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 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. King and
Romero's fat-free script is intelligent and
tightly paced, but much of the novel's essential
back story -- explaining Stark's supernatural
origins -- is strangely absent. The convincing
performances and Romero's atmospheric direction
lend credibility to the story's balance of
subtle suspense and visceral horror, though the
movie skews slightly off-track during an
overblown apocalyptic climax in which the actors
are assaulted by thousands of birds.
Directed by: George
A. Romero
Written by: George
A. Romero
Produced by: Declan
Baldwin, Christine Forrest, George A. Romero
Original music by:
Christopher Young
Cast:
Patrick Brannan ....
Young Thad Beaumont
Larry John Meyers .... Doc Pritchard
Beth Grant .... Shayla Beaumont
Rohn Thomas .... Dr. Albertson
Molly Renfroe .... Hilary
Judy Grafe .... Head Nurse
John Machione .... Male Nurse
Amy Madigan .... Liz Beaumont
Timothy Hutton .... Thad Beaumont/George Stark
Erik Jensen .... Male Student
Robert Joy .... Fred Clawson
Tom Mardirosian .... Rick Cowley
Rutanya Alda .... Miriam Cowley
Kent Broadhurst .... Mike Donaldson
Glenn Colerider .... Homer Gamache
Christine Forrest .... Trudy Wiggins
Royal Dano .... Digger Holt
Michael Rooker .... Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Nardi Novak .... Pangborn's Receptionist
Zachary Mott .... Norris Ridgewick
William Cameron .... Officer Hamilton
David W. Butler .... Trooper #1
Curt De Bor .... Trooper #2
Drinda Lalumia .... Dodie
Lamont Arnold .... NYC Cop #1
Lee Hayes .... NYC Cop #2
Julie Harris .... Reggie DeLesseps
John Ponzio .... Todd Pangborn
Chelsea Field .... Annie Pangborn
Jack Skelly .... Man in the Hallway
Marc Field .... Donaldson Cop #1
Rik Billock .... Donaldson #2
Bruce Kirkpatrick .... Officer #1
David Early .... Officer #2
Jeff Monahan .... Wes
Jeff Howell .... Dave
Melissa Papp .... Rosalie
J. Michael Hunter .... Garrison
Therese Courtney .... Receptionist
Marty Roppelt .... Young Officer
Sarah Parker .... Wendy Beaumont
Elizabeth Parker .... William Beaumont
