DVD Review: COLOUR FROM THE DARK (2008)

I finally got a chance to watch Vanguard Cinema's release, COLOUR FROM THE DARK. Don’t let the confusing title fool you; this is one solid horror film, and it is one of the best I have seen so far this year.
In a genre filled with remakes, reboots, and rehashes of previously-done-plots, this film stands out as a unique vision in the world of horror. The premise is based loosely on a story by H.P. Lovecraft titled ‘The Colour Out of Space’, which was published back in 1927. Here is the basic plot synopsis from imdb.com:

Pietro and Lucia live on an isolated farm with Alice, Lucia's younger sister. They are poor farmers and live by tilling the soil. Pietro is a good worker and a strong man who, unlike his three brothers, is not at war (World War II) because of a deformed knee. Lucia is a beautiful and reserved woman, who is dedicated to her family. Their life is peaceful and good, in spite of the hard work. One day, while drawing water from the well, Pietro and Alice accidentally free ‘something’ from Earth's womb. A strange color flashes underwater, and then disappears. From that moment on, inexplicable events start happening all around the farm, and by night the surrounding vegetation glitters with a sinister glow. The color soon takes hold of the whole farm, and seeps inside Pietro and his family's minds, drawing them into its sick world of pain, blood and death.

From the moment the opening credits started to roll, this movie enthralled me. It is visually beautiful and shot with the grace and precision of a master-cinematographer. The plot is interesting and develops quickly, giving you just enough information to build upon as the story progresses. The pacing is perfect, building up to a climax that will leave you wanting the movie to continue, even as the ending credits roll. And the actors are superb, with screen veteran Debbie Rochon leading a stellar cast.
The cinematography, the settings, the acting, the suspense…everything is right in place with COLOUR FROM THE DARK. The film even contains one of the creepiest children’s dolls I have ever seen! It will make you squirm, for sure. Even the gore is right in line. One of the greatest scenes in the film is when Rochon’s character starts cutting her own face off with a straight-razor! Talk about intense!
This movie is very engaging and kept me riveted for the full 93 minutes of its run-time. I cannot say enough about the cinematography…you will simply have to see it to believe it. Probably the most amazing aspect of this is the fact that it looks like it was filmed on a standard video-camera; the shots are so well done, however, that you can’t tell!
I can’t say anymore about the plot because I might give too much away. But definitely check this one out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Hopefully we will see more from director Ivan Zuccon soon!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for COLOUR FROM THE DARK
CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of COLOUR FROM THE DARK on dvd

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Vanguard Cinema