYC Cop #2; Jeff Howell - Dave; J. Michael Hunter - Garrison; Timothy Hutton - George Stark; Larry John Meyers - Doc Pritchard; Jeff Monahan - Wes; Zachary Mott - Norris Ridgewick; Christina Romero - Little Girl; Rohn Thomas - Dr. Albertson; Elizabeth Parker - Wendy & William Beaumont; Bruce Kirkpatrick - Officer #1; Curt Debor - Trooper #2; Drinda La Lumia - Dodie; Nardi Novak - Pangborn's Receptionist; Erik Jensen - Male Student
Credit
Christine Romero - Associate Producer, Barbara Anderson - Costume Designer, Tom Dubensky - First Assistant Director, Nicholas C. Mastandrea - First Assistant Director, Drew Ann Rosenberg - First Assistant Director, George A. Romero - Director, Pasquale A. Buba - Editor, George A. Romero - Executive Producer, Christopher Young - Composer (Music Score), John Sutton III - Musical Direction/Supervision, Jeannee Josefczyk - Makeup, John Vulich - Makeup, Michael Levine - Camera Operator, Cletus Anderson - Production Designer, James C. Feng - Production Designer, Tony Pierce-Roberts - Cinematographer, Declan Baldwin - Producer, Peter Kuran - Special Effects, George A. Romero - Screenwriter, Stephen King - Book Author
The film revolves around the attempts of writer Thad Beaumont to kill off his pseudonym, George Stark. His pseudonym has become a physical entity and is terrorizing Beaumont's family. SheriffAlan Pangborn of Castle Rock, Maine investigates the situation.
Production
The movie was filmed in part at Washington & Jefferson College, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Notable in the film are the chapel in the Old Main Building, seen at the beginning of the film as Beaumont's classroom, and the office of the college chaplain, used as Beaumont's office. Members of the faculty and student body served as extras in the film.
The film was shot from October 1990 until March 1991 and was in release limbo for several years due to Orion Pictures' bleak financial situation. The film eventually saw release in April 1993, taking in just over $10 million domestically.[1]
