Blu-ray Review: DARK WATERS (1994)

DARK WATERS
Directed by:  Mariano Baino
Distributed by CAV Distribution / Severin Films

  I always love getting films for review that I have never heard of before.  I think of myself as being pretty informed when it comes to horror movies, but every now and then I find a film that I have heard nothing and know nothing about.  DARK WATERS is one of those films.   I went into it not knowing what to expect, I came out of it wondering how this one is not more well known.  Maybe it is more well known and I just missed it somehow.   It's a remarkable film that has some of the creepiest imagery I have seen in a long time.   Here is some more info about the film from the CAV press release:

It has been acclaimed as visually amazing (Videoscope), deeply disturbing (BBC Radio One), a must see for serious horror buffs (Film Review), and compared to the works of Bergman, Bava and Argento. Now experience the modern Nunsploitation masterpiece from co-writer/director Mariano Baino as you've never seen or heard it before: When a young Englishwoman attempts to discover her mysterious connection to a remote island convent, she will unlock an unholy communion of torment, blasphemy and graphic demonic depravity. Louise Salter (INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE) stars in this stunning and horrifying debut (Digitally Obsessed) - filmed on location along the grim Ukraine coast - now transferred in HD from the original 35mm negative and featuring over 4 hours of startling Special Features.

  The film is very strange as it is not very dialog heavy at all....as I mentioned before the imagery is some of the best, and the director lets that take the main stage in the film.   The camera work is amazing and the practical effects are very well done.  While I found it interesting that the film was told more with imagery than with dialog, the lack of dialog could have led to my confusion about the plot/story.   It was a little hard to follow at times, and some things weren't explained as well as I thought they could have been, but honestly this did not keep me from enjoying the film.

 While this film is advertised as a "Nunsploitation masterpiece", this is not your typical Nunsploitation flick at all.  In fact, I would not even begin to put this film in that classification.   This is a dark Italian horror film that just happens to have a plot that revolves around Nuns and a convent.  These are not like any Nuns you have ever seen before....they are almost coven like and very evil.

  This is a very creepy film that I highly recommend for all horror fans, especially Italian horror fans.
DARK WATERS is available now on DVD and BD from Severin Films and CAV Distributing and contains the following special features:

Audio Commentary With Writer / Director Mariano Baino

Lovecraft Made Me Do It Featurette

Let There Be Water Featurette

Controlling the Uncontrollable Featurette

Deep Into the Dark Waters Featurette

Director Intro

Deleted Scenes

Silent Blooper reel With Audio Commentary by Director Mariano Baino

Short Films Of Mariano Baino: Dream Car, Caruncula, Never Ever After

Making of Never Ever After

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD