Norman Partridge’s Darkish Harvest is considered one of my favourite horror novels of all time. The e-book is dripping with persona, a matter-of-fact subversion of slasher and coming-of-age tropes, all centered round a dying city and its dying traditions. What principally elevates the novel is Partridge’s voice, so when it was introduced that Darkish Harvest could be getting a movie adaptation, I used to be fairly skeptical. Extra so when Darkish Harvest completed filming in 2021 after which simply by no means launched. Fortunately, David Slade’s adaptation (written by Michael Gilio) arrived On Demand final October the place it instantly cemented its spot among the many finest horror motion pictures of the yr. In case you missed Darkish Harvest final yr, you’re in luck– now you can catch the seasonal basic streaming free on Prime Video.
Per Prime Video: Annually on Halloween simply earlier than the harvest, the youngsters in a small farming neighborhood band collectively to attempt to cease Sawtooth Jack, a demon who rises from the cornfields and races to the city church killing anybody who will get in his method.
Darkish Harvest quietly arrived on streaming final Halloween the place it was overshadowed by greater, high-profile releases together with 5 Nights at Freddy’s and The Exorcist: Believer. Pay attention, I stated greater, not higher. It’s a disgrace since I might simply see Darkish Harvest turning into one thing akin to a Halloween perennial, a film that lives in my seasonal rotation amongst John Carpenter’s Halloween and Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hole.
In our three-and-a-half-star overview of Darkish Harvest final yr, we wrote, “On the entire, Darkish Harvest is a visually placing affair that serves up a relentless antagonist, some brutal gore results, and a suspenseful storyline. I had a extremely good time with it and I feel anybody that enjoys an atmospheric providing with loads of viscera is bound to seek out lots to understand right here.” I’d most likely bump that up a degree or two, particularly after a rewatch. Darkish Harvest is dripping with persona, and that’s such a rarity within the horror style right this moment. The film is concurrently alienating and accessible, but it surely’s by no means something lower than partaking.
Now that Darkish Harvest is streaming free on Prime Video, I encourage you to test it out for Halloween. Even should you’ve already seen it, stream it once more. And, in fact, be certain that to take a look at Norman Partridge’s supply novel. Weirdly sufficient, Darkish Harvest would make a improbable companion to Hulu’s Carved. Are we in an period of pumpkin horror? I actually hope so.
Let me know should you determine to verify Darkish Harvest out over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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