Stars:
Paulina Porizkova, Judd Nelson, Larry Drake, and Jurgen Prochnow
Writers:
Gregory Gieras and D.B. Smith
Director:
Gregory Gieras
Feature
length: 96 minutes
Extras:
Trailers
Languages:
English Dolby Stereo
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish Subtitles
Packaging:
Alpha Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 24
Sound:
Dolby Stereo Sound
Year
of DVD Release: 2002
Home
Video Distributor: Lions Gate Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Larry
Drake has played psychos and villains in films such as “Dr. Giggles” and the
first two “Dark Man” films and he had a role as a part of the ensemble cast
of “L.A. Law,” but here the villain he plays is darker and more intense than
the comic book inspired “Dr. Giggles” or the super villain of “Dark
Man.” Here Drake is a bear sized psychotic runnings lose in an abandoned high
security asylum. Why anyone would ever bring a person so dangerous to a place
like this confounds me, despite whatever reasons the film gives. Standing in his
way are a psychologist (Paulina Porizkova) and the janitor (Judd Nelson) who
might be an inmate on the lamb too.
The
film has good atmosphere largely due to the use of chiaroscuro lighting, which
makes Drake appear even more menacing and some good scoring early into the film
before it degenerates to the standard straight to video fare one might expect.
Lions
Gate Home Entertainment presents “Dark Asylum” in a letterboxed (1.85:1)
aspect ratio with a clear English Dolby Stereo Soundtrack and English Captions
and Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles are encoded on to the DVD as
options.
The
image is pretty clear despite the lack of anamorphic enhancement and the sound
is free of hissing. Three full-framed straight to video trailers, which include
one for “Dark Asylum” and another for “Bully” starring Brad Renfro wrap
up the extra features on this DVD. The main menu is animated with animated
transitions to standard interactive still frame menus, which are easy to
navigate. “Dark Asylum” is available on DVD-Video now from Lions Gate Home
Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.