‘Monsters are not always in your head.’
Dark Stories is a 2020 French horror anthology film that has been adapted from a five-episode web series. The Kabotine production was directed by Guillaume Lubrano and François Descraques.
The film stars Kristanna Loken, Michelle Ryan, Dominique Pinon, Delphine Chaneac, John Robinson,Tiphaine Daviot, Sebastien Lalanne, Dorylia Calmel, Slimane Baptiste Berhoun, Loup Denis Elion, Julien Pestel, Florent Dorin and Thierry Fremont.
Official blurb:
“What if demons, the living dead, evil dolls, djinn and other extra-terrestrial creatures came to haunt our apartments, houses, cafes, museums and other places of daily life? What would we do? How would we react?
Dark Stories tells five tales of gripping terror in a fantastic anthology where horror, suspense and humour intertwine with stark reality to make us shiver with fear! Join us for a Ghoul’s Feast, the Last Judgment before the impending Apocalypse, a surprise package from the delivery man, a forensic scientist confronted by his zombie victim and the worst Moroccan monster nightmare…”
Reviews:
“Aside from the second short, which while a bit of a dud is hardly unwatchable, this is a delightfully measured selection box of creative shorts. Dark Stories largely foregoes cheap thrills throughout its impressively consistent five shorts, opting instead for more cerebral thrills backed up by taut direction, a strong ensemble cast, and a delightful wraparound segment.” Flickering Myth
” …anyone who truly enjoys horror is going to be hard-pushed not to love the originality of story, image and voice, which comes across in writing, directorial style, acting and in the blends of French and English dialogue and digital and live-action. Haunting stories, shiny production values, and sharp scripts with each beat fully invested in, Dark Stories is exactly what it sets out to be.” Horror DNA
“The individual episodes offer variations on familiar themes, but mostly with EC Comics-like twists – and as they unfold, the character of the ambiguous narrator, who is calm in the face of supernatural threat, becomes more interesting. Overall, it has a gloomy, night-time look – with imaginative manifestations (nicely designed, if tweaked by CG).” The Kim Newman Web Site
“Each of the Dark Stories is tightly plotted, beautifully produced, and suspenseful in its own way; they all work together well, despite the variation in subject matter and tone. Oh and an excellent cast! It doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be another Creepshow or Southbound, but a collection all of its own character. All the above, in 75 minutes.” Ready Steady Cut!
“Christine may seem helpless, but her mastery of different subgenres (monsters, ghosts, zombies, djinns, aliens) matches that of the filmmakers, and her careful control of mood ensures that she has her murder-happy audience right where she wants him until finally the tables will be turned as he finds that he too has been framed by a bigger horror story.” Sight & Sound
Release:
Dark Stories had its British premiere during the digital edition of the Arrow Video FrightFest on August 31st 2020.
In the USA, Dark Stories will be released on DVD and Digital by Scream Factory on September 10th 2021. Special features:
Making of “Boughtat”
Making of “The Last Judgement”
Making of “The Blood Doll”
Making of “The Ghoul Geast”
Making of “The Ghosts of the Park”
Making of “Dead But Alive”
Making of “The Little Dark Stories Shop”
Trailer:
Clip:
