Colour from the Dark (2008) User Reviews

Actually not that bad...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 28 December 2015]

If you enjoy the works of H.P. Lovecraft, then "The Color from the Dark", which is heavily influenced by "The Color Out of Space", should suit you well enough. I am a big fan of Lovecraft's writing and all things Lovecraftian.

I happened to come across this 2008 movie by sheer random luck and had to watch it of course. And the movie surprised me quite nicely, in a most positive manner, luckily.

This is not a movie with a budget amount that will cause you to faint. But director Ivan Zuccon managed to make due with an estimated budget of $100.000. And it was quite well put to use where it really mattered and counted. The effects were actually quite good.

It is a movie with a small ensemble of cast members, so there was a lot of pressure on those actors and actresses. And for most parts they did perform quite well.

This is an atmospheric horror movie that uses dread and impeding doom, much akin to what Lovecraft did himself. So thumbs up to the director for that accomplishment.

"Color from the Dark" is well worth watching if you enjoy a solid story-driven horror movie, and of course if you are a fan of Lovecraft.

Worth seeing, but not the best Lovecraft adaptation (mild spoilers)

[aaronjv-1 · 6/10 · 4 December 2008]

I saw Ivan's first two films at the HP Lovecraft Film Festival: The Darkness Beyond, which was an episodic feature with elements from a few of HPL's stories, and The Shunned House, which adapts three of Lovecraft's tales in one tortured location in different times.

His latest is a feature based on Lovecraft's "The Colour Out of Space".

I must admit my bias in this review: I have a feature script based on the same story. It is difficult for me to be objective and separate what I would like to see on screen with what I did see on screen in Ivan's movie.

In the original text, a meteorite crashes into a farm, releasing a terrible alien life form, a "colour" that slowly devours all life in the area.

Overall, I wanted to like the movie more, I really did. It is a fine film; it certainly has amazing cinematography and production design. The special effects are well-done and well-placed. The musical score was fair.

The colour itself: the movie is filmed in color, so the alien isn't indescribable, it looks like a lightning-blue shimmering reflection off a swimming pool. I thought it worked well. I suspect that hard-line Lovecraft fans will be insulted that the "colour" has a color, but I am not upset.

There are four problems I had with the picture:

1. It takes place in Italy, 1943. I don't mind this choice in and of itself, however, the setting got in the way of the story. There was a small plot thread dealing with the Nazis and a runaway Jew that I couldn't understand and found out of place for the story (plot and story are different things to me).

**MILD SPOILER**

2. There was a strong religious overtone to the picture, especially in the alien, which takes on Satanic qualities. This is a problem, as I view Lovecraft's material as being beyond any human religion. There are frequent shots of crucifixes being despoiled by the alien, which doesn't make sense to me. I would think that aliens would have no care nor concept of our religious symbols, but I am neither an alien nor religious, so what do I know?

I am guessing Ivan or the screenwriter is Catholic, so it was easy to see the motivation behind this choice, but I don't agree with it, not for a Lovecraft picture and especially not for this story. The movie becomes a "my god can beat up your god" tale, whereas I interpret Lovecraft to suggest "There are no human gods, there are only extremely powerful alien entities that cannot be comprehended by humans and are worshiped as gods."

I also don't think that every time a female is possessed by an entity (even a Satanic one) that makes her a nymphomaniac. But perhaps the sex had to be included to sell the movie, as T&A is unfortunately a sound marketing choice for low budget horror.

This brings me to

**LAST, MILD SPOILER**

3. The alien colour wasn't from an interstellar meteorite. Although it could be interpreted to have come from the outer cosmos, it wasn't portrayed as such. And that takes away from the punch of the original story, which I quite enjoy: that there are sentient things that exist in the wide Universe that we haven't a clue about, and woe to us if one of them happens to land here.

Without the meteorite impact and with the religious filter, the colour becomes more of a demon than an alien. It is just as dangerous, but not quite the same way, and, as a fan of the story, it bugged me. I also don't understand why Ivan didn't use the meteor; his special effects team was certainly talented enough to pull it off.

(SPOILERS OVER)

4. This movie is made in Italy, by Italians, with a cast of Italians. But it's in English. The dialog wasn't of the "Engrish" or babel-fish translation, but the acting seemed just a bit wooden when delivering lines, as if they weren't really sure of what they were saying. It detracted from I think could have been a better performance if it was subtitled in Italian. I couldn't really feel sympathy for any of the characters. Lacking a good baseline (introductory scene that shows the audience what things were like before the monster arrives), it was difficult to see how much the family was losing as the colour "sucks the life out!" (as the tagline implies)

Despite these issues, I recommend you see this movie if you are a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and it is available to you (theater or DVD). Aside from the major artistic changes above, it mostly plays out like the original story, far closer to the text than the other movie adaptations: Die, Monster, Die!, The Curse, and the Stephen King-starring episode of Creepshow.

Colour of the Dark didn't make me angry as bad movies will, but it disappointed me, as Ivan has the talent and drive and wherewithal to make a great Lovecraft picture, but this one wasn't quite it*. 6/10

Aaron

*don't forget my bias towards this particular story

THE WATER IS PURE AND FRESH

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 24 April 2018]

The film takes place in Italy during WWII in an area where people spoke with various British accents. Alice (Marysia Kay) is the mute sister of Lucia (Debbie Rochon) who has bad dreams and an ugly rag doll named Rosina. Lucia is married to Pietro (Michael Segal) a farmer with a bad knee and a brother fighting for Mussolini.

One day while attempting to retrieve a dropped bucket from the well, they dislodge an evil glow which takes possession of things... The tomatoes get huge, Pietro's bum knee heals, Alice talks, and most important Lucia wants to "do it" on the kitchen table. Whatever the entity, it doesn't really like religious symbols.

I found the film rather boring. It had dreams where a person gets killed, then they get killed for real in a different way. It was as if the writer had two ideas, didn't know which one to use, and then said, what the heck, let's use them both. This might have worked well in the book, but didn't work well on the screen as it was used too often as filler material. Alice's relationship to her rag doll was interesting, and I wish that had been more developed and focused upon. Overall, I didn't find the production convincing and enjoyable.

Parental Guide: Sex and Nudity (Debbie Rochon, Marysia Kay-briefly)

starts well...downhill all the way

[marquisoftranbeam · 2/10 · 27 February 2010]

The film begins with a sequence that made me genuinely jump before we see it is a dream sequence.

Its a good start but it doesn't last long before we fall into a boring, drawn out, badly acted snorefest.

Some of the cinematography is nice,the music is good. The main problem is the really really slow pace of the story..after the dream scenes at the beginning it takes ages for anything to happen.

The acting needs to be better if you want people to stay interested..especially with a slow-paced movie like this.Debbie Rochon doesn't even attempt an Italian accent but, as with every other thing she is in she towers above everyone else in acting terms.

I wish Zuccon would stop making Lovecraft movies with unnecessary T&A - it might help him get better casts. I mean Tiffany Shepis? Debbie Rochon? who's next Paris Hilton? if its on TV it might be worth a watch..if you're keen maybe rent but don't buy.

Its a shame.The basic idea is sound but it needs work.

slow

[obediahsilt · 2/10 · 26 December 2009]

I have never read Lovecraft so I can't comment on whether or not this is true to his style.

Its not a terrible film but its instantly forgettable. The plot contains some force that affects the people who drink water from a well in 1940's Italy. We are never given a view of what their lives were like before the "colour" so the drama is muted somewhat.

There are attempts to create atmosphere with weird and quirky events and lingering views of religious imagery. There is also a lot of focus on a mute retard who carries a doll everywhere..this is initially intriguing but once you realise it leads nowhere and is simply padding then it becomes irritating..especially as the actress playing the part overacts inexcusably.

The pacing is very slow and at times watching this feels like wading through treacle. I admire the director for placing character above gore and sensationalism but if he wants to make a "drama horror" he should look beyond the circle of untrained b-movie regulars we see here when assembling his cast.

Debbie Rochon is the only actress who gives a commendable performance. The movie tag line is "sucks the life out" and I imagine the younger audience will think the movie sucks the life out of them. Its a brave attempt that doesn't really work. I've never read Lovecraft and it'll take more than this movie to get me to start.

not much cop

[colinhawksby · 2/10 · 23 February 2010]

I'll be totally honest: I gave up on this movie after a quarter of an hour. It was badly made and acted but I switched off seconds after one of the main characters made a comment so unbelievably stupid that I couldn't care about them.

The comment was this( spoilers) The characters are poor farmers in Italy and they discover a supernatural force in their well.While the male lead and some girl watch the well water explodes, turns black and gives off noxious fumes. So what does the father do? he lowers a bucket in, drinks from it and pronounces it " pure and fresh".He then tells his family to continue to drink it, cook with it and bathe in it.

I know you have to suspend disbelief with characters and plots in low budget movies but there is a limit. Why should I be expected to care about people who behave so stupidly..in ways that no real person ever would.

I stopped watching then and I'd advise you not to bother

Half Lovecraft/Half "Exorcist"

[zardoz-13 · 7/10 · 25 March 2020]

Lenser, editor & director Ivan Zuccon's adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's classic yarn "The Colour Out of Space" takes liberties with the source material and may alienate hardcore H.P. L. lovers. Zuccon has changed things around a bit. First, no meteor crashes in Pietro's front yard. Second, the tale takes place in to Italy in 1943, instead of Arkham, Massachusetts. Third, the horror emanates from a demoniac source rather than an alien source. Fourth, no character here qualifies as the narrator of Lovecraft's masterpiece. Fifth, sex rears its erotic head alongside splatter gore visual effects. Although it differs in at least five ways, Zuccon's saga is evocative, atmospheric, and often chilling. Zuccon's cinematography is impeccable, and he knows how to endow his narrative with a creepy spontaneity. Troma starlet Debbie Rochon acquits herself admirably as Lucia, the wife of a crippled but muscular Italian farmer Pietro (Michael Segal) and their mute daughter Alice (Marysia Kay of "Zombie Women of Satan") who live in seclusion on a farm with nobody in sight for miles. Indeed, they do have neighbors who occasionally turn up for a visit, but most of "Colour from the Dark" transpires at their farm. Pietro suffers from a bad knee that prevented him from serving in Mussolini's army, but his brother Luigi (Emmett J Scanlan) is off fighting the war. Eventually, he returns from the fighting, only to learn about the tragedy afflicting his brother's life and family.

The movie starts with Alice awakening in the night to traipse out to a well where creepy stuff occurs. Strange lights emanate from the well. Whatever is in the well has contaminated the land, too. Before long everything else begins to change, subtly at first, but then later with greater intensity. The first signs that all is no right is the crucifixes adorning the walls detach themselves. Everything symbol of Catholicism is tampered with by an unseen force. "The Colour from the Dark" is a mash-up of Lovecraft and William Peter Blatty, author of "The Exorcist." Everybody in the house displays signs of the demoniac force. First, Lucia becomes a nymphomaniac and Pietro and she wallow in sex galore. Second, Pietro's leg unaccountably heals itself, quite the miracle in both Lucia and his eyes. The biggest surprise for the couple is Alice has acquired the power of speech and she talks. Nevertheless, things worsen as Lucia turns into a demon with black eyes, and Pietro has to lock her up. A priest Father Mario (Matteo Tosi of "Wrath of the Crows") visits them and worries about Pietro. Eventually, when Father Mario visits the possessed Lucia, he encounters her evil. She stabs him in the left eye with a cross and kills him.

Although Zuccon takes liberties with Lovecraft with the demoniac possession plot, "The Colour from the Dark" qualifies as an above-average horror yarn with atmospheric settings, sinister shenanigans galore, and moments that are genuinely scary. Zuccon has made what constitutes a film festival offering, but he has done a fine job of pacing the action. Performances are for the most part credible, with Rochon turning in a better than average job. The film itself looks splendid and Zuccon's cinematography is good. The imagery is striking as is the editing. An imaginative departure from Lovecraft, "The Colour from the Dark" is worth watching for Lovecraft completists.

how many Italian farmers were on steroids in 1943?

[romanguy66 · 1/10 · 5 April 2011]

Some good suspense moments do not pay back the time spent to watch this movie. The opening scene is great, i have to admit, but the rest is a boring puzzle of different movies. Pietro is the funniest character. How many farmer you could have found, in 1943 in Italy, with a body builder shape? Also, would you ever drink water from a well after an explosion in there and stinky smoke coming up? I have read some novels from H.P. Lovecraft, not this one, and i found them awesome. The plot is poor and overall disconnected, with poor execution of scenes like the exorcism. Nothing new. The Jewish lady dead in the forest and the scene with the Nazi. Too many scenes end up with a bad dream. Do not waste your time watching this movie, even if you are a b-movies lover.

A metaphor for 1943 Fascist Italy

[jerryvandelgoth · 7/10 · 10 July 2012]

A modest but in ways a clever production which seems to miss the mark for viewers not familiar with events in 1943 fascist Italy .The melding of the Lovecraft story and the reality of the war years does not develop any of it's themes clearly .Pregnant with very good ideas the scope of the film is too narrow . It is perhaps best thought of as a nightmare . It would be interesting to know what might have been done with a much larger budget . I thought the actors were very good . The production in general was very well photographed . This was one of 8 titles in a DVD set called "8 Movies - Midnight Horror" which I got at my local Ralphs Market for $5.00

Had potential but failed.

[mdnobles19 · 1/10 · 25 February 2010]

This supernatural/horror movie was way too ambitious for its own good considering it's very limited budget, talent and the story was just too over their heads, I've just seen way too many movies like it and most of them are way better than this mess. The only part that I liked was the creepy dream sequence in the beginning that makes you think that this might be a pretty good and spooky flick but I was dead wrong. It pretty much went nowhere terrifying from there and it was like a broken record going around in a pretty generic and boring path that lost my interest but I stuck it out waiting for something better but it never came through for me. It's a shame because judging from the trailer it looked like it was going to be one scary flick but I should know by now not to judge a movie by it's trailer but was so much looking forward to this flick, I'm very disappointed in the poor performance on display here. Overall this was pretty much a huge failure on all counts and very generic through and through, this could of been so much better if it was in the right hands. Not recommended!!! More of a 1.5 out of 5 stars.

Creepy and unsettling

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 3 September 2013]

1943, Italy. A struggling farm family accidentally unleash a mysterious malignant force from the earth's core after drawing water from their well. Said evil glowing force subsequently starts to seep into the lives of the family with grim and tragic consequences for everyone concerned. Director Ivan Zuccon, working from an uncompromisingly dark script by Ivo Gazzarrini, does a masterful job of creating and sustaining a potently bleak and disturbing gloom-doom atmosphere that's rife with an overwhelming sense of decay, despair, and madness. Moreover, the morbidly compelling story unfolds at a steady pace and concludes on a devastatingly downbeat note. The excellent acting by the able cast holds the picture together: Veteran scream queen Debbie Rochon delivers a stand-out performance as the patient and kindly Lucia (her character's gradual mental and physical deterioration are amongst the most harrowing scenes in the movie), Michael Segal likewise does well as hard-working farmer Pietro, and Marysia Kay goes to town on the juicy role of the troubled and childish Alicia, plus there are sound contributions from Gerry Shanahan as the worried Giovanni, Eleanor Jones as the sweet Anna, and Matteo Tosi as the devout Father Mario. The startling outbursts of hideously grotesque gore and brutal violence pack a nasty punch while the bold central theme about the ineffectualness of Christianity provides an extra provocative edge. Zuccan's crisp cinematography gives the movie an elegant look. Marco Werba's brooding score further adds to the overall eerie and unnerving tone. A strong shocker.

Worthy Lovecraft adaptation

[kastrino · 7/10 · 20 November 2020]

I had previously seen The Shunned House from this director and didn't particularly enjoy it. This movie is based on H.P. Lovecraft's classic tale of cosmic horror "The Colour Out of Space" is a huge improvement for Ivan Zuccon and a worthy addition in the many movie adaptations of this story. The main difference from the story is that the cosmic element is replaced by a vague demonic/ satanic element and it fits well in this context. We have some great atmosphere throughout, fine gore and effects and a slow build up to a crescendo, just like it should be. Debbie Rochon steals the show with her performance and while there are a few slow, clumsy and unneeded bits, overall this was well worth the viewing time. For me this is one of the best adaptations of the Lovecraft story, up there with Richard Stanley's Color Out of Space and Ovidio Assonitis's The Curse

Lovecraft-flavored dullness lost in translation

[JoeB131 · 3/10 · 15 March 2012]

Nobody has ever done a good adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story, but this is probably one of the worst ones. Based on "Colour out of Space" and set in WWII Italy, it follows the plot of a farm family who are slowly taken over by a mysterious energy force that drains the life out of them and drives them mad.

The problem, of course, is that they put a lot of religious elements into the story, which don't belong anywhere near a Lovecraft tale. Lovecraft had no use for religion. Yet the Colour continually attacks religious artifacts, symbols and people.

The acting is truly dreadful. And I'm not sure why they needed to set this during WWII, exactly.

Not really worth watching.

It is insult to call this movie to be "based" on Lovecraft

[the_wolf_imdb · 1/10 · 20 November 2011]

This movie is so wrong on so many levels! I love Lovecraft but the movies based on his stories should be filmed by someone who has at least some basic understanding of Lovecraft. The Color Out of Space is a very good story and definitely deserves a good movie or at least cheap but movie faithful to the original. But this movie is so way off so it is almost blasphemy to say it is "based on story" by Lovecraft. Zuccon has obviously no idea about lovercraftian worlds whatsoever yet he continues to spoil his stories. So what is wrong with it?

• Lame acting. You may have problems with the budget but you should hire some actors who can act. Especially you should not have retarded girl being played by woman in her thirties. It is laughable.

• Lame story. It is offensive to mention this is "based" on story by Lovecraft. The movie has nothing in common to the story of Lovecraft, the only connecting element is some cheap light effect in the well.

• There is no need to add absolutely out-of place motives like Nazis, WWII and Nazi planes (especially if you must use RC models that would look so lame in the movie). Adding such elements make movie absolutely incomprehensible.

• Do not add God and other religious themes to Lovecraft. Lovecraftian religion has nothing in common with the God as the monotheists do know it. Lovecraftians demons are not demons as recognized by religion.

• If you work on generic demon movie you should at least assure it is scary, thrilling, shocking or surprising. This piece of thrash is boring, messy, preachy, uninteresting. It has no climax, no reasonable conclusion or ending. It has just credits rolling at some point.

I think it would be more beneficial if Zuccon would focus his story molesting talents on something that deserves to waste like The Twilight series. Seriously, Lovecraft does not deserve such parody and especially not "creative rewriting" in somewhat religious way. It is better not to have movie at all that to have great story spoiled by such lame effort.

Interesting, but Flawed Lovecraftian Horror

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 5/10 · 29 March 2019]

This was a film that I learned about from the horror film encyclopedia that I'm working through. I didn't know much about it aside from the name and year. Something interesting is that I thought the title was similar to a film that is rumored to be made and it wasn't until after that I realized both are based on the same H.P. Lovecraft story. The synopsis is a married couple and her mentally handicapped sister unleashes something from their well that makes life better, but then also destroys them.

We kick this off with Alice (Marysia Kay) as she wakes up in the night. She is the mentally handicapped sister. We learn from dialogue later that she doesn't talk and she has a toy that she carries everywhere. She gets out of bed and goes down to the well. She thinks that she drops her doll when she is trying to put a bucket down there. She's then back in her room and is bleeding. She is panicking when her sister, Lucia (Debbie Rochon) and her husband, Pietro (Michael Segal) come into the room. They think she is sleeping and having a night terror. Lucia says to not wake her and let it play out.

We then learn that this is taking place in Italy back in 1942. Pietro has an issue with his knee and it is hard work on their small farm. Lucia takes care of Alice as well as the house. Pietro's brother Luigi is off in World War II and he misses him severely. With his knee how it is, he needs his help. Living nearby is Giovanni (Gerry Shanahan) and his granddaughter Anna (Eleanor James). I believe that Anna is either married to or just in love with Luigi. That night we see Anna is helping a local Jewish woman escape, Teresa (Alessandra Guerzoni). She is murdered by someone in the woods though.

Alice is told to fetch water from the well, but she drops the bucket without securing it first. It sinks into the water. She tries to get it out with a long hook they have, but its catching. She finds Pietro and signals she needs his help. He tries to free it, but it seems like something else is freed from beneath it. Smoke is released, but he does get he bucket back. He tries the water and it seems fine.

Things start to change though in their lives after what is released. Pietro's knee is healed, Alice can talk and Lucia seems to be abandoning her Catholic faith to pursue more carnal desires. There is an odd light coming from the well and it is almost like electricity jumping from things. Their crops have more yields and everything seems to be getting better. That's until we see that this force is actually sinister and tears them apart.

As I started this off, I stated I didn't know anything about the story. I will admit that as the film really kind of starts to play out, I thought it felt very Lovecraftian and I found it interesting this is based off his story 'The Colour Out of Space'. I love his concepts of there being things much older than humans and that they can tempt us with their power. We definitely get that here, my problem though is I would have liked a little bit of that explored.

This film does do a great job of establishing the character's lives and what is normal for them. All of these events take place over a week and we see how drastically things changes in that time. I did catch a title of another review how this is a metaphor for fascism in Italy during the war. I actually can see that. Early on it is showing how great things are. It also shows how quickly things fall apart as well and how those in charge take what they want.

To get back to what I disliked, I just felt like it moves too fast through things. We never really get a resolution. A local priest, Father Mario (Matteo Tosi), comes to help and there's nothing he can do. I did like this aspect, as I love this entity being older than Christianity and it is powerless. Luigi (Emmett J Scanlan) also comes home and I can see how this is showing that WWII was a pointless war from the view of Italians. My problem is that I wish they could have explored what came from the well and learn something about it, because we get none of that.

I do have to give the film credit on its editing. The film runs 92 minutes and it really does move through things. I actually think it might move a bit too fast for my liking to be honest. The changes that happen are done at perfect intervals though, so I did enjoy that. This film is actually pretty bleak, which is something I do tend to enjoy in my films. I also like the implications that it expanding out and there's nothing that can stop it. This can also harkens back to the allegory of fascism as well.

Acting for this film I thought was also fine. Rochon was interesting as Lucia. She doesn't have any ailments, but we see that she's been motherly to take care of his sister who can't for herself. I did like that when things change, she becomes sexualized. It is great because of her religion and I'm a sucker for films that use the perversion of things that are supposed to be absolutely good. Segal I thought was solid as well. He is a rock that continues to be broken down. Kay was solid as well. I like how child-like she pretends and as things change, she sees the dangers of what is happening. The rest of the cast rounded out the film for what it needed as well.

Something I had a lot of issues with was the effects. There are some practical effects in the film and they are actually really good. There was one scene that even made me cringe, which is what I like to see. Blood for the film was a solid color and consistency. The problem though was in the CGI. There was very little that was good from it. The rest was just cheap looking. They also did a lot with a green screen that just was bad. That really took me out of it, because I could tell.

Now with that said, this film has some really solid aspects and some that aren't so much. I'm a sucker for films that adapt the works of Lovecraft. I do just wish this would have explored more of what it is and kind of establish a bit there. I do like the concept of this being a possible metaphor for fascism as well as the perversion of religion. I thought the pacing was good. The acting was solid. The practical effects were good, but most of the CGI was just bad. Score for the film really didn't stand out to me, but it also didn't hurt the film. I did think that this film does do some good things and it also did some not so good things. I think I have to give this one an average score for that reason.

Death and decay

[gpeltz · 3/10 · 28 March 2015]

Color From the Dark (2008) Directed by Ivan Zuccon and based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft. Screenplay by Ivo Gazzarini. This was filmed in Italy. Spoiler Alert ahead. Where to begin? A small farming community of good hard working people, falling under the spell of a malignant force, in Italy 1943. That's as close to a metaphor as this movie gets. At first I thought we were going to get an interesting blend of history and fantasy, much like Pan's Labyrinth (2006) but the movie opts to take a different route. The fascist elements are in place, but the evil is from a different place, loosely based on a Lovecraft short story.

What we get is a morbid and depressing glimpse of Death and decay. The farm in the countryside is the epicenter of the evil, The poor farm family led by Michael Segal, as Pietro, and his wife Lucia and daughter Alice played by Debbie Rochon and Marysia Kay are the unwitting victims, who tap the Evil.

Something is stuck in the Well, as Pietro jars it loose, a terrible stench, and dense smoke come pouring out of the well. What does Pietro do? He draws water from the well, and drinks it! Then he serves it to his family. That't it! Common sense goes out the door. It is no play on words to say that all hell breaks loose. The evil at first looks like a good thing. The crops are producing giant sized fruits in vast quantities. It is not long however that things go downhill. The Fruit is bitter, and is rotting on the vines, and Lucia falls under an evil spell. Eventually all succumb to this nightmare.

The film is shot at a low budget, and the effects are simple. It is the acting and the story that carry the production, which in contrast to the lack of budget, is stylistically directed, The opening has a few "scare" sequences, but they fade under the over all gloom of the story. The problem is that the movie is unrelentingly depressing. If you thrill to depravity, death and decay, and watching good people suffer, you might like it. I did not. I give it Three out of Ten slimy Stars. A good effort at directing, wasted by a dismal plot.

Solid and entertaining if slow-going adaptation

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 7/10 · 13 November 2020]

Living alone on a small farmland, a man and his family are shocked when they discover a strange mystical light underneath their farm and overlook this feature due to the good fortune they receive, but when it all suddenly turns sour they realize that something's wrong on their farm and must try to save their lives.

There was quite a lot to like with this one. Among it's better elements is the impressive immediacy about the force being unearthed and how it starts to change everyone. With the seemingly innocent unearthing in the well happening in the first minutes of the film, there's a rather fun time to be had knowing that something's wrong almost immediately as the bright flash that emerges from underneath is wholly unnatural. This is compounded by the quick glimpses shown around the house that they're being infected against their will, from the sparkling water that goes unnoticed to the water being used on their crops or the discovery of the dead body covered in glowing orbs signaling the assimilation to come. Given that the changes to them start to occur in more pronounced ways immediately after when their physical maladies are soon healed or gigantic crop-yields from their farm showcase a rather obvious hint that something's wrong in the first half. As well, there's a strikingly enjoyable amount of solid action to be had here which helps to enhance the fun atmospheric build-up. From the nightmare of her trying to stop her beloved doll from bleeding which keeps spraying blood all over her own body in a shocking manner to the feverish chase through the corn-fields in an attempt to bury a cross, this start to the craziness allows it to grow far more impressive as time goes on. Ranging from vivid hallucinations about dismembering each other or themselves, frenzied outbursts that barely contain any sense of sanity or being influenced by the ethereal voices and shimmering light around them to commit quite heinous acts as a whole. That this begins to turn into outright over-the-top the longer this stays in their lives and begins to infect not only their lives but also those in the area around them which gradually offers far more uncontrollable situations the more they stay there. This section also offers some nice kills and far more gruesome practical effects work than expected to give this one plenty to enjoy about it. There are a few flaws to be found within this one. The most glaring issue is the fact that this one tends to go at a slightly slower tempo than it really should. It tends to evoke a much quieter or drawn-out style than what should be present if they're being corrupted by this outside force and being changed against their will. Although the actions tend to emerge with a rather decent pacing it still offers a much more downbeat pace which tends to downplay the severity of what's happening in favor of a mundane approach that doesn't come across with the same intensity. That also manages to highlight the fact that this one tends to really rally around the stupidity of the characters to stay there oblivious to the danger around them, as once the good fortune passes the series of horrifying events that happen are far more extreme and of pressing importance so they don't have realistic motivations for doing so. These do end up knocking this down somewhat.

Rated Unrated/R: Violence, Language, Brief Nudity, a clothed sex scene and mild themes of incest.

Just another indie

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 4 November 2020]

COLOUR FROM THE DARK is another Lovecraft adaptation from Italian director Ivan Zuccon, although it's so cheap-looking that it feels like an indie more than anything else and it's little better than one too. This is a loose adaptation, updated to modern times and with much of the supernatural stuff excised from the narrative, which leaves the story resting on the shoulders of not particularly brilliant actors. Scream queen Debbie Rochon stars, there's far too much nonsense involving a children's doll, and a few awful effects remind you of the paucity of this film's budget. Lovecraftian? Not so much.

DESPITE OTHER REVIEWS DECENT LOVECRAFT ADAPTATION

[dogma-53668 · 7/10 · 4 September 2020]

Despite what others are saying give this movie a chance it's actually really good and watch it at night it'll help. Worth a look or two. I enjoyed it. WARNING: Possible jump scares. Heehee

With some rough edges, but Visceral, Creepy, and VERY Lovecraftian...

[lathe-of-heaven · 8/10 · 17 August 2012]

I do have to say first off that I noticed for a period piece and especially for a Lovecraft period piece, the use of digital photography does have a tendency to take you out of the mood and setting, if you allow it to do so. But, for the money I'm thinking that they really likely didn't have much choice, so I tried to overlook that as I watched.

More importantly though, I feel the primary accomplishment of this film is that it REALLY does indeed capture the otherworldly and oppressive Lovecraft mood and atmosphere, despite the cringe-worthy CG. IF they could have had the money to use film, AH..., now that I REALLY would have loved to see because I think that would have polished out most of the unseemly glaring edges and would have SERIOUSLY put you right in the time, place and mood where you needed to be for this film.

Anyway, with that said, I feel that if you go into this movie having a somewhat forgiving attitude, all in all you do come away with the resulting oppressive and creepy feeling that another dimension has indeed taken over the family's farm. Especially at the end (not giving anything away of course) when the friend comes to check out how they are doing. The photography is excellent, especially showing the progressive corruption of the place.

The acting... Well... Probably NOT the strongest suit of this movie, but I thought Anna was HOTTT! And the priest was pretty good. I think what the creators were trying to do came across pretty well, again with a very limited budget. I guess my rating is fairly forgiving considering all the rough edges of the film. BUT... the net effect is successful in creating a Lovecraftian atmosphere as long as you go into the film with these things in mind. Certainly, as I say VERY often in my reviews, compared to the avalanche of drivel that passes for Horror today, this one comes out fairly effective and entertaining...

Why all the bad reviews?

[tohkwongweng · 7/10 · 7 June 2018]

As a huge horror movie fan I've watched quite a lot of really crappy ones. This one was a really unique take on demonic possession which is one of my favourite sub-genres. I knew the battle with evil was going to be over once the Catholic priest was killed and as a practicing Catholic I experienced a total feeling and sense of dread and total devastation throughout which not a lot of horror movies can pull off successfully. I didn't think the movie was fantastic but neither was it worth the low scores.

much better then thought it was going be

[atinder · 7/10 · 29 October 2012]

This one of those, slow movies, which take times to builed , tense scenes,

This movie start of a little creepy at first , as the movie it went on, I found the whole thing, really bizarre in a good away.

The most of the movie, they were a bit to many Dream scenes, first, it okay and then you get annoyed of them, messing with you, your thinking to yourself, if this yet another dream or not.

Some of Dream scenes are really good, one Dream really gave me the creeps,

There were some bloody moment, The effects were mixed with uneven Effects, will great but still good.

The acting in this movie was really good.

7 out of 10

Zuccon continues to improve

[udar55 · 6/10 · 26 February 2010]

The third film adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Colour Out of Space," this low budget ($100,000) flick from Italy is decent for the money. Set during WWII, it focuses on farmer Pietro (Michael Segal), who lives on the farm with his wife Lucia (Debbie Rochon) and her mute sister Alice (Marysia Kay). One day strange lights emerge from their well and the water it provides turns into some kind of healing elixir. The vegetables grow to massive sizes and Pietro's bad knee that kept him out of the service heals up (bummer). But Lucia starts to slowly go mad and turns into a hideous Linda Blair looking mofo.

Director Ivan Zuccon made some waves with his low budget Lovecraft anthology THE SHUNNED HOUSE (2003) and this continues to deliver on that promise. The film has oodles of style, even if it is shot on high end Beta, which makes it looks kind of like a soap opera. He's still not totally there as a director (he seems to have fallen in love with using digital embellishments like bad looking computer fog), but I still think the guy has plenty of talent and is one to watch. Just ditch the video, son. Also, how can you not love a film where characters named Luigi and Giovanni are played by English and Irish actors?

One of the most chilling films I've seen this year!!!

[geppocreppo · 10/10 · 17 January 2009]

One of the most chilling films I've seen this year!!! Pietro and Lucia live on an isolated farm with Alice, Lucia's younger sister. Poor farmers, they live tilling the soil. Pietro is a good worker and a strong man who, unlike his three brothers, is not at war because of a deformed knee. Lucia is a beautiful and reserved woman dedicated to her family. Their life is peaceful and good, in spite of the hard work. One day, while drawing water from the well, Pietro and Alice accidentally free something from Earth's womb. A strange and alien color flashes underwater, at the well's bottom, then disappears. From that moment on, inexplicable events start happening all around the farm, and by night the surrounding vegetation glitters with a sinister glow. The color soon takes hold of the whole farm, and dwelling inside Pietro and his family's minds, it brings them into its sick world of pain, blood and death.

Hellava Movie! - From the surreal opening where Alice dreams of being called to the well outside and drops her doll...to her blood soaked nightmares, Colour from he Dark delivers the the goods. Eerie, haunting, nightmarish ......these are the words I'd use to describe this film. Another Lovecraft inspired film, though this time it's one to be proud of. We find ourselves in the old country where they farm, harvest and pull water from the well as a daily way of life. The Germans still roam the area in search of Jews to capture or kill and our couple Pietro and Lucia and Lucia make due while watching her mute sister Alice. Their peaceful existent of farm-life living is drastically changed when Alice drops her water bucket into the well. When Pietro attempts to dislodge it from the bottom, he cracks open a underground channel that releases a colorful blue light with reeking odors. Still they collect the daily drinking water and proceed like nothing happened. Not too long after that, they witness miraculous changes that heal; Pietro's leg and witness Alice speaking again. All seems fine until the evil blue light overtakes the family one by one.

Possession sets in upon Lucia as she transforms both mentally and physically. The nightmare increases and demons find there way into the once peaceful household. Even with its elegance, the blue light emanates a harrowing dark chant of sorts and unleashes hell on to the family and neighbors. Directed by Ivan Zuccon Studio Interzona presents a great exploration of fear and fright. Much in the same way "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" progressed into fearful territory, demonic Colour from the Dark does so with ease and style. Fantastic performance are presented by Horror queen Debbie Rochon, Michael Segal and Marysia Kay. The film has a very classic feel that seems influenced by the Italian masters and yet also can hang with the mainstream frights just as well. With original music by Marco Werba and sound design that works extremely well to accent the impact moments we have all the makings of a good old frightful experience. Special mention also goes out to FX by Massimo Storari who uses them sparingly but effectively.

Ivan has a great feel for using the right angles and perspectives to enhance his story and showing the audience what they need to see when it needs to be seen. This film actually surprised me as I watched it late at night not knowing really too much about it except that it was getting well received. Though I always say that any film that can creep me out is a dead on winner that has perfected the art of cinematic fear. I highly recommend this as a great "put the fear of the devil into you ya" type of film. With its very effective sound design to enhance the nightmarish delivery, it will send more than one chill down your spine.

Faithful adaptation. Nice atmosphere on a low budget

[deacon_blues-3 · 7/10 · 30 November 2011]

OK, there seem to be a lot of semi-literate HPL fan wannabees reviewing this film who think an adaptation of this story needs to be somehow theologically correct according to HPL's over-all cosmology, otherwise they call it "blasphemous?" Puleeze! Give me a break! All that matters is good storytelling, not budget, not FX, not speed, and not even whether the accents the actors have are realistic. This film is an admirable effort on a very low budget. I greatly admire Zuccon's ability to retell "Colour" in an alternate setting and time period. He achieves a really effective atmosphere of creepy foreboding. I like the slow pace; you can't get anymore slow paced than HPL's writing style, so why should that be a problem? Too many of these dilettante HPL fans have been raised on the pace of MTV videos, I guess. So many of these weenies have commented that the cinematography looks like a soap opera; SO WHAT! That's really obvious, but who cares? Are we worried that we might be contaminated by the "All My Children" virus? Get over it! This is an artistically crafted, valid adaptation of the classic story, but not a slavish reproduction of it. I liked the religious overtones, too. Just because HPL was an atheist, does that mean that the film director has to convert to the gospel of Cthulhu before he can make an HPL film? "Colour Out of Space" is not a mythos story anyway! It's outside the genre. So chill! Would you prefer to watch Nick Adams and Boris Karloff in "Die, Monster, Die!?" Sheesh!