In 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced ... Read allIn 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced that the home is haunted.In 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced that the home is haunted.
- Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
- 29 wins & 55 nominations total
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe disease the children have is an actual disease known as Xeroderma Pigmentosum, which is basically an extreme sensitivity to sunlight. It is very rare with roughly a thousand people in the world who have it.
- GoofsWhen Grace is eagerly trying to conceal her children from the sunlight, she takes them to a room located in a narrow corridor decorated with pictures and a statue of the Virgin, near their bedroom. Grace opens the door into the room but, when we see out to the corridor from inside the room, the pictures are gone, the wallpaper has different pattern and color, and there is an electric lighting fixture on the wall not previously seen.
- Quotes
Mrs. Mills: Death of a loved one can lead people to do the strangest things.
- Crazy creditsBefore the opening credits or music begin, we hear Grace's voice over a black screen; she says (in the manner of a mother about to tell a bedtime story), "Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin."
- Alternate versionsTheatrical releases included a longer credit sequence with sketches of Nicole Kidman in the attic and the servants, SFX differences, and some lines of dialogue that were deleted from all subsequent home media releases and TV airings (most notably to make certain plot revelations less obvious).
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2002)
- SoundtracksI Only Have Eyes for You
(1934)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics Al Dubin
Sung a cappella by Nicole Kidman (uncredited)
Published by WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
Featured review
Chilling!!
This is one of the best movies I have seen all year, and one of the top horror stories ever told. It's creepy, simplistic, and eerie.
I was impressed by the enchanting simplicity of the plot, the lack of need for "Hollywood" special effects, and the haunting atmosphere that loomed over everything from beginning to end.
The first half, or even three quarters, seemed to move along a bit slowly, but it felt necessary to build the suspense to the point where I was biting my nails in anticipation of the inevitable.
Nicole Kidman's character, Grace... I was torn between empathy and disgust for her at times, but she definitely succeeded at captivating me with their lives and story. Predictable in parts, but it still leaves you guessing. This was a quality ghost story, with an old fashioned ambiance; downright spooky.
I was in awe of the ending, a fairly intelligent premise. It's the kind of movie that lets you escape reality for a while by entertaining you, but at the same time, returns you to the "real world" with your spine tingling, wondering if there isn't some possibility of truth... Chilling.
I was impressed by the enchanting simplicity of the plot, the lack of need for "Hollywood" special effects, and the haunting atmosphere that loomed over everything from beginning to end.
The first half, or even three quarters, seemed to move along a bit slowly, but it felt necessary to build the suspense to the point where I was biting my nails in anticipation of the inevitable.
Nicole Kidman's character, Grace... I was torn between empathy and disgust for her at times, but she definitely succeeded at captivating me with their lives and story. Predictable in parts, but it still leaves you guessing. This was a quality ghost story, with an old fashioned ambiance; downright spooky.
I was in awe of the ending, a fairly intelligent premise. It's the kind of movie that lets you escape reality for a while by entertaining you, but at the same time, returns you to the "real world" with your spine tingling, wondering if there isn't some possibility of truth... Chilling.
helpful•33639
- ca_localgirl
- Oct 23, 2001
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- The Darkness
- Filming locations
- Palacio de los Hornillos, Las Fraguas, Iguña, Cantabria, Spain(exteriors of Grace Stewart's mansion)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $17,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $96,578,502
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,089,952
- Aug 12, 2001
- Gross worldwide
- $210,002,906
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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