‘A new breed of ghost hunter’
Ghosts of Darkness aka House of Ghosts is a 2017 British supernatural horror film written and directed by David Ryan Keith (The Dark Within; Ghosts of Darkness; The Redwood Massacre; Attack of the Herbals).
The movie stars Michael Koltes, Paul Flannery and Steve Weston.
Plot:
Two paranormal investigators are unexpectedly thrown together in the hope of solving a hundred-year mystery.
Locked for three nights in a house with a dark and unsettling past, the two investigators must put their differences to one side and work together. They soon discover the myths and stories are nothing compared to what actually resides within the eerie walls of Richmond Manor.
Scepticism and showmanship are soon put to one side when the two investigators realise there is more at stake than just their professional reputation. For once they have stumbled onto the real thing, but this time it’s their own lives at stake…
Reviews [may contain spoilers]:
“The chemistry between Koltes and Flannery is wasted on a script that feels way too derivative and contrived, with visual effects that just add insult to injury. There have been other indie films that have taken ideas from films we’ve all seen before, but these films have also gone to great lengths to add new twists that complement and surpass those “me-too” ideas. Ghosts of Darkness either doesn’t do this…” Bloody Disgusting
“With the vanilla thrills of two men creeping about an old house chasing visions and waiting for something substantial to happen weighing it down, Ghosts of Darkness figures out ways to push momentum that the plot doesn’t have. Niall Mathewson’s score is tireless, though not overpowering, and keeps mood moving through music.” Culture Crypt
“Ghosts of Darkness is one of the best paranormal/supernatural films since 1408. The feel of the movie reminds me a little of Mikael Hafstrom’s film on the supernatural. The paranormal or demonic possession aspect of it reminds me of Insidious.” Decay Mag
“The practical effects look great but the few scenes we get with CGI it is very noticeable. The CGI doesn’t look bad but you can pick it out of the scene. Overall, Ghosts of Darkness is a supernatural adventure that will give you chills. The film has an amazing cast and one hell of a story.” Horror Society
” …the overall effects work is so successful that a flawed finale doesn’t actually detract from anything that has come before. A superb journey into the ghostly world of British horror, Ghosts of Darkness is a perfect storm of filmmaking: everyone and everything coming together to create something sensational.” Nerdly
“The only time the ball is really dropped is when we see the demon in charge of the haunting….it looks like it came right out of a video game. It would have been better not to show the fiend at all […] While I would hesitate to call Ghosts of Darkness a classic, it does emerge as an entertaining modern tribute to the evil haunted house genre.” Ravenous Monster
“It could have been so easy for things to have gone stale and fallen flat, but the dialogue is slick, witty and funny. There are moments of major intrigue that build suspense, and when things get going, the non-stop action does not let the film fall into the trap of becoming a sleeping aid.” UK Horror Scene
Buy: Amazon.co.uk
“Keith has provided spectators with a wonderful example of how well horror can blend with slyly dispensed doses of slight humor. Correspondingly, the residence where Keith has set his fiction is superb. It reinforces the classically creepy veneer overseen in its gothic terror tone masterfully.” A Word of Dreams
Release:
In the UK, the film was released by High Fliers Films on DVD on 15th October 2018 as House of Ghosts
In the United States, the film premiered on Digital HD on March 7, 2017, via Uncork’d Entertainment.
Cast and characters:
Michael Koltes … Jack Donavan
Paul Flannery … Jonathan Blazer
Steve Weston … Mysterious Man
Lisa Livingstone … Rebecca Donavan
Lisa Cameron … Laura Johnson
Liam Matheson … Big Beard
Morgan Faith Keith … Sarah Johnson
Cameron Mowat … Mike Johnson
Lindsay Cromar … Shotgun victim
Filming locations:
Ardgour House and Haddo House, Scotland
Trailer:
