DARK REALMS has been running again on Chiller. Eric Roberts was the (mostly ineffective) host of this short-lived horror/fantasy anthology series. Some episodes were downright silly, like the one about a tiger biting a lady -- in an office, mind you. Others were more convincing like the one about a guy who must face all the people he wronged in life and another about two brothers trapped in a house party that isn't quite what it seems. Problem is, the series, like TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE before it, was shot on the ultracheap with as few sets and actors as possible. And as little action as possible. And no special effects to speak of. And it shows, even in the best episodes. This is no "Tales From The Crypt" or "Twilight Zone," although heaven knows it tried to be. And it was a Canadian job to boot, which should tell you plenty. Only THE X-FILES could get away with being a Canadian job (notice how badly that show fell off when it relocated to L.A.).
6 Reviews
Mystical stories interspersed with thriller
UnknownDoomer25 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The appearance in the sixties of the last century of the "Twilight Zone series" (1959-1964), which combined plots ranging from science fiction and suspense to horror and philosophical parables, gave rise not only to several subsequent attempts to revive the series, the total number of which at the moment has three, but one way or another served as inspiration for many other projects in the film industry. Each of the subsequent attempts, although remarkable in its own way, was still unable to rise to the same level that the original had once set, not least of which was probably due to a not-so-obvious factor - each time era leaves its own mark and its own specifics. The remakes managed to cover three time fragments - the eighties, zeros and the end of the tenths. Thus, if we take one decade as a measure of measurement, there were two kind of empty niches left - the seventies and nineties. The creators of "Dark Realm" without thinking twice decided to take the second one.
Although the series itself reached the airwaves in 2001, the atmosphere and surroundings present in it are typical precisely for the period of the nineties, when the theme of thrillers was on a special rise, which became the main one here, in addition to which mysticism and spot manifestations of surrealism were added. Horror and science fiction, as a particular thing, were left behind, along with other elements of the bygone era.
A direct relationship with "The Twilight Zone" is not formally stated, but the narrative and structure are generally identical, as traditionally the original, there was a place for the host, whose role is played here by Eric Roberts. The series did not stay on the air for long - it ended up with only one season and twelve stories. If you try to make brief annotations on each, you will get the following:
1 - rather peculiar reflections on the topic of reincarnation, covering the 15th and 20th centuries.
2 - plastic surgery and a sinister psychopathic doctor.
3 - time travel and the price of rash desires.
4 - sinners, as well as in some places their fellow travelers, at the invitation of a blonde in latex find themselves in purgatory, presented here in a rather unusual form.
5 - a selfish broker, who goes over the heads of other people and does not disdain any methods to achieve short-term goals, attracts the attention of a mysterious figure to his person, who has an offer in store for this, which will be difficult to refuse.
6 - a modest girl who works alone in the office until late hours acquires strength that will be difficult for her to control.
7 - a fraudster acting as a fortune teller acquires a ball that allows her to become a real fortune teller, but possessing one does not come without side consequences.
8 - a seemingly ordinary girl is hired as a housewife in a private house. After the owner of the house leaves, strange things begin to happen.
9 - the story of the cursed guitar.
10 - a lawyer moves to another city and begins working for a law firm whose management specializes in specific clients.
11 - the wife returns with her husband to her native island, where the ancient cult is firmly established.
12, 13 - a man suffers from memory loss and cannot get rid of memories of his once deceased wife; returning to his native land, he encounters a woman who is like two peas in a pod like his wife.
In contrast to the sixties and eighties, there are no famous actors here, the narration is torn in places, and certain episodes as a whole are objectively lacking any special stars from the sky. On the other hand, a number of similar films and series of category "B", filmed in the nineties exclusively for broadcast on television of that time or directly for release on VHS, have their own certain charm, which allows them, sometimes, to level out the emphasis on existing flaws. This project is no exception.
Although the series itself reached the airwaves in 2001, the atmosphere and surroundings present in it are typical precisely for the period of the nineties, when the theme of thrillers was on a special rise, which became the main one here, in addition to which mysticism and spot manifestations of surrealism were added. Horror and science fiction, as a particular thing, were left behind, along with other elements of the bygone era.
A direct relationship with "The Twilight Zone" is not formally stated, but the narrative and structure are generally identical, as traditionally the original, there was a place for the host, whose role is played here by Eric Roberts. The series did not stay on the air for long - it ended up with only one season and twelve stories. If you try to make brief annotations on each, you will get the following:
1 - rather peculiar reflections on the topic of reincarnation, covering the 15th and 20th centuries.
2 - plastic surgery and a sinister psychopathic doctor.
3 - time travel and the price of rash desires.
4 - sinners, as well as in some places their fellow travelers, at the invitation of a blonde in latex find themselves in purgatory, presented here in a rather unusual form.
5 - a selfish broker, who goes over the heads of other people and does not disdain any methods to achieve short-term goals, attracts the attention of a mysterious figure to his person, who has an offer in store for this, which will be difficult to refuse.
6 - a modest girl who works alone in the office until late hours acquires strength that will be difficult for her to control.
7 - a fraudster acting as a fortune teller acquires a ball that allows her to become a real fortune teller, but possessing one does not come without side consequences.
8 - a seemingly ordinary girl is hired as a housewife in a private house. After the owner of the house leaves, strange things begin to happen.
9 - the story of the cursed guitar.
10 - a lawyer moves to another city and begins working for a law firm whose management specializes in specific clients.
11 - the wife returns with her husband to her native island, where the ancient cult is firmly established.
12, 13 - a man suffers from memory loss and cannot get rid of memories of his once deceased wife; returning to his native land, he encounters a woman who is like two peas in a pod like his wife.
In contrast to the sixties and eighties, there are no famous actors here, the narration is torn in places, and certain episodes as a whole are objectively lacking any special stars from the sky. On the other hand, a number of similar films and series of category "B", filmed in the nineties exclusively for broadcast on television of that time or directly for release on VHS, have their own certain charm, which allows them, sometimes, to level out the emphasis on existing flaws. This project is no exception.
Yikes
ctomvelu-113 April 2009
I thought I had already written about this sappy horror show, but so be it. Here goes: Eric Roberts hosted a short-lived anthology series in 2000 that essentially was TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE all over again. The show stank to high heaven, with bad plots and scripting and worse acting. Roberts was even worse as the host, delivering his lines with all the indifference he could muster. Peter Fonda might have done a better job. Hell, a wooden Indian would have done a better job. I have probably seen most of the existing episodes, but one that stands out in my mind-- as it does with many others -- is the one where an office worker slowly turns into a tiger after having been bitten by one. In her office, mind you. It was simply a werewolf plot, substituting a tiger for a werewolf. If you watch this show, be prepared. You may have to rewire your jaw after it hits the floor.
Eric Roberts is the host, so that should be warning enough.
jacks_smirking_revenge12 February 2003
The show is basically a poor mans X Files, with every week being a different story that involves the supernatural.
Out of the episodes I've seen (its on at about 2am), the Curse of the Tiger Gang episode would have to be the funniest. A woman is bitten by a tiger (in her office mind you) and begins to grow nasty. A tatoo appears where the bite should be (although it jumped around from one side to the other) until she becomes a TIGER!!! What clever writing.
And it would be Dark Realm without Eric Roberts mind boggling summaries at the end. Not only does it not make sense, but doesn't even fit what the show was about.
If you like a good laugh at the expense of washed up celebrities, or just like really bad shows, then trust me, this is for you.
Out of the episodes I've seen (its on at about 2am), the Curse of the Tiger Gang episode would have to be the funniest. A woman is bitten by a tiger (in her office mind you) and begins to grow nasty. A tatoo appears where the bite should be (although it jumped around from one side to the other) until she becomes a TIGER!!! What clever writing.
And it would be Dark Realm without Eric Roberts mind boggling summaries at the end. Not only does it not make sense, but doesn't even fit what the show was about.
If you like a good laugh at the expense of washed up celebrities, or just like really bad shows, then trust me, this is for you.
Brings back nightmares about low-budget syndication
mark-klobas-112 August 2009
I stumbled across this show one day on a "series marathon" run by one of those triple-digit cable channels. Watching it was a nostalgic reminder of those crappy low-budget shows that popped up in syndication in the 1908s and 1990s, and it is no joke to say that this was a pale imitation of them. The fact that Eric Roberts was their idea of a great host (or just the best host they could get) speaks volumes about what follows. While there are some decent performances and a couple of good effects, the plots are tired, the sets bare-bones, and many of the "actors" are never-would-bes for whom their appearance is the first -- and fortunately last -- time they were able to convince someone to put them in front of a camera. It is less remarkable that only thirteen episodes were produced than that they actually found someone to produce those thirteen. If this ever shows up on the schedule, don't be tempted and watch something better instead, like a test pattern.
So stupid...couldn't't even finish one episode.
mistyblue72922 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
***Contains Spoiler*** That was a total waste of 15 minutes of my life. I attempted to watch the episode Skin Deep. First of all, the main character was chased twice by a tiger in an office building. Now who would get chased by a tiger once, hide in a room for two seconds, and walk the halls again just to be attacked?!!! Stupid! Plus the writing and acting were HORRIBLE!!! Whoever wrote this script lacks skill, and the actors don't help the situation AT ALL! Also, the host was totally unneeded and thrown into the show. He also did a terrible job! I'm embarrassed for all who were involved in the creation of this show. I'm not surprised that it didn't last long. Don't waste your time.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
