The Dark Power (1985)

I heard about and saw The Dark Power film today as it seemed to be a little different from other horror films that were produced around the mid 1980's.Here is my review which shall contain some spoilers throughout!The Dark Power is set in what seems like southern America and in a location where four American Indians have died many centuries before. A reporter and her cameraman are conjuring up a story for their college project about the history of the area and the curse that it has left behind along with some support from the local ranger Girard.A house where the Indians known as Toltec sorcerers where laid to rest has been built over the same area. A group of sorority girls decide to rent out the house whilst carrying out their studies at a cheap price.Out of the four girls whilst Beth gets a recommendation from reporter Mary her very annoying friend Lynn constantly interrupts their conversation. When Beth and Lynn get to the house and meet up with their other friend Susan and it is not until Lynn meets the fourth girl Tammie, the only black girl we are further annoyed by her outspoken racist and spiteful behaviour. I have to say Lynn's character was probably the most racist one I have ever seen in a horror film although the way the the other girls respond to her is with maturity and dignity.Lynn then plans to pester her enemy Tammie once more by inviting her equally annoying and irrelevant brother Craig to stay at the house and have a party with his friends. When night falls the evil sorcerers rise from the ground and terrorise the sorority girls, Craig and his friends. The ranger Girard arrives at the house to help put an end to all the havoc.I know this film is marketed as a horror film but i didn't really feel as though it was one for the most part it was like a drama mixed with some horror, a little blood and then became quite funny or even silly towards the end. I think the film lost any initial serious tone it had by the half way point however the killers did do some interestingly random things that were not always intentional and were curious as to some of the decisions they would make.It was worth the watch for something out of the ordinary and to see what happens to two very unlikeable characters being the brother and sister Craig and Lynn!I would rate this film 5 out of 10.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow us to introduce to you …. The Toltecs! This ancient Latin American tribe, even preceding the Aztecs, supposedly had the most malevolent and bloodthirsty sorcerers, yet they get their asses whooped by a couple of college floozies and a one-hundred-and-seven-year old lawman with a whip! But before you get to see this, however, you have to struggle through more than 40 minutes of sheer boredom, infantile pranks and sleazy sequences that don't contain any actual sleaze. In case I haven't made myself entirely clear yet: "The Dark Power" is an indescribably cheesy and inept piece of 80's horror crap that still manages to be amusing because of its sheer and somewhat charming stupidity factor. Writer/director Phil Smoot's intentions were obviously admirable, but he – as well as the rest of the cast & crew – lacked the talent and financial means to deliver something even half-decent. Smoot carefully watched "The Evil Dead" and other similar demonic-themed movies, and somehow must have thought he could pull this off as well. The movie opens with an old Indian guy dying in his isolated countryside house; barely speaking out his last word above a whisper … Toltecs. His grandson promptly rents out house to a bunch of college chicks, including a typically 80's aerobics babe, a cute black girl and a racist redneck gal. Soon they will discover why exactly the old Indian lived like a hermit, as he was actually the guardian of an ancient Toltec burial ground. Toltec sorcerers buried themselves alive, only to emerge again thousands of years later and feed on the flesh of the living. And, honestly, is there any better tasting flesh than that of bimbos? As hinted at before already, the first half of "The Dark Power" is terribly lame and sleep-inducing. The clichéd pranks, the retarded dialogs and the ridiculously overlong footage of Lash LaRue swinging around his whip seem to go on forever. Then, the movie loses its last smidgen of credibility when the Toltec sorcerers emerge from the ground. Instead of menacing, they look like drugged out hard rock stars with imbecile masks and drunken gestures. Exactly ONE gory moment is worth mentioning, when a guy's lips are stretched out over his entire skull, but overall even the carnage aspect of this movie is disappointing. The only remotely worthwhile moments are utterly senseless, like when a 9-year-old kid (named Cletus!) goes joyriding with his uncle's truck or when the vulgar naked chick sips beer in the bathtub after working out. Seriously, unless you get turned on by the sight of a 1940's western veteran swinging around his whip at nothing, I'd advise to skip this film.

This was my first movie as "Gaffer," or Chief Lighting Technician, and boy does it show. My apologies to all viewers! Director-Producer Phil Smoot, is one of the nicest guys in the film business, however, and he constantly encouraged everyone to do their best on this little film.One of my fondest memories was working with Lash LaRue. Lash was a consummate professional, full of great stories and patient with our inexperienced crew. I'll never forget how one night, waiting what seemed like hours for a shot to be set up, Lash just sat on an applebox, casually flipping his ever-present whip. There was a roll of toilet paper hanging from the handle of the tripod head mounted on the camera dolly. Lash would flick that whip of his, neatly tearing off one sheet of TP at a time. There was a little pile of single toilet paper sheets, steadily growing as time passed by.Funny how little memories stay with you.

This movie rocks! It has everything! Four evil indian sorcerers, a bunch of college students getting what they deserve, and of course: a heroic park ranger who takes the evil down with nothing but his special whip. The acting isn't that bad for a mid 80's zombie movie. And there is a pretty decent amount of gore. If your a fan of zombie movies..you should at least watch this movie once. And don't use Ranger Girard's weapon, (a whip) or your asking for it, big time.