Dark Woods
Dark Woods (Norwegian: Villmark) is a 2003 Norwegian thriller/horror film directed by Pål Øie. The tagline—"De skulle holdt seg unna det vannet"—translates to "They should've stayed away from that lake".
| Villmark | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Pål Øie |
| Written by | Christopher Grøndahl |
| Produced by | Jan Aksel Angeltvedt |
| Starring | Kristoffer Joner Bjørn Floberg Marko Iversen Kanic Eva Röse Sampda Sharma |
| Music by | Trond Bjerknes |
| Distributed by | ORO Film AS |
Release date |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | Norway |
| Language | Norwegian |
The theatrical premiere sold 150 000 tickets in Norway,[1] and was therefore picked up for a German language release by Atlas Film + Medien, and a Chinese language release in Taiwan by Horng En Culture.[2] It could be said[weasel words] to have re-introduced the thriller genre to Norwegian cinema.[citation needed] The film received two nominations for the Amanda award in the categories of best Norwegian film and best male actor (Kristoffer Joner),[3] though it did not win in any of the categories.[4]
A sequel, Dark Woods 2, was released in October 2015.[5]
Plot
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The broadcasting company Real TV plan to head into the woods to film a reality TV series where contestants try to survive in the wilderness without aid for four days. Before the filming, in an effort to create bonds between the members of Real TV's production team, Gunnar—the boss—decides that they should try the experience for themselves.
Production
Dark Woods, being Pål Øie's first full-length film, was recorded over the course of 24 days in September 2002 in Kaupanger, Sogn. The script was written in close association with Christopher Grøndahl, with notable input from the actors during the filming, especially Kristoffer Joner.[6] The film cost approximately 10 million Norwegian kroner to make.[7]
Release
Dark Woods was pre-screened to friends of the director in Stavanger ahead of the theatrical release—21 February 2003.[8] The film was released on DVD on 10 September 2003 by Scanbox Entertainment,[9] and was later rereleased on DVD and Video on demand in 2014 by Warner Bros. Entertainment, with plans for Blu-ray in 2015.[10]
Reception
The German TV Spielfilm described the film as "creepier than real reality TV", commending the film's atmosphere, characters and scares.[13] Birger Vestmo of Filmpolitiet likewise praised the atmosphere of the film, in addition to the actors' performance, noting that they actually seem scared, and that their dialogue appeared natural. Conversely, he felt the story lacking, remarking that the film started to become boring halfway through, with the characters wandering aimlessly through the woods.[11]
In a survey conducted in October 2008 by Dagbladet to commemorate the theatrical premiere of the horror film Cold Prey 2, readers were asked to select the "scariest Norwegian horror movie".[14] Dark Woods won with 41% of the vote, outcompeting Cold Prey's 32% and Lake of the Dead's 21%.[15]
Legacy
In later retrospectives of the "horror boom" in Norwegian film, characterised by the use of natural environments like mountains and forests, Dark Woods has been seen as instrumental in its genesis.[16][17]
References
- ^ Andreassen, Ann Kristin (9 January 2013). "Her er de første bildene fra "Villmark 2"-settet" [Here are the first pictures of the set of "Dark Woods 2"]. Dagbladet (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 26 February 2021.
- ^ Di Michele, Valentina (28 May 2003). "Strong Market performance". Cineuropa. from the original on 30 August 2021.
- ^ Almaas, Jon (26 June 2003). "Her er årets Amanda-nominasjoner" [Here are the Amanda nominations of the year]. NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 3 May 2014.
- ^ "AMANDAPRISENE 2003" [The Amanda Awards 2003]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian Bokmål). 23 August 2003. from the original on 12 July 2020.
- ^ Vestmo, Birger (7 October 2015). "Villmark 2" [Dark Woods 2]. filmpolitiet (in Norwegian Bokmål). NRK P3. from the original on 7 October 2015.
- ^ Mikalsen, Espen H. (18 February 2003). "Grøss i rekordfart" [Horror at record speeds]. Dagbladet (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 30 August 2021.
- ^ Johnsen, Frank (2 April 2004). "Tjener millioner på film i Bergen" [Earning millions through movies in Bergen]. Bergensavisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 30 August 2021.
- ^ Westerfjell, Torunn P. (19 February 2003). . NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Villmark". Biblioteksentralen (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 30 August 2021.
- ^ Berge, John (13 January 2015). "Relanserer Villmark på DVD og VOD" [Rereleasing Dark Woods for DVD and VOD]. Videomagasinet (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 22 July 2019.
- ^ a b Vestmo, Birger (21 February 2003). "Villmark" [Dark Woods]. Filmpolitiet (in Norwegian Bokmål). NRK P3. from the original on 7 October 2015.
- ^ Børresen, Svein (7 May 2003). . NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Dark Woods". TV Spielfilm (in German). from the original on 11 January 2016.
- ^ Kleve, Marie L. (8 October 2008). "Blir det skumlere enn dette?" [Does it get any scarier than this?]. Dagbladet (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 30 August 2021.
- ^ Kleve, Marie L. (10 October 2008). "- Det er publikum som gjør den ekkel" [- It's the audience that makes it creepy]. Dagbladet (in Norwegian Bokmål). from the original on 30 August 2021.
- ^ Lê, Paul (2 July 2021). "The 'Villmark' Duology Delivers Norwegian Eco-Dread and Hospital Terror [Horrors Elsewhere]". Bloody Disgusting. from the original on 2 July 2021.
- ^ Hjort, Mette; Lindqvist, Ursula (24 March 2016). A Companion to Nordic Cinema. John Wiley & Sons. p. 335. ISBN 9781118475270.