I don’t get the chance often enough, but I enjoy watching sci-fi horror films quite a bit. Everyone knows that there is an upper epsilon of outer space horror flicks out there, but that isn’t to say there aren’t a whole slew of others that deserve everyone’s attention just as equally. One of those lesser-known ones that I am referring to is D. J. Webster’s The Dark Side of the Moon.
The Plot
In the year 2022, a crew is sent on a mission to repair an orbital weapon. As if it has a mind of its own, the ship they are traveling on stops functioning. Now stuck in auto-pilot and heading toward the dark side of the moon, the crew encounter a seemingly abandoned space shuttle. Once onboard the 30 year old shuttle, they realize there is something very sinister present.
My Thoughts
The Dark Side of the Moon is another film that I had never even heard of until its new home release. Judging by the various posters and cover art found around the web, this 1990 movie looks like a typical low-budget sci-fi flick. You would be making a mistake to write it off as one, however.
Yes, The Dark Side of the Moon is in fact a low budget film compared to the likes of science fiction horror classics like The Thing or Alien, but that doesn’t make it bad in any way. In fact, this movie has a lot of positives and, overall, is quite enjoyable.
There is some gore on display throughout this film’s 91 minute runtime. While ripped open stomachs and pouring out entrails all look very impressive, they are not very heavily featured. Instead, the true nature of the horror present in The Dark Side of the Moon comes from a claustrophobic atmosphere and the paranoia of not knowing exactly what our crew is dealing with.
That paranoia creates a very specific tone that carries itself throughout the film’s entirety. Films like Pandorum and, of course, Event Horizon can be brought into the conversation when comparing The Dark Side of the Moon, but it is still its own beast all together.
The sound design, cinematography, and lighting departments also did a wonderful job at helping create that overall mood and sense of dread. Our crew of protagonists are in for some hellish stuff and we, the audience, are well aware of this from start to finish.
The Verdict
The Dark Side of the Moon is a must see for anyone into films that mix the best elements of sci-fi and horror. It features a talented cast including the likes of Joe Turkel (The Shining, Blade Runner), Robert Sampson (Re-animator, Robot Jox), and with over 180 film and TV credits, Alan Blumenfeld, and a clever script that mixes science and religion in new and horrifying ways.
Unearthed Films has outdone themselves again with this, the second installment in their Unearthed Classics line. The film boasts a beautiful new 4K transfer, arguably the best version of this film you will ever see, and tons of bonus content. Interviews with various cast and crew, audio commentary, photo galleries, and more are all present in this new home release.
Be sure to pick up a copy of The Dark Side of the Moon on Blu-ray now from Unearthed Films.
I give this one 4 triangles out of 5.
