The Ghost and the Darkness

The Ghost and the Darkness


Starring:Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer, Tom Wilkinson, John Kani, Bernard Hill, Brian McCardie, Emily Mortimer, Om Puri, Henry Cele, Kurt Egelhof, Satchu Annamalai, Teddy Reddy, Raheem Khan, Jack Devnarain, Glen Gabela, Richard Nwamba, Nick Lorentz, Alex Ferns, Kaycey Padayachee, Giles Masters
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Studio: Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Val Kilmer stars as Lt. Col. John Patterson, a 19th-century Irish engineer drafted by Britain's railroad bosses to build a trestle bridge over an African river, thus expanding the empire a tiny bit more. In Tsavo, Patterson is instantly hailed for killing a man-eating lion that had been making life hell for native workers. But morale sinks when a pair of unstoppable big cats devour more men and destroy the project. Along comes an Ahab-like, expatriate American hunter (Michael Douglas) to help Patterson face the almost preternatural powers of the two killers. The script by William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) is based on fact, though the film owes more to Spielberg (specifically to Jaws) than history. There are also suggestive echoes of Kipling and Conrad in the material and characters, and there are hints of emotional complexity and psychological nuance that make one wish this could have been a great film instead of a merely fun one. --Tom Keogh
The Ghost and the Darkness
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!
  • great
  • The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie
  • Kilmers best
  • BEFORE DAKTARI
The Ghost and the Darkness
Starring: Michael Douglas , Val Kilmer , Tom Wilkinson , John Kani , and Bernard Hill
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305181926
Release Date: 1998-12-01

Amazon.com

Val Kilmer stars as Lt. Col. John Patterson, a 19th-century Irish engineer drafted by Britain's railroad bosses to build a trestle bridge over an African river, thus expanding the empire a tiny bit more. In Tsavo, Patterson is instantly hailed for killing a man-eating lion that had been making life hell for native workers. But morale sinks when a pair of unstoppable big cats devour more men and destroy the project. Along comes an Ahab-like, expatriate American hunter (Michael Douglas) to help Patterson face the almost preternatural powers of the two killers. The script by William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) is based on fact, though the film owes more to Spielberg (specifically to Jaws) than history. There are also suggestive echoes of Kipling and Conrad in the material and characters, and there are hints of emotional complexity and psychological nuance that make one wish this could have been a great film instead of a merely fun one. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!.......2007-06-29

Saw this movie from Netflix and have now decided to buy it. I've just returned from a safari to Namibia where we heard the lions roaring in the night not far from our camp. NOTHING puts the fear of God into you more than that, all that separates you from them is your puny canvas tent. Our safari guide had seen the movie as well and we talked about it that night around the fire. He is himself a lion tracker in that if his family ranch is threatened by a lion, they do track it down. When Kilmer and Douglas are sitting at night listening to the lion still roaring and laugh about it, you just know that something more is going to happen. And boy does it ever!!! The music soundtrack is great, I especially like the interaction between Kilmer and the guy who played Shaka Zulu in the mini series. ALso the innocent Scottish missionary's part is rather poignant. I don't care if it is hokey, or a typical Hollywood production, the story IS real, the lions ARE on display in the Field museum in Chicago and it evokes the feel of the African savannah perfectly.

4 out of 5 stars great.......2007-06-16

Movie was great. I would highly recommend this for any movie waycher.

5 out of 5 stars The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie.......2007-04-28

I was merely 12 years old way back in 1950s when I first read the book: The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by Lt.Colonel J.H. Patterson, DSO. Later in life, I wished this book could be made into a movie, and my dream really came true when I purchased the DVD. This movie is based entirely on the book by English railway bridge builder, John Patterson.
Ironically, the pair of male lions as depicted in the movie was borrowed from a zoo farm in Alberta, Canada. These lions were fully mane. But in the book, John Patterson described those two lions as lean and maneless...! As factually, most lions in Tsavo of Kenya don't have the beautiful mane unlike their cousins in other parts of Africa. This is unusual, maneless male lions because only females don't spot a mane. The movie will keep you on the edge of your chair from the beginning to the end - never a dull moment. I consider this as the best thrilling movie ever made in the wilds of Africa, especially at this time when the public is conscious about nature conservation. Too bad that when the movie was made in early 1900s, surround sound was not a popular feature and therefore not included, otherwise the roars of these two persistent man-eaters in the dead of the African night would be very nighmarish in our den when we watch the movie...! Yes, these two lions did chomp more than a hundred railway workers that at one stage they were compelled to quit until the pair was finally hunted down. John finally skinned the two man-eating lions and sold their skins and bones to the field museum at Springfield, Illioness. This pair of mounted, maneless notorious man-eating lions are still there for everyone to see and contemplate.
This classic movie depicting a strange aspect of yesterday-Africa is historically true and thus highly recommended. So go for it while it is still available. Cheers...!

5 out of 5 stars Kilmers best.......2007-04-14

This movie is a very good movie.One of Val Kilmers best not to mention it is based on a true story. About two man eating lions of course there is some blood so don't let little kids watch this. A very suspensfull film a lot of good action and it is not slow either

5 out of 5 stars BEFORE DAKTARI.......2007-04-13

William Goldman, the screenwriter of THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is a novelist who also writes for Hollywood for more than 40 years now. His most known original screenplays are those of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Special Edition), Marathon Man and Maverick. When you see the name of William Goldman on the list of credits of a film, you know for sure that there will be more in the movie than meets the eye.

Now, when I read here reviews that destroy the GHOST AND THE DARKNESS by pointing out that the lions in the film don't act like real lions, I feel sad and sorry for these reviewers. It's like hating a Picasso painting because the faces of its characters are misshappen. The characters or events pictured in a fiction movie have a life of their own that should convey the artistic vision of the director or the screenwriter. If the lions don't act like in a documentary film, it's simply because the authors of the film wanted them to be larger than life.

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is one of the best adventure movies I've seen in a long time. Lavishly photographed by the multi-awarded Vilmos Zsigmond, with an effective musical score by Jerry Goldsmith, the film shows the duel that opposes two highly symbolic couples. This duel quickly overshadows the subplots such as the difficulties to build a bridge in the African savanna or to maintain order in a multiethnic team. Two solitary lions, without any links with a herd, fight two men, away from their family or, for Charles Remington, without any family at all. And now you can try to figure out what the movie is really about : is it a film about the couple civilization/nature or a film dealing with some of our most ancestral fears ? or is it even about something else ? If a film can raise such questions, it surely deserves a little consideration.

A DVD for your library.



Left In Darkness
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • At least it cost as much to buy as to rent it.
  • Awesome Original "Horror" Flick
  • Unusual horror offering
  • For a Direct to DVD, this is actually a fairly good story and movie
  • THE VIEWER IS LEFT IN DARKNESS
Left In Darkness
Starring: Monica Keena , David Anders , Tim Thomerson , Tarah Paige , and Chris Engen
Director: Steven R. Monroe
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FS2W62
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Description

Her mother died in childbirth, and she always felt responsible for the tragedy. When her father disappeared, her grandparents raised her. As she got older, her sense of guilt grew deeper. And on the night of her 21st birthday, Celia (Monica Keena of FREDDY VS. JASON) is drugged, raped and dies of an accidental overdose at a wild college frat party. But for some, death is only the beginning: Trapped in a netherworld between sanctuary and damnation, Celia must now battle the demons — including hordes of horrific Soul Eaters — that prowl the Afterlife. Is the spirit of her recently deceased grandfather (Tim Thomerson of TRANCERS) trying to lure her to an eternity of suffering? Can her guardian angel (David Anders of ALIAS ) safely lead her to the other side? And for a young woman caught in limbo, is there any way to go towards the light when your soul is LEFT IN DARKNESS?

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars At least it cost as much to buy as to rent it. .......2007-04-22

Monica Keena's colagen lips were bigger than this movie's budget. The acting was decent considering its poor script and dialogue- Way to go Monica. No monsters. No darkness. Heaven and Hell consists of nothing more than recycled scenes. Nothing is scarier than realizing how much time you wasted watching it. There's no deep spiritual realization that everyone else claims. - Overall this film was lame. Rent "High Tension" if you're looking for fright or "Kolobus" for lower budget horror. Both
are great!!!

5 out of 5 stars Awesome Original "Horror" Flick.......2007-02-01

Not your typical horror flick, and that's a good thing.
I enjoyed the actors and really cared about them.
The story had be hooked from the beginning and there were some creepy and scary moments. This movie also makes you think about life and death and is not one of those brainless blockbuster teen horror movies that make it to every movie screen. Instead, do some research and support independent horror movies. You'd do yourself a favor locating this gem.

4 out of 5 stars Unusual horror offering.......2007-01-20

I saw this film on the Zone Horror channel a few nights back and was pleasantly surprised at how good it actually was.
Basically the plot sees a young girl - Celia(played by Monica Keenan) going to a party. There she gets slipped a date rape drug, gets raped, and dies as a result of overdosing on this drug. Coming too on another plane which is somewhere between Heaven and Hell, she is horrified to learn that she is dead. Worse this plane is full of zombie like 'Soul Eaters' who like nothing more than to snack out on the souls of the recently deceased if they can catch them... Among these soul eaters is the spirit of her deceased grandfather (Tim Thomerson - Near Dark, Trancers) who attempts to devour her soul by at first trying to trick her. Luckily for the deceased girl, there is a sanctuary of light created around the deceased which lasts for a few hours, and this light keeps these creatures at bay. However, the deceased can step out of it, and this light has the disconcerting habit of moving around every so often too.
Also on this strange plane of existence, Celia encounters a young man (played by David Anders) who appears to be a Guardian Angel of sorts and offers her help and advice in how to deal with the immediate danger and what she should do on a more long term basis. She also meets the souls of her mother and grandmother, and both also give her advice as to what she should do.

Having to make difficult and potentially damning choices, often in the heat of the moment, makes for a very difficult and dangerous experience, indeed. Just whose advice should Celia trust and are the beings that she encounters actually what they seem?
This is a tense and atmospheric little film with a very unusual setting and storyline which make it quite original in fact.
I actually quite enjoyed it and would recommend it to other viewers, wanting a horror film that is a little different.

5 out of 5 stars For a Direct to DVD, this is actually a fairly good story and movie.......2006-10-23

The story is really not that complicated and convoluted. A young girl meets an imaginary friend who would be there with her as she grows up. When she goes to a party at the age of 21 she is drugged, raped, and killed. But she doesn't go to heaven or hell, more like a world in between (something akin to the movie Jacob's Ladder) where there are angels and demons waiting to either help her or destroy her. What she goes through is a spirited battled with creatures that would possess the soul, ravage the soul, and enslave the soul. At first you want to tell the main character to stop running around like a chicken with a head cut off. But I digress, by the midpoint of the story, you are really drawn into the characters and the mystical and horrific world the young woman's soul is in. While this is not a Christian film, I would have to say that there are some overtones that could be considered "Christian" in some sense...such as the idea of spiritual warfare, the idea of there being demons and devils that want to tempt you, torture you, and bring you down to the ground; while there is a LIGHT that draws you toward it ("God" in a sense) that wants to bring you into salvation. Again, let me reiterate, this is not a Christian movie but it does have a lot of interesting overtones that really need to be examined and considered. I really enjoyed this movie (the movie isn't perfect, but I feel sure that it should be given five stars). I think that if you enjoy horror and if you enjoy intelligent horror even more so, then you'd get a real pleasure out of watching this movie.

2 out of 5 stars THE VIEWER IS LEFT IN DARKNESS.......2006-09-28

A sprightly convincing performance from talented Monica Keena (THE SIMIAN LINE) is the saving grace of this rather distraught and disconnected thriller. Producer Stephen J. Cannell (WISE GUY, A-TEAM, IT WAITS, THE GARDEN) obviously was hoping the film's mystical undertones would elevate it above the usual genre flicks, but it's contrived script and lack of a central focus ultimately drags it down.
The story focuses on Keena, a young girl celebrating her 21st birthday;she has felt guilt all her life because her mother died in childbirth. At a wild frat party, she is drugged, raped and killed; she returns in a sort of middleworld awaiting her ultimate fate to heaven or hell. Her lifelong "secret friend" Donovan (David Anders) shows up to help guide her and she even runs into her deceased grandfather (the ubiquitous Tim Thomerson) and her mother and grandmother as well. Not to mention the "soul eaters" who are after her.
It's all convoluted and doesn't make a whole lot of sense, with an ending that comes out of nowhere without a satisfying resolution.
Not the worst of the recent spate of horror flicks, but not one of the best either.
Darkness Falls (Special Edition)
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Alot better than people are saying it is here
  • Just another horror movie, not so bad !
  • Way better than everyone thinks
  • We should be safe here
  • tooth fairy reeks havoc!
Darkness Falls (Special Edition)
Starring: Chaney Kley , Emma Caulfield , Lee Cormie , Grant Piro , and Sullivan Stapleton
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008LUNW
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com

Humanity's fear of the dark provides Darkness Falls with some anxiety and fuels some jolts of fear from things popping out of nowhere. A kindly woman, who used to give children gold coins in exchange for their lost baby teeth, was hanged for a murder she didn't commit; in her last moments she laid a curse on the town (which has the unlikely name of Darkness Falls). So over the years the ghost of this woman has murdered various children because they saw her when she came to collect their teeth. In the present day, a boy who evaded her clutches returns to town as an adult in order to help the young brother of his childhood sweetheart--and from there this incoherent, inane movie is one long chase sequence without a glimmer of imagination or intelligence. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Kyle Walsh (Chaney Kley) must return home to confront his troubled past and save his childhood sweetheart Caitlin (Emma Caulfied), and her younger brother (Lee Cormie), from an unrelenting evil that has plagued the town of Darkness Falls for more than one hundred and fifty years.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Alot better than people are saying it is here.......2007-05-23

I liked this movie and in my opinion, was presented the way the orginal fairy tale of the tooth fairy was written. Orginal fairy tales were written for adults with "adult subject matter" to them. Fairy tales were never written for children (Grimm Fairy Tales), hence that is why this was made into a horror film. The story was written well and also presented well on screen. It does have it's scares and "jumps" in this one just like all good horror movies have. See this movie for yourself and make up your own mind. I liked it "horror fairy tale" is what made it very different. I highly recommend this movie to anyone that loves "adult fairy tales" and horror movies combined.

2 out of 5 stars Just another horror movie, not so bad !.......2007-01-04

Not the worst I have ever seen, but not the best. You don't have to wait half an hour to get into action. The movie itself last an hour and fifteen minutes ...On a good home cinema, I must say that the sound is pretty good, prepare yourself to jump a few times ! The filmmakers had succeed in creating a tension that is almost omni-present. Not that bad but not a masterpiece to add to your DVD collection eighter.

5 out of 5 stars Way better than everyone thinks.......2006-09-17

I was very plesantly surprised by this movie. Very few horror movies in the last 15 years are well done or provide an interesting and scary antagonist as well as having an original, creative storyline. This is definitely one of the better horror movies to come out in the last 5-10 years. The opening montage [...] in right away and is superbly done, and the witch and darkness are enough to carry this through. It's an enjoyable horror movie that provides a great premise. The acting is slightly above average and certainly nothing insulting. 5 stars for what will provide me much entertainment well into the future upon repeated viewings. Also, listen to the director's commentary and deleted scenes. They always make you appreciate a movie more.

2 out of 5 stars We should be safe here.......2006-09-13

How many times in this movie did a minor character say the words "We should be safe here" about 1 second before he or she is wisked away by the 'tooth fairy'? At least 6 times and it became so tiresome to hear that line and know what was coming before he or she finished speaking. This movie stunk. I gave it 2 stars because the 'tooth fairy' was something of a well done evil creature. None of the main characters had any redeeming value.

3 out of 5 stars tooth fairy reeks havoc!.......2006-07-08

A phantom who takes the last baby tooth of every child in the town....and if you make the mistake of peeking at her, you're doomed!

There are only two good things about this movie:
1. Plot -A demented tooth fairy out for blood!
2. The mask worn by the demented tooth fairy.

I loved the idea of taking such a pleasant child hood tale and twisting it into a demented story, but the movie itself was bland. It might have been a bit better if they expanded to it cover more victims....and not had her only chasing a small group of boring people. It almost seemed beneath her to keep chasing the older guy. I kept thinking, "Just kill him and be done with it already! There are so many more people to terrorize."
Darkness (Unrated Version)
Average customer rating: 2 out of 5 stars
  • I actually made the mistake of seeing this in the theater.
  • DARKNESS a thriller a t it's best
  • Time for something relevant in regards to this movie...
  • HORRIBLE! WORTHY OF 0 STARS
  • I didnt HATE this movie.....
Darkness (Unrated Version)
Starring: Anna Paquin , Lena Olin , Iain Glen , Giancarlo Giannini , and Fele Martínez
Director: Jaume Balagueró
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JNBN
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Description

There's something in this house...Something ancient and dark that remains still, hidden and silent. It can only wait, having been concealed in the shadows for years. In fact, its milieu is darkness. Only in it can it show itself and move. It even takes its name: DARKNESS. It's lived here since someone tried to call it, more than forty years ago. Because this house hides a secret, a terrible past, an inconceivably evil act. Seven children, faceless people, a circle that must be completed. And blood, lots of blood... But something went wrong. One of the children got away. The circle wasn't completed. That's why what lives here isn't finished. It's just waiting...It tries to carry out what it couldn't before, making plans in the shadows, to become complete, to be, to exist. A new family has just moved into the house. A small child. An unstable father capable of losing his temper at any time. A perfect target. The right place at the right time. The pieces only have to be put in place. And then wait. Maybe the family's daughter will be able to discover the truth; the dark secret of the past, the sinister conspiracy, the truth about what threatens them. Why is the father getting worse? What is her little brother afraid of? Why doesn't her mother listen to her? And why do the lights keep going out? It could be that nothing happens by chance, that everything has been worked out from the start. A devilish plan, precise and exact like a time-bomb. Her father's illness, the house, the circles, the children. Perhaps she can foresee darkness' master stroke of play and the inevitable destiny that is closing in on her family. But maybe it's too late....

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars I actually made the mistake of seeing this in the theater. .......2007-02-22

This movie is pointless and horrible. I wanted to walk out of the theater halfway through it, and I was actually embarrassed that I picked the movie and I was making other people who were with me sit through it.

5 out of 5 stars DARKNESS a thriller a t it's best.......2007-01-12

evil can not only use adults for its own purpose it uses young children if it has the slightest chance and it will
A+++++

4 out of 5 stars Time for something relevant in regards to this movie..........2006-12-16

First off, I have spent a bit of time glancing at many of the reviews on this website. I find many of them unfair and lacking evidence to state their cases. In my opinion, I just don't think that some people put the effort into understanding this movie as they should have done.

If you pay VERY close attention to the story line, the terror of it is insurmountable. The effect of the story is very conveying, weighing down on your mind and ultimately, sending a chill down your spine. Sure, this plot line may have been seen a million times before. But, in this day and age, what is original anymore?

Another set of complaints was how the cast was terrible. I will concede that the cast could have been a bit better acted. But, hey, it works. The cast's acting did nothing to draw attention away from the central story line. Sorry if all film companies can't hire actors like Sarah Michelle Gellar or anything. This is the best that they can do everyone. Cut them a little slack.

As the old saying goes, "don't judge a book by it's cover." This is very true in regards to this movie. If you just look on the surface of the movie, sure, you are going to hate it. But, if you take the time to look inwards and see the terrifying plot that lies within, I guarantee that you will find this movie rather enjoyable.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

1 out of 5 stars HORRIBLE! WORTHY OF 0 STARS.......2006-10-29

This was absolutely the WORST, most annoying movie I have ever seen. I would give it no stars, but that isn't possible. Anna Paquin is one of the worst, most annoying actresses of all time, and she gives what is undoubtedly her absolute worst performance in this movie. The acting in the parts of the mother and father are horrific and incredibly annoying as well. I am labeling this the worst movie I have ever seen, and trust me because I am a fan of bad horror movies...

3 out of 5 stars I didnt HATE this movie............2006-10-27

I didnt HATE this movie, and this moive didnt SUCK.... I gave 'Darkness' 3 stars instead of 2 for three reasons:

A) You cant choose 2 1/2 stars and
B) Visually, the creepiness works
C) The cast is actually quite better than they come across....

But not even Anna Paquin, Lena Olin, Iain Glen, and Giancarlo Giannini can save this film from becoming a lukewarm mess. The story has been done a million times before, and usually with far better results. This is "The Others" meets "Amityville" meets every 'modern man tries to bring Satan forth into modern times' film ever made.

This film had such potential, but, like many of it's ilk, that potential is never realized. Iain Glen is highly convincing as the father slowly losing his mind, but, at times it comes across over-acted. Lena Olin comes off stiff as the mother....probably because she realizes NO mother would be that uninterested in the lives of her children. Anna Paquin and Giannini turn in the only performances worth noting, yet Paquin is forced to carry the entire film, and she seems to be the only person that genuinely cares about the outcome (its also pretty off-putting that both her mother and father have an accent, as does her little brother, but she sounds all-American...yet we're supposed to believe that daddy moved from Spain to the US at a very young age, and that little brother has known ONLY the USA as home).

The creepiness of this film, in its editing techniques, use of sound and lighting, is the saving grace....a saving grace that leads up to an ending that can only be called a letdown.
Darkness
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • This is really poor
  • Dire
  • Anna Paguin witness it.....are you ready as well?
  • ONE OF THE WORST MOVIES EVER MADE
  • Creepy
Darkness
Starring: Anna Paquin , Lena Olin , Iain Glen , Giancarlo Giannini , and Fele Martínez
Director: Jaume Balagueró
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video
Haunted HouseHaunted House | By Theme | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video
SuspenseSuspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
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GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
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Glen, IainGlen, Iain | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Olin, LenaOlin, Lena | ( O ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Paquin, AnnaPaquin, Anna | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
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Similar Items:
  1. The Grudge
  2. Boogeyman (Special Edition)
  3. The Ring Two (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
  4. The Exorcism of Emily Rose - Unrated (Special Edition)
  5. Dark Water (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B0007MCQQ2
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Description

This hit thriller teams Anna Paquin (X-MEN) with Lena Olin (HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE, CHOCOLAT) and Iain Glen (RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE, LARA CROFT: TOMBRAIDER) as a family whose life forever changes when they move into a new home with an ancient secret! Not long after Regina (Paquin) begins living in her family's remote country estate, she learns that there's something horribly disturbing about the old place. Even as her parents dismiss her concerns, strange things begin to happen whenever the lights go out. Soon Regina realizes that a series of escalating supernatural events will unleash the full evil that resides in their house!

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars This is really poor.......2006-11-23

I have never seen such a bad horror film. The storyline is absurd. The scares are few and far between. The film uses light and shade but little in the way of creepy special effects. If you find the silhouettes of children in a house on a thundery night scary, this is for you. For me it was very tedious indeed and the storyline didn't make any sense either

1 out of 5 stars Dire.......2006-09-30

When you're on holiday with your parents, there's not much to do at nights. Pay ridiculous prices for a small glass of alcohol, or find some other form of entertainment. The hotel we were at had it's own DVD player in the room, so we decided to rent a movie. The hotel had it's own renting service, so the three of us looked through a big binder of DVDs, to see what took our fancy. Could we decide on a single film? Normally, my dad & I like similar films, but my mum doesn't. And most of them, I'd either seen & owned, or wasn't interested. But then a cover that looked mighty familiar jumped out at me. I knew I hadn't seen it, and I couldn't read the blurb as it was in Dutch - I think - so I couldn't jog my memory that I'd already read one review that tore this film to pieces.

We chose Darkness. As soon as I put it on, I realised my mistake. I knew exactly what this film was, but was determined to sit through it. I dozed off during the first quarter of the film, then my mum fell asleep after I woke up, and went to bed, but Dad & I stayed up to watch it.

And watch it.

There's nothing good that can be said about Darkness. A good cast of actors (Anna Paquin, Lena Olin & Iain Glen) were just lost in a heavy script, which made no sense, plus it had elements of a Japanese horror movie, and elements of The Shining. It picked up about three quarters of the way through, but lost the thread again, and Dad & me ended up severely frustrated by the whole thing. It made no sense, and the trailer, which promised at so much, was a major let down.

I have absolutely no idea why this film is getting five star reviews on Amazon. You're all crazy. When not one, but TWO people fall asleep during the movie, there's got to be something said about awful it is.

Never again will I choose a film cos I find the cover familiar.

4 out of 5 stars Anna Paguin witness it.....are you ready as well? .......2005-10-24

Fear is an individual thing as far as what scares the soul in us to such a degree that it will continue to haunt us long after we witness it, or in this case, the movie. It seems that from reading the reviews here that the notion of 'fear' is so diverse that we can basically place them into two groups. First we have the new wave horror thriller type movies that the current generation of youngsters seems to relate to and rave about like Soul Survivors or Urban Legends where the fear is forced upon you for the purpose of creating excitement to the paying viewers. The filming angles is an obvious giveaway, like the victims hope you get scared as well. Thus the terror just doesn't seem real at all but since these kids have grown accustomed to the type of horror where blood gore and half nude sexy girls is the requirement on the menu to wet your pallet, then it is good enough. Second is the type of terror that knows how to tap within our fears where there are no boundaries as it grows until the climax is ultimately reach but it will continue on. Your body and mind will feel that blood chilling and un-nerving fear, that you will not be able to go to sleep without worrying what might happen next long after witnessing it. Thus the nightmares begins. This is horror in that old school tradition where our fear are genuine, pure and simple.

Genuine horror is something that youngsters have find difficult to grasp because they are incapable to understand the true nature of fear. They are expecting to be force fed with an onslaught of chills and excitement to satisfy their brainwash pallets so they won't feel rip off for spending money to see it. Fear has a price that money can't touch. We have boat loads of bad movies in the name of horror. If viewers don't get what they expect, then they will complain that it was not scary enough or at all, or it don't make sense...yada yada blah. They just don't get it.

With that said, this movie did scare me in a way that i haven't been been scared in such a long time. It seems to stayed with me when i am alone in the dark that i have not yet been able to shake off. Maybe it's the atmospherics feel which it presents itself. The cinematography is utterly outstanding here...a very important element. The director Jaume Balagueno knows what he is doing in this movie and the point come across quite well by understanding how fear works which he accomplished the right way, without hollywood telling him what to do or else. I have to say that the quiet star in this movie, Anna Paguin, was brilliant as she tries to discover the underlining dark secrets from the past. She is really underrated as an actress because her performance was sensational as she showcase her honest expressions of inner fear that will have you believing...very ethentic. Her looks is made for horror movies, as the victim unfortunately. The latest Amityville Horror remake just didn't get it right like the original one did...they can learn a thing or two from Darkness.

I have seen both the rated and unrated version which there are some noticeable additional footage for added creepiness. Being the owner of the unrated version, i do feel compelled to own the original one as well due to the possible future designation of this movie to be label as a horror genre classic after a few years. Seeing the original on the big screen was worthwhile because it had me trembling in my shoes so I have to say it does make a different whether you watch it in the theater or at home. If you watch it at home, just set up the home theater 5 way speaker system to a nice setting, turn out the lights and be prepared. Your journey into the world of fear is about to begin.

I do recommend Darkness if you are a true fan of horror who can appreciate what fear is and is not. It might creep the daylights out of you when you least expected and stir your mind to wonder what is next, not forced upon just to see you jump. Keep in mind, this is not a great horror movie but it is one of the better ones that i haven't seen in a long time and has the making to become a classic. We just have to wait and see for now. The 'Spotlight Review' above, more or less, understand what i am talking about. If you really want to see top notch horror of the supernatural at its finest, then check out Rosemary's Baby which i also wrote a review on awhile back. That one will put you in a state of fear for a long while after you witness it because it will change you. In fact, you might want to think twice before viewing it because not everyone can handle the terror that awaits if you do.

1 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE WORST MOVIES EVER MADE.......2005-09-21

Enjoyable to people with the IQ of 90 or below, & the scare tolerence of a little child.

3 out of 5 stars Creepy.......2005-07-17

This movie may only have a little violence, but more terror. What sucked: There was not a twist in the end! Why, why, why!?
Charlie Rose with Kurt Russell; Woody Harrelson; Val Kilmer (December 5, 1996)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Charlie Rose with Kurt Russell; Woody Harrelson; Val Kilmer (December 5, 1996)

    Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    ( C )( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
    All TitlesAll Titles | Charlie Rose Store | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
    ASIN: B000IU3626
    Release Date: 2006-09-28

    Description

    First, Kurt Russell talks about his new film Escape from L. A. the sequel to 1981's Escape from New York Then, Woody Harrelson discusses his efforts to legalize industrial hemp and his newest comedy about bowling, Kingpin. Finally, Val Kilmer speaks about his newest thriller, a film entitled The Ghost in the Darkness.
    The Ghost and the Darkness [Region 2]
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!
    • great
    • The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie
    • Kilmers best
    • BEFORE DAKTARI
    The Ghost and the Darkness [Region 2]
    Starring: Michael Douglas , Val Kilmer , Tom Wilkinson , John Kani , and Bernard Hill
    Director: Stephen Hopkins
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    ThrillersThrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
    Cele, HenryCele, Henry | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Douglas, MichaelDouglas, Michael | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Hill, BernardHill, Bernard | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Kani, JohnKani, John | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Kilmer, ValKilmer, Val | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    McCardie, BrianMcCardie, Brian | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Mortimer, EmilyMortimer, Emily | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Puri, OmPuri, Om | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Wilkinson, TomWilkinson, Tom | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Hopkins, StephenHopkins, Stephen | ( H ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
    ( G )( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
    Similar Items:
    1. The Saint
    2. The Edge
    3. The Man-Eaters of Tsavo (Peter Capstick Library Series)
    4. Congo
    5. The Island of Dr. Moreau (Unrated Director's Cut)

    ASIN: B0000579BX

    Amazon.com

    Val Kilmer stars as Lt. Col. John Patterson, a 19th-century Irish engineer drafted by Britain's railroad bosses to build a trestle bridge over an African river, thus expanding the empire a tiny bit more. In Tsavo, Patterson is instantly hailed for killing a man-eating lion that had been making life hell for native workers. But morale sinks when a pair of unstoppable big cats devour more men and destroy the project. Along comes an Ahab-like, expatriate American hunter (Michael Douglas) to help Patterson face the almost preternatural powers of the two killers. The script by William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) is based on fact, though the film owes more to Spielberg (specifically to Jaws) than history. There are also suggestive echoes of Kipling and Conrad in the material and characters, and there are hints of emotional complexity and psychological nuance that make one wish this could have been a great film instead of a merely fun one. --Tom Keogh

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!.......2007-06-29

    Saw this movie from Netflix and have now decided to buy it. I've just returned from a safari to Namibia where we heard the lions roaring in the night not far from our camp. NOTHING puts the fear of God into you more than that, all that separates you from them is your puny canvas tent. Our safari guide had seen the movie as well and we talked about it that night around the fire. He is himself a lion tracker in that if his family ranch is threatened by a lion, they do track it down. When Kilmer and Douglas are sitting at night listening to the lion still roaring and laugh about it, you just know that something more is going to happen. And boy does it ever!!! The music soundtrack is great, I especially like the interaction between Kilmer and the guy who played Shaka Zulu in the mini series. ALso the innocent Scottish missionary's part is rather poignant. I don't care if it is hokey, or a typical Hollywood production, the story IS real, the lions ARE on display in the Field museum in Chicago and it evokes the feel of the African savannah perfectly.

    4 out of 5 stars great.......2007-06-16

    Movie was great. I would highly recommend this for any movie waycher.

    5 out of 5 stars The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie.......2007-04-28

    I was merely 12 years old way back in 1950s when I first read the book: The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by Lt.Colonel J.H. Patterson, DSO. Later in life, I wished this book could be made into a movie, and my dream really came true when I purchased the DVD. This movie is based entirely on the book by English railway bridge builder, John Patterson.
    Ironically, the pair of male lions as depicted in the movie was borrowed from a zoo farm in Alberta, Canada. These lions were fully mane. But in the book, John Patterson described those two lions as lean and maneless...! As factually, most lions in Tsavo of Kenya don't have the beautiful mane unlike their cousins in other parts of Africa. This is unusual, maneless male lions because only females don't spot a mane. The movie will keep you on the edge of your chair from the beginning to the end - never a dull moment. I consider this as the best thrilling movie ever made in the wilds of Africa, especially at this time when the public is conscious about nature conservation. Too bad that when the movie was made in early 1900s, surround sound was not a popular feature and therefore not included, otherwise the roars of these two persistent man-eaters in the dead of the African night would be very nighmarish in our den when we watch the movie...! Yes, these two lions did chomp more than a hundred railway workers that at one stage they were compelled to quit until the pair was finally hunted down. John finally skinned the two man-eating lions and sold their skins and bones to the field museum at Springfield, Illioness. This pair of mounted, maneless notorious man-eating lions are still there for everyone to see and contemplate.
    This classic movie depicting a strange aspect of yesterday-Africa is historically true and thus highly recommended. So go for it while it is still available. Cheers...!

    5 out of 5 stars Kilmers best.......2007-04-14

    This movie is a very good movie.One of Val Kilmers best not to mention it is based on a true story. About two man eating lions of course there is some blood so don't let little kids watch this. A very suspensfull film a lot of good action and it is not slow either

    5 out of 5 stars BEFORE DAKTARI.......2007-04-13

    William Goldman, the screenwriter of THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is a novelist who also writes for Hollywood for more than 40 years now. His most known original screenplays are those of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Special Edition), Marathon Man and Maverick. When you see the name of William Goldman on the list of credits of a film, you know for sure that there will be more in the movie than meets the eye.

    Now, when I read here reviews that destroy the GHOST AND THE DARKNESS by pointing out that the lions in the film don't act like real lions, I feel sad and sorry for these reviewers. It's like hating a Picasso painting because the faces of its characters are misshappen. The characters or events pictured in a fiction movie have a life of their own that should convey the artistic vision of the director or the screenwriter. If the lions don't act like in a documentary film, it's simply because the authors of the film wanted them to be larger than life.

    THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is one of the best adventure movies I've seen in a long time. Lavishly photographed by the multi-awarded Vilmos Zsigmond, with an effective musical score by Jerry Goldsmith, the film shows the duel that opposes two highly symbolic couples. This duel quickly overshadows the subplots such as the difficulties to build a bridge in the African savanna or to maintain order in a multiethnic team. Two solitary lions, without any links with a herd, fight two men, away from their family or, for Charles Remington, without any family at all. And now you can try to figure out what the movie is really about : is it a film about the couple civilization/nature or a film dealing with some of our most ancestral fears ? or is it even about something else ? If a film can raise such questions, it surely deserves a little consideration.

    A DVD for your library.



    The Ghost and the Darkness [Region 2]
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!
    • great
    • The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie
    • Kilmers best
    • BEFORE DAKTARI
    The Ghost and the Darkness [Region 2]
    Starring: Michael Douglas , Val Kilmer , Tom Wilkinson , John Kani , and Bernard Hill
    Director: Stephen Hopkins
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    GermanGerman | By Original Language | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
    ThrillersThrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
    Cele, HenryCele, Henry | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Douglas, MichaelDouglas, Michael | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Hill, BernardHill, Bernard | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Kani, JohnKani, John | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Kilmer, ValKilmer, Val | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    McCardie, BrianMcCardie, Brian | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Mortimer, EmilyMortimer, Emily | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Puri, OmPuri, Om | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Wilkinson, TomWilkinson, Tom | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
    Hopkins, StephenHopkins, Stephen | ( H ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
    GermanGerman | By Original Language | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
    ( G )( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
    Similar Items:
    1. The Saint
    2. The Edge
    3. The Man-Eaters of Tsavo (Peter Capstick Library Series)
    4. Congo
    5. The Island of Dr. Moreau (Unrated Director's Cut)

    ASIN: B00004WN5C

    Amazon.com

    Val Kilmer stars as Lt. Col. John Patterson, a 19th-century Irish engineer drafted by Britain's railroad bosses to build a trestle bridge over an African river, thus expanding the empire a tiny bit more. In Tsavo, Patterson is instantly hailed for killing a man-eating lion that had been making life hell for native workers. But morale sinks when a pair of unstoppable big cats devour more men and destroy the project. Along comes an Ahab-like, expatriate American hunter (Michael Douglas) to help Patterson face the almost preternatural powers of the two killers. The script by William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) is based on fact, though the film owes more to Spielberg (specifically to Jaws) than history. There are also suggestive echoes of Kipling and Conrad in the material and characters, and there are hints of emotional complexity and psychological nuance that make one wish this could have been a great film instead of a merely fun one. --Tom Keogh

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!.......2007-06-29

    Saw this movie from Netflix and have now decided to buy it. I've just returned from a safari to Namibia where we heard the lions roaring in the night not far from our camp. NOTHING puts the fear of God into you more than that, all that separates you from them is your puny canvas tent. Our safari guide had seen the movie as well and we talked about it that night around the fire. He is himself a lion tracker in that if his family ranch is threatened by a lion, they do track it down. When Kilmer and Douglas are sitting at night listening to the lion still roaring and laugh about it, you just know that something more is going to happen. And boy does it ever!!! The music soundtrack is great, I especially like the interaction between Kilmer and the guy who played Shaka Zulu in the mini series. ALso the innocent Scottish missionary's part is rather poignant. I don't care if it is hokey, or a typical Hollywood production, the story IS real, the lions ARE on display in the Field museum in Chicago and it evokes the feel of the African savannah perfectly.

    4 out of 5 stars great.......2007-06-16

    Movie was great. I would highly recommend this for any movie waycher.

    5 out of 5 stars The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie.......2007-04-28

    I was merely 12 years old way back in 1950s when I first read the book: The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by Lt.Colonel J.H. Patterson, DSO. Later in life, I wished this book could be made into a movie, and my dream really came true when I purchased the DVD. This movie is based entirely on the book by English railway bridge builder, John Patterson.
    Ironically, the pair of male lions as depicted in the movie was borrowed from a zoo farm in Alberta, Canada. These lions were fully mane. But in the book, John Patterson described those two lions as lean and maneless...! As factually, most lions in Tsavo of Kenya don't have the beautiful mane unlike their cousins in other parts of Africa. This is unusual, maneless male lions because only females don't spot a mane. The movie will keep you on the edge of your chair from the beginning to the end - never a dull moment. I consider this as the best thrilling movie ever made in the wilds of Africa, especially at this time when the public is conscious about nature conservation. Too bad that when the movie was made in early 1900s, surround sound was not a popular feature and therefore not included, otherwise the roars of these two persistent man-eaters in the dead of the African night would be very nighmarish in our den when we watch the movie...! Yes, these two lions did chomp more than a hundred railway workers that at one stage they were compelled to quit until the pair was finally hunted down. John finally skinned the two man-eating lions and sold their skins and bones to the field museum at Springfield, Illioness. This pair of mounted, maneless notorious man-eating lions are still there for everyone to see and contemplate.
    This classic movie depicting a strange aspect of yesterday-Africa is historically true and thus highly recommended. So go for it while it is still available. Cheers...!

    5 out of 5 stars Kilmers best.......2007-04-14

    This movie is a very good movie.One of Val Kilmers best not to mention it is based on a true story. About two man eating lions of course there is some blood so don't let little kids watch this. A very suspensfull film a lot of good action and it is not slow either

    5 out of 5 stars BEFORE DAKTARI.......2007-04-13

    William Goldman, the screenwriter of THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is a novelist who also writes for Hollywood for more than 40 years now. His most known original screenplays are those of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Special Edition), Marathon Man and Maverick. When you see the name of William Goldman on the list of credits of a film, you know for sure that there will be more in the movie than meets the eye.

    Now, when I read here reviews that destroy the GHOST AND THE DARKNESS by pointing out that the lions in the film don't act like real lions, I feel sad and sorry for these reviewers. It's like hating a Picasso painting because the faces of its characters are misshappen. The characters or events pictured in a fiction movie have a life of their own that should convey the artistic vision of the director or the screenwriter. If the lions don't act like in a documentary film, it's simply because the authors of the film wanted them to be larger than life.

    THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is one of the best adventure movies I've seen in a long time. Lavishly photographed by the multi-awarded Vilmos Zsigmond, with an effective musical score by Jerry Goldsmith, the film shows the duel that opposes two highly symbolic couples. This duel quickly overshadows the subplots such as the difficulties to build a bridge in the African savanna or to maintain order in a multiethnic team. Two solitary lions, without any links with a herd, fight two men, away from their family or, for Charles Remington, without any family at all. And now you can try to figure out what the movie is really about : is it a film about the couple civilization/nature or a film dealing with some of our most ancestral fears ? or is it even about something else ? If a film can raise such questions, it surely deserves a little consideration.

    A DVD for your library.



    Charlie Rose with Val Kilmer (October 9, 1996)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Charlie Rose with Val Kilmer (October 9, 1996)

      Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: DVD

      ( C )( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
      All TitlesAll Titles | Charlie Rose Store | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
      ASIN: B000IU36A8
      Release Date: 2006-09-18

      Description

      An interview with filmmaker Spike Lee about his new film, Get on the Bus. Actor Val Kilmer, star of such memorable films as The Doors, Batman Forever and Tombstone, speaks for the hour about his career and his newest film, The Ghost and the Darkness. The movie depicts the true story of Lt. Col. John Patterson, who was sent to East Africa to build a railway bridge, but soon found that he and his railway company were being hunted by two man-eating lions.
      The Ghost and the Darkness [Region 2]
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!
      • great
      • The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie
      • Kilmers best
      • BEFORE DAKTARI
      The Ghost and the Darkness [Region 2]
      Starring: Michael Douglas , Val Kilmer , Tom Wilkinson , John Kani , and Bernard Hill
      Director: Stephen Hopkins
      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: DVD

      GermanGerman | By Original Language | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
      ThrillersThrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
      Cele, HenryCele, Henry | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Douglas, MichaelDouglas, Michael | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Hill, BernardHill, Bernard | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Kani, JohnKani, John | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Kilmer, ValKilmer, Val | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      McCardie, BrianMcCardie, Brian | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Mortimer, EmilyMortimer, Emily | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Puri, OmPuri, Om | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Wilkinson, TomWilkinson, Tom | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
      Hopkins, StephenHopkins, Stephen | ( H ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
      GermanGerman | By Original Language | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
      ( G )( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
      Similar Items:
      1. The Saint
      2. The Edge
      3. The Man-Eaters of Tsavo (Peter Capstick Library Series)
      4. Congo
      5. The Island of Dr. Moreau (Unrated Director's Cut)

      ASIN: B00004RYBJ

      Amazon.com

      Val Kilmer stars as Lt. Col. John Patterson, a 19th-century Irish engineer drafted by Britain's railroad bosses to build a trestle bridge over an African river, thus expanding the empire a tiny bit more. In Tsavo, Patterson is instantly hailed for killing a man-eating lion that had been making life hell for native workers. But morale sinks when a pair of unstoppable big cats devour more men and destroy the project. Along comes an Ahab-like, expatriate American hunter (Michael Douglas) to help Patterson face the almost preternatural powers of the two killers. The script by William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) is based on fact, though the film owes more to Spielberg (specifically to Jaws) than history. There are also suggestive echoes of Kipling and Conrad in the material and characters, and there are hints of emotional complexity and psychological nuance that make one wish this could have been a great film instead of a merely fun one. --Tom Keogh

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Lions DO NOT sleep at night!!!.......2007-06-29

      Saw this movie from Netflix and have now decided to buy it. I've just returned from a safari to Namibia where we heard the lions roaring in the night not far from our camp. NOTHING puts the fear of God into you more than that, all that separates you from them is your puny canvas tent. Our safari guide had seen the movie as well and we talked about it that night around the fire. He is himself a lion tracker in that if his family ranch is threatened by a lion, they do track it down. When Kilmer and Douglas are sitting at night listening to the lion still roaring and laugh about it, you just know that something more is going to happen. And boy does it ever!!! The music soundtrack is great, I especially like the interaction between Kilmer and the guy who played Shaka Zulu in the mini series. ALso the innocent Scottish missionary's part is rather poignant. I don't care if it is hokey, or a typical Hollywood production, the story IS real, the lions ARE on display in the Field museum in Chicago and it evokes the feel of the African savannah perfectly.

      4 out of 5 stars great.......2007-06-16

      Movie was great. I would highly recommend this for any movie waycher.

      5 out of 5 stars The Man-eaters (lions) of Tsavo...thrilling movie.......2007-04-28

      I was merely 12 years old way back in 1950s when I first read the book: The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by Lt.Colonel J.H. Patterson, DSO. Later in life, I wished this book could be made into a movie, and my dream really came true when I purchased the DVD. This movie is based entirely on the book by English railway bridge builder, John Patterson.
      Ironically, the pair of male lions as depicted in the movie was borrowed from a zoo farm in Alberta, Canada. These lions were fully mane. But in the book, John Patterson described those two lions as lean and maneless...! As factually, most lions in Tsavo of Kenya don't have the beautiful mane unlike their cousins in other parts of Africa. This is unusual, maneless male lions because only females don't spot a mane. The movie will keep you on the edge of your chair from the beginning to the end - never a dull moment. I consider this as the best thrilling movie ever made in the wilds of Africa, especially at this time when the public is conscious about nature conservation. Too bad that when the movie was made in early 1900s, surround sound was not a popular feature and therefore not included, otherwise the roars of these two persistent man-eaters in the dead of the African night would be very nighmarish in our den when we watch the movie...! Yes, these two lions did chomp more than a hundred railway workers that at one stage they were compelled to quit until the pair was finally hunted down. John finally skinned the two man-eating lions and sold their skins and bones to the field museum at Springfield, Illioness. This pair of mounted, maneless notorious man-eating lions are still there for everyone to see and contemplate.
      This classic movie depicting a strange aspect of yesterday-Africa is historically true and thus highly recommended. So go for it while it is still available. Cheers...!

      5 out of 5 stars Kilmers best.......2007-04-14

      This movie is a very good movie.One of Val Kilmers best not to mention it is based on a true story. About two man eating lions of course there is some blood so don't let little kids watch this. A very suspensfull film a lot of good action and it is not slow either

      5 out of 5 stars BEFORE DAKTARI.......2007-04-13

      William Goldman, the screenwriter of THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is a novelist who also writes for Hollywood for more than 40 years now. His most known original screenplays are those of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Special Edition), Marathon Man and Maverick. When you see the name of William Goldman on the list of credits of a film, you know for sure that there will be more in the movie than meets the eye.

      Now, when I read here reviews that destroy the GHOST AND THE DARKNESS by pointing out that the lions in the film don't act like real lions, I feel sad and sorry for these reviewers. It's like hating a Picasso painting because the faces of its characters are misshappen. The characters or events pictured in a fiction movie have a life of their own that should convey the artistic vision of the director or the screenwriter. If the lions don't act like in a documentary film, it's simply because the authors of the film wanted them to be larger than life.

      THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS is one of the best adventure movies I've seen in a long time. Lavishly photographed by the multi-awarded Vilmos Zsigmond, with an effective musical score by Jerry Goldsmith, the film shows the duel that opposes two highly symbolic couples. This duel quickly overshadows the subplots such as the difficulties to build a bridge in the African savanna or to maintain order in a multiethnic team. Two solitary lions, without any links with a herd, fight two men, away from their family or, for Charles Remington, without any family at all. And now you can try to figure out what the movie is really about : is it a film about the couple civilization/nature or a film dealing with some of our most ancestral fears ? or is it even about something else ? If a film can raise such questions, it surely deserves a little consideration.

      A DVD for your library.



      DVD:

      1. Out of Reach
      2. Spartan
      3. Shallow Grave
      4. XXX (Widescreen Special Edition)
      5. Born on the Fourth of July (Special Edition)
      6. Yojimbo - Criterion Collection
      7. The Peacemaker
      8. Every Which Way but Loose
      9. Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World (Full Screen Edition)
      10. Batman & Robin

      DVD List

      DVD

      DVD

      Arrow Horror (6pc)

      Mystery Train

      Taking Lives [WS Unrated Director's Cut] [2004] (REGION 1) (

      DVD: The Perfect Wife

      Boyz Klub