I saw this first on a vhs in the mid 90s. I never understood the film then. Found it to be one helluva weird stuff. Revisited it recently after reading many glowing reviews n the cult following. Honestly, now i found it to be meh. As i mentioned in my review of the movie A Cure For Wellness that cinematography n atmosphere ain't enough to save a bad film. Apart from some solid imagery, the cathedral's location, the village, the atmosphere of constant raining n murky weather, the weird characters, the leaking cathedral with its dripping water, the cliff n the setting sun, the catacombs with their candles n the enigmatic passageways, there ain't anything good about this film. In fact, there is no music, very few dialogues n the story is really confusing. Strange things seems to happen for no reason.
Its not ur typical Nunsploitation, so dont expect nudity n sex.
63 Reviews
Island of the Burning Nuns
Coventry3 April 2006
If you already think the title of this user-comment is weird, just wait until you see the rest of the movie! Mariano Baino's "Dark Waters" is an old-fashioned creepy chiller and perhaps even the most underrated horror film of the last three decades. It's definitely the best Italian horror film of the nineties, along with Michele Soavi's "Dellamorte Dellamore", even though they severely differ in tone and content. The plot of "Dark Waters" is very confusing and contains an incredible amount of holes; still Biano manages to create a genuinely unsettling atmosphere and stuffs his film with nightmarish images and unlikely monsters. The beautiful Elizabeth travels back to the remote and hard-to-reach island where she spent her childhood years in a convent. Even though her mother died here and despite the fact her father advised her on his deathbed never to return, Elizabeth is drawn to the convent, more particularly to the ominous dungeons and hidden passageways. The creepy setting of "Dark Waters" reminded me a lot of "The Name of the Rose". Due to their strict and isolated life-styles, the nuns in this convent look mad and petrifying (some of them appear to be more than 150 years old!) and together they hide dark and very UN-catholic secrets. It's truly odd, but also strangely disturbing, to see nuns running around with burning torches and damaged crucifixes. "Dead Waters" also features a handful of grisly images and a fairly gruesome finale, but the film is mostly about style and atmosphere. It's practically always raining on this island, the nights seem to last twice as long as the days and even the villagers that live outside the convent look spooky. The music is very good, too, and lead actress Louise Salter is fascinating to look at. If the script had been a little more coherent and structured, this would have been a brilliant horror film. Now, it's just a very good one.
I often found it surreal, entrancing and dreamlike
FieCrier5 March 2002
Often the camera-work struck me as surreal, entrancing and dreamlike, picking unusual shots or showing unusual images. I think it is fair to compare this movie with some of Argento's better horror work such as Suspiria and Inferno, even though it is not at that level. Dark Waters takes its time, though, and does not at all have a rock pace like Argento, at least in spots, has in his films.
Another fair comparison might be to Fulci's Demonia, but I feel this was better than that.
There is relatively little dialogue, making this, perhaps "pure cinema." Unfortunately, what dialogue there was was sometimes very low, so that I had to keep raising and lowering the volume, possibly a flaw of the DVD copy I viewed (possibly actually a VCD, I think). However, some characters' accents were also a little difficult to decipher, and while that may have been intentional, it would have been nice to have had an option of subtitles.
Some of the characters' motivation was also mysterious to me. Are all the nuns on the same side or not? Whose side are they on? Why was Sarah different than Elizabeth? Why was the father sending money to the nuns? Where was the church located?
Despite these questions, I was very taken by the movie, and would watch it again.
Another fair comparison might be to Fulci's Demonia, but I feel this was better than that.
There is relatively little dialogue, making this, perhaps "pure cinema." Unfortunately, what dialogue there was was sometimes very low, so that I had to keep raising and lowering the volume, possibly a flaw of the DVD copy I viewed (possibly actually a VCD, I think). However, some characters' accents were also a little difficult to decipher, and while that may have been intentional, it would have been nice to have had an option of subtitles.
Some of the characters' motivation was also mysterious to me. Are all the nuns on the same side or not? Whose side are they on? Why was Sarah different than Elizabeth? Why was the father sending money to the nuns? Where was the church located?
Despite these questions, I was very taken by the movie, and would watch it again.
Genuinely Creepy
Gafke30 November 2003
This is not an easy movie to track down, but if you can find it, grab it.
Dark Waters (aka Dead Waters) is a great example of how atmosphere alone can make a movie work. The plot is a little confusing but trust me, you will not care. This movie is a nightmare to rival any that H.P. Lovecraft wrote down.
On a remote island in the Black Sea, there is a convent, a primitive stone fortress without electricity, virtually cut off from the rest of the world. The island is a grim, unlovely place, seemingly made up of stones and dead fish with nary a palm tree in sight. Our young heroine Elizabeth arrives on this island alone. Elizabeth is an orphan; her mother died in childbirth and her father has recently passed away. Elizabeth now wants to know why he had spent his life secretly sending good amounts of money to the convent. The nuns, a grim and sour looking lot, (not so very different from most Catholic nuns I have known) led by a blind and gravel-voiced Mother Superior, give her no straight answers, but allow Elizabeth to stay with them for the time being. Elizabeth begins having horrific nightmares, and this is where the movie really succeeds in frightening its viewers. The nightmares are truly terrifying, particularly the one in which a crucified SOMETHING approaches the camera as though on a track, opens its mouth and simply emits the most hideous, inhuman howl ever heard. It sounds like a long lost beast stuck in a tar pit, and gave me the creeped out shivers for days afterwards.
Elizabeth is befriended by a young, sweet tempered nun named Sarah, who tries to help her escape from the island. But of course, there is no escape. The answers she came looking for at the convent are all there, and too late, she learns that some things are better unknown. The truth about her birth, her mother and her identity come out in a shocking (and, unfortunately, somewhat rushed) finale with a twist that I truly had not seen coming...and I thought I'd seen them all. The only complaint I had? I wanted to see more of the monster. The glimpse I got of it showed me a bug eyed, razor mouthed THING straight out of a Lovecraftian primordial soup. But it didn't last nearly long enough.
This is a good, creepy film to watch with all the lights off, if you dare. It may move too slow for some, but if you like genuinely spooky films, lots of dark, rainy atmosphere and the cold, slimy unknown, you'll like this one.
Dark Waters (aka Dead Waters) is a great example of how atmosphere alone can make a movie work. The plot is a little confusing but trust me, you will not care. This movie is a nightmare to rival any that H.P. Lovecraft wrote down.
On a remote island in the Black Sea, there is a convent, a primitive stone fortress without electricity, virtually cut off from the rest of the world. The island is a grim, unlovely place, seemingly made up of stones and dead fish with nary a palm tree in sight. Our young heroine Elizabeth arrives on this island alone. Elizabeth is an orphan; her mother died in childbirth and her father has recently passed away. Elizabeth now wants to know why he had spent his life secretly sending good amounts of money to the convent. The nuns, a grim and sour looking lot, (not so very different from most Catholic nuns I have known) led by a blind and gravel-voiced Mother Superior, give her no straight answers, but allow Elizabeth to stay with them for the time being. Elizabeth begins having horrific nightmares, and this is where the movie really succeeds in frightening its viewers. The nightmares are truly terrifying, particularly the one in which a crucified SOMETHING approaches the camera as though on a track, opens its mouth and simply emits the most hideous, inhuman howl ever heard. It sounds like a long lost beast stuck in a tar pit, and gave me the creeped out shivers for days afterwards.
Elizabeth is befriended by a young, sweet tempered nun named Sarah, who tries to help her escape from the island. But of course, there is no escape. The answers she came looking for at the convent are all there, and too late, she learns that some things are better unknown. The truth about her birth, her mother and her identity come out in a shocking (and, unfortunately, somewhat rushed) finale with a twist that I truly had not seen coming...and I thought I'd seen them all. The only complaint I had? I wanted to see more of the monster. The glimpse I got of it showed me a bug eyed, razor mouthed THING straight out of a Lovecraftian primordial soup. But it didn't last nearly long enough.
This is a good, creepy film to watch with all the lights off, if you dare. It may move too slow for some, but if you like genuinely spooky films, lots of dark, rainy atmosphere and the cold, slimy unknown, you'll like this one.
DARK WATERS {Director's Cut} (Mariano Baino, 1994) ***
Bunuel197612 October 2007
I first heard about this film relatively recently through the Internet and, then, became even more interested in it when the now sadly defunct No Shame label announced two separate DVD releases a 1-Disc "Special Edition" and a Limited 2-Disc Set, with added supplements and even a replica of the powerful amulet depicted in the film! While a friend of mine who had watched DARK WATERS in the past told me he had been underwhelmed by it, I knew it'd be hard for me to resist blind-buying the not inexpensive set especially after reading the generally positive reviews which began cropping up (often accompanied by awesome-looking stills from the main feature). Even so, it took me a long time to finally sit down and as it eventually transpired dedicate a whole evening to the work of Mariano Baino!
Anyway, I was glad to see for myself (please bear in mind that I'm not usually a fan of the modern style in horror) that the hype surrounding this particular flick was indeed justified for this is surely one of the most audacious and impressive genre outings to emerge in the last two decades, even if the plot itself is derivative of several older 'classics'. In fact, the cut-off and openly hostile community smacks of THE WICKER MAN (1973); the inquisitive female lead (often dressed in red) and the generally weird goings-on brought SUSPIRIA (1977) to mind; the creepy girl featured in the flashbacks could well have strayed in from KILL, BABY KILL! (1966); and the members of a religious order with their blind leader (sinister-looking but eventually revealed to have benign intentions) stems from THE SENTINEL (1977). Besides, the film's overall look with full-size crosses fitted in candle-lit caverns, to where self-flagellating nuns habitually convene clearly owes a strong debt to ALUCARDA (1975).
Still, it all makes for a highly intriguing mélange of visceral thrills (Lovecraftian monster, some instances of gore including depictions of cannibalism) and mysticism (the afore-mentioned amulet, a mystery from the heroine's past residing within a series of riddles); dialogue is minimal as well (which is just as well in view of the fact that the film was shot in English in the Ukraine with a multi-national cast and crew), and there are definite moments of lyricism throughout (given its elemental and spiritual overtones). While rather drab-looking as opposed to the traditionally garish "Euro-Cult" style (DARK WATERS came at the extreme tail-end of the trend) and featuring a largely unobtrusive score, this austerity actually helps the essentially oppressive mood which permeates the film. The result, then, contains more than its share of haunting images: the line-up of nuns along the horizon carrying burning crosses, the grotesque figure of the crucified 'monster nun'(!), Sister Sarah's revolting 'unclothed' appearance as a half-human/half-beast at the climax, and the closing reveal of the heroine as the convent's new blind sentinel.
With an elliptical narrative (typified by the scene where the lead suddenly finds herself on the shore eating raw fish) infused with symbolism and the deft juxtaposition throughout of image and sound (a death in a blazing cabin intercut with a murderous attempt on Sister Sarah, or the association between children crying and the growling creature) this is the kind of film which needs more than one viewing to fully appreciate! At the end of the day, however, the evident low-budget of the production couldn't effectively cater to all the various themes conveyed in its over-ambitious script so that some plot points remain obscure (such as where the mural painter apparently dwelling within the depths of the convent fits in the whole scheme of things), whereas the fact that the appearance of the creature is downplayed during the climax was probably forced on the film-makers rather than a deliberate decision on their part but these don't effect one's evaluation of the finished product in any significant way.
Incidentally, the No Shame edition presents the film in a new director's cut (running 92 minutes though, not 89 as listed) which removes 7 minutes from the theatrical release version; this footage is still included as deleted scenes (even if it's perhaps the weirdest collection of outtakes that I've come across since, on several occasions, a mere number of frames were taken out of specific scenes!). As I said at the start, I followed this viewing with three short subjects by Baino, which proved equally stylized (and unpleasant) making for a decidedly grim night! I wish I had the time to delve into the other extras as well the two documentaries and the various commentaries as Baino seems to be a talent to watch, and I'd certainly like to know more about the main feature (whose making was reportedly fraught with problems).
Anyway, I was glad to see for myself (please bear in mind that I'm not usually a fan of the modern style in horror) that the hype surrounding this particular flick was indeed justified for this is surely one of the most audacious and impressive genre outings to emerge in the last two decades, even if the plot itself is derivative of several older 'classics'. In fact, the cut-off and openly hostile community smacks of THE WICKER MAN (1973); the inquisitive female lead (often dressed in red) and the generally weird goings-on brought SUSPIRIA (1977) to mind; the creepy girl featured in the flashbacks could well have strayed in from KILL, BABY KILL! (1966); and the members of a religious order with their blind leader (sinister-looking but eventually revealed to have benign intentions) stems from THE SENTINEL (1977). Besides, the film's overall look with full-size crosses fitted in candle-lit caverns, to where self-flagellating nuns habitually convene clearly owes a strong debt to ALUCARDA (1975).
Still, it all makes for a highly intriguing mélange of visceral thrills (Lovecraftian monster, some instances of gore including depictions of cannibalism) and mysticism (the afore-mentioned amulet, a mystery from the heroine's past residing within a series of riddles); dialogue is minimal as well (which is just as well in view of the fact that the film was shot in English in the Ukraine with a multi-national cast and crew), and there are definite moments of lyricism throughout (given its elemental and spiritual overtones). While rather drab-looking as opposed to the traditionally garish "Euro-Cult" style (DARK WATERS came at the extreme tail-end of the trend) and featuring a largely unobtrusive score, this austerity actually helps the essentially oppressive mood which permeates the film. The result, then, contains more than its share of haunting images: the line-up of nuns along the horizon carrying burning crosses, the grotesque figure of the crucified 'monster nun'(!), Sister Sarah's revolting 'unclothed' appearance as a half-human/half-beast at the climax, and the closing reveal of the heroine as the convent's new blind sentinel.
With an elliptical narrative (typified by the scene where the lead suddenly finds herself on the shore eating raw fish) infused with symbolism and the deft juxtaposition throughout of image and sound (a death in a blazing cabin intercut with a murderous attempt on Sister Sarah, or the association between children crying and the growling creature) this is the kind of film which needs more than one viewing to fully appreciate! At the end of the day, however, the evident low-budget of the production couldn't effectively cater to all the various themes conveyed in its over-ambitious script so that some plot points remain obscure (such as where the mural painter apparently dwelling within the depths of the convent fits in the whole scheme of things), whereas the fact that the appearance of the creature is downplayed during the climax was probably forced on the film-makers rather than a deliberate decision on their part but these don't effect one's evaluation of the finished product in any significant way.
Incidentally, the No Shame edition presents the film in a new director's cut (running 92 minutes though, not 89 as listed) which removes 7 minutes from the theatrical release version; this footage is still included as deleted scenes (even if it's perhaps the weirdest collection of outtakes that I've come across since, on several occasions, a mere number of frames were taken out of specific scenes!). As I said at the start, I followed this viewing with three short subjects by Baino, which proved equally stylized (and unpleasant) making for a decidedly grim night! I wish I had the time to delve into the other extras as well the two documentaries and the various commentaries as Baino seems to be a talent to watch, and I'd certainly like to know more about the main feature (whose making was reportedly fraught with problems).
Atmospheric, but Narratively Confusing
bettyconway10 June 2020
It's best to walk into Dark Waters knowing that it's going to be an exercise of style over substance. As great and moody as the atmosphere of this movie is, the story itself is murky and hard to pin down. As best as I can tell, it's about a young woman whose father dies and she visits a strange island monestary that her father had been sending money to for years. Once she gets there, she gets the feeling that she's very unwelcome and she might unearth some truths that are better left buried.
One thing Dark Waters gets right is the atmosphere. If I didn't know any better, I'd truly believe this was a film shot in the mid-70's by some Italian horror master. It's beautifully shot with so much attention to detail. It's just a shame that the script didn't seem to have as much thought put into it. At one point, the lead character is attacked by a psychotic nun and she reacts to this as if she's just stubbed her toe. There's no sense of urgency at all. Wouldn't someone who'd just been attacked want to get out of there as soon as possible?
One thing Dark Waters gets right is the atmosphere. If I didn't know any better, I'd truly believe this was a film shot in the mid-70's by some Italian horror master. It's beautifully shot with so much attention to detail. It's just a shame that the script didn't seem to have as much thought put into it. At one point, the lead character is attacked by a psychotic nun and she reacts to this as if she's just stubbed her toe. There's no sense of urgency at all. Wouldn't someone who'd just been attacked want to get out of there as soon as possible?
Murky Puddles - Slightly above average stylish horror
ninjaalexs17 March 2022
A young woman travels to a mysterious, unnamed island to find out why her belated father funded a strange monastery.
Dark Waters has disappeared off the planet. I wouldn't have known about it had I not read Mark Kermode's autobiography. I'm also a fan of the Tartan Video and they put out this one as a limited VHS release in 1995. Dark Waters is similar in style to the Italian Giallo films, especially the more atmospheric ones. It reminded me a bit of early Mario Bava and Soavi's The Church. The film is very atmospheric with excellent lighting and cinematography which hide its small budget. The film has drawn comparisons to Lovecraftian fiction with its use of religious themes, the unknown and suspicion of outsiders. There's further comparisons to be made to The Wicker Man. Dark Waters gets jumbled up in it storytelling and becomes lost in its own ambiguity. This is a film were a longer running time would be beneficial to iron out some of the creases.
Dark Water is a stylish and interesting horror film with some scares and some strong violence. Sadly the plot is messy and the brief bloody scenes can't save what is effectively Giallo-lite. The film is not some hidden gem or lost masterpiece. It's an above average stylish horror film that came out at a time when the market was over saturated with Straight-To-Video slashers. The film has had a Blu-Ray release which features a nice albeit soft matte picture and crisp, clean sound. There's also a rare 2-disc DVD with a replica of the stone amulet.
Dark Waters has disappeared off the planet. I wouldn't have known about it had I not read Mark Kermode's autobiography. I'm also a fan of the Tartan Video and they put out this one as a limited VHS release in 1995. Dark Waters is similar in style to the Italian Giallo films, especially the more atmospheric ones. It reminded me a bit of early Mario Bava and Soavi's The Church. The film is very atmospheric with excellent lighting and cinematography which hide its small budget. The film has drawn comparisons to Lovecraftian fiction with its use of religious themes, the unknown and suspicion of outsiders. There's further comparisons to be made to The Wicker Man. Dark Waters gets jumbled up in it storytelling and becomes lost in its own ambiguity. This is a film were a longer running time would be beneficial to iron out some of the creases.
Dark Water is a stylish and interesting horror film with some scares and some strong violence. Sadly the plot is messy and the brief bloody scenes can't save what is effectively Giallo-lite. The film is not some hidden gem or lost masterpiece. It's an above average stylish horror film that came out at a time when the market was over saturated with Straight-To-Video slashers. The film has had a Blu-Ray release which features a nice albeit soft matte picture and crisp, clean sound. There's also a rare 2-disc DVD with a replica of the stone amulet.
A slow, dull waste of time
Quark254 December 2006
Many reviews praise this movie as atmospheric and I have to say, the cinematography is very well done, the locations and sets are beautiful, and there is some eerie (though derivative) imagery. All the icing can't hide the tasteless cake underneath, however. Movies are about story telling, not just the visuals, and too many movies these days are based on how good they look, not how well they work (M Night Shamalama-ding dong, anyone?).
This movie suffers from this problem. Looks great, but it's essentially empty. The story moves at a snail's pace; this is not atmospheric, it's just dull. Nothing is explained by the scant dialogue or even inferred visually, we just move slowly from one surreal scene to the next. The lead actress seems to suffer no sense of dread, she pretty much sleepwalks through everything.
A lot of stuff is ripped off from Bava and Argento, as well as several 70's movies like The Sentinel, and a dose of Lovecraft is thrown in for good measure (The last 8-10 minutes are essentially Dagon, which Stuart Gordon did very well several years later).
I can see what the director was aiming for, but it just doesn't work. It's too bad, because you can tell he put a lot of effort into this movie.
This movie suffers from this problem. Looks great, but it's essentially empty. The story moves at a snail's pace; this is not atmospheric, it's just dull. Nothing is explained by the scant dialogue or even inferred visually, we just move slowly from one surreal scene to the next. The lead actress seems to suffer no sense of dread, she pretty much sleepwalks through everything.
A lot of stuff is ripped off from Bava and Argento, as well as several 70's movies like The Sentinel, and a dose of Lovecraft is thrown in for good measure (The last 8-10 minutes are essentially Dagon, which Stuart Gordon did very well several years later).
I can see what the director was aiming for, but it just doesn't work. It's too bad, because you can tell he put a lot of effort into this movie.
1970's style film redone in the 1990's is a great little lost gem
dbborroughs31 August 2005
I stumbled upon this film completely by accident. I had ordered the Japanese film Dark Water and was sent this instead. The retailer told me to keep the film in order to make up for their error. It was a weird thing to have happen, and I figured it must be some cosmic sign, so I sat down to watch it having zero idea what it was about.
The plot of this film has a young woman going to a desolate monastery/nunnery in order to find out why her recently deceased father had been supporting it for years. Once there things are far from "normal" and there are many hidden dark secrets, not all of them are particularly healthy for our heroine.
This film really knocked my socks off. This is a movie that reminded me of many of the Euro-horrors of the 1970's and early 1980's. You have weird cults, young women, murder, mayhem and monsters. There is a weird tension that comes from everything being ever so slightly off center. You can't help but feel uneasy since you don't know how weird things are going to get nor do you know who is going to end up dead.
(SPOILER AHEAD) The only real problem is that even though the movie creates a very real claustrophobic world of religious oppression, with real characters, the film completely falls down in the last minutes when we see the "demon" that has been lurking around, at that point things go right into the toilet. How do I say this? Its worse than a man in a suit. it simply a rubber nightmare that almost completely ruins everything that has gone before. Simply put its on the list of really bad monster costumes. (Think about what happened at the end of the Conan the Destroyer)
If you can get past the bad monster and just take the movie for what its trying to do, then you'll enjoy the movie, if you need a perfection you'll love it up to a point and hate the ending.
The plot of this film has a young woman going to a desolate monastery/nunnery in order to find out why her recently deceased father had been supporting it for years. Once there things are far from "normal" and there are many hidden dark secrets, not all of them are particularly healthy for our heroine.
This film really knocked my socks off. This is a movie that reminded me of many of the Euro-horrors of the 1970's and early 1980's. You have weird cults, young women, murder, mayhem and monsters. There is a weird tension that comes from everything being ever so slightly off center. You can't help but feel uneasy since you don't know how weird things are going to get nor do you know who is going to end up dead.
(SPOILER AHEAD) The only real problem is that even though the movie creates a very real claustrophobic world of religious oppression, with real characters, the film completely falls down in the last minutes when we see the "demon" that has been lurking around, at that point things go right into the toilet. How do I say this? Its worse than a man in a suit. it simply a rubber nightmare that almost completely ruins everything that has gone before. Simply put its on the list of really bad monster costumes. (Think about what happened at the end of the Conan the Destroyer)
If you can get past the bad monster and just take the movie for what its trying to do, then you'll enjoy the movie, if you need a perfection you'll love it up to a point and hate the ending.
A visual feast in which Baino pays tribute to the old Italian masters while forging his own unique voice.
lonchaney2016 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The great horror directors of the nineties are sort of the genre's "lost generation," in that they were never given the opportunity to expand their visions into full bodies of work like, say, Argento or Carpenter. Filmmakers like Richard Stanley (of Hardware and Dust Devil fame) and Michele Soavi (the genius behind Dellamorte Dellamore) seemed set to create a new tradition of visionary horror, but somehow fate conspired against them; Stanley fell out with the industry after his attempt at filming The Island of Dr. Moreau went absurdly awry, while Soavi gave up a promising career in cinema after his son fell ill. I now think we can add another name to that sad list: Mariano Baino.
With most of the great Italian horror directors either retired or dead, and the other greats like Argento and Lamberto Bava starting their sad declines, Soavi and Baino seemed set to inherit the throne. While Soavi cut his teeth directing films for Argento, he finally found his own voice with Dellamorte Dellamore. With Dark Waters, Baino also introduced his own unique vision. While parts of the film pay tribute to the old masters (an early murder scene recalls Pupi Avati's The House with Laughing Windows, and one image is an exact quotation from Suspiria), Baino's approach to horror is more reminiscent of Tarkovsky (who is also a huge influence on Stanley, incidentally).
The narrative of a girl returning to the sinister convent where she was born, only to find the nuns guarding a sinister abomination, is reminiscent of Lovecraft, but Baino is more interested in creating astonishing images and a dank atmosphere than in his derivative plot. Some memorable visuals include nuns bearing burning crosses down stony beaches; a monstrous, crucified nun floating down a foggy corridor; and a mural of atrocities painted by a blind oracle.
Though the film isn't bloodless, the approach is more stately and subdued than that of most Italian horror directors. As I said, the long tracking shots down rainy corridors and the ambitious imagery are more Tarkovsky-like, though this film is definitely more accessible than any of his works. Some people might lose patience with the meandering narrative, but I found that Baino's astonishing visuals powered it through the slower stretches; the first half hour in particular is a real tour de force of visual storytelling, with almost no dialogue. I also enjoyed the bizarre performances by the supporting cast members. Likely cast in the Ukraine, where the film was shot, most of them seem to struggle with their English-language dialogue, but it only heightens the oneiric atmosphere Baino was going for.
As I said earlier, the story on hand isn't particularly original, but in every other respect this is really an undeservedly obscure masterwork, which makes the fate of its director all the more disappointing. While Stanley directed at least two great movies before vanishing into documentary hell, and Soavi gave us four really interesting horror films, this is Baino's only feature film to date. Thus we may never know what Baino would have been capable of had he been given the opportunity to hone his skills as a storyteller. He supposedly wrapped a film last year, but I can't find any concrete info on it, and it's been my experience that once promising directors tend to disappoint when they jump back into the saddle after a decades long absence. True inspiration unfortunately tends to be a limited time offer, and it's sad that these great artists were not allowed to create when they still had their inner fires; Richard Stanley's The Mother of Toads, for instance, proved to be sadly embarrassing. Still, I'd like to be proved wrong.
With most of the great Italian horror directors either retired or dead, and the other greats like Argento and Lamberto Bava starting their sad declines, Soavi and Baino seemed set to inherit the throne. While Soavi cut his teeth directing films for Argento, he finally found his own voice with Dellamorte Dellamore. With Dark Waters, Baino also introduced his own unique vision. While parts of the film pay tribute to the old masters (an early murder scene recalls Pupi Avati's The House with Laughing Windows, and one image is an exact quotation from Suspiria), Baino's approach to horror is more reminiscent of Tarkovsky (who is also a huge influence on Stanley, incidentally).
The narrative of a girl returning to the sinister convent where she was born, only to find the nuns guarding a sinister abomination, is reminiscent of Lovecraft, but Baino is more interested in creating astonishing images and a dank atmosphere than in his derivative plot. Some memorable visuals include nuns bearing burning crosses down stony beaches; a monstrous, crucified nun floating down a foggy corridor; and a mural of atrocities painted by a blind oracle.
Though the film isn't bloodless, the approach is more stately and subdued than that of most Italian horror directors. As I said, the long tracking shots down rainy corridors and the ambitious imagery are more Tarkovsky-like, though this film is definitely more accessible than any of his works. Some people might lose patience with the meandering narrative, but I found that Baino's astonishing visuals powered it through the slower stretches; the first half hour in particular is a real tour de force of visual storytelling, with almost no dialogue. I also enjoyed the bizarre performances by the supporting cast members. Likely cast in the Ukraine, where the film was shot, most of them seem to struggle with their English-language dialogue, but it only heightens the oneiric atmosphere Baino was going for.
As I said earlier, the story on hand isn't particularly original, but in every other respect this is really an undeservedly obscure masterwork, which makes the fate of its director all the more disappointing. While Stanley directed at least two great movies before vanishing into documentary hell, and Soavi gave us four really interesting horror films, this is Baino's only feature film to date. Thus we may never know what Baino would have been capable of had he been given the opportunity to hone his skills as a storyteller. He supposedly wrapped a film last year, but I can't find any concrete info on it, and it's been my experience that once promising directors tend to disappoint when they jump back into the saddle after a decades long absence. True inspiration unfortunately tends to be a limited time offer, and it's sad that these great artists were not allowed to create when they still had their inner fires; Richard Stanley's The Mother of Toads, for instance, proved to be sadly embarrassing. Still, I'd like to be proved wrong.
Couldn't Bond With It
davegering29 October 2006
Judging from the other comments, this is one of those films that you either hate or love. Unfortunately, I didn't love it, though I don't seem to have disliked it as much as the "haters." Some of the movie was well done. The cinematography ranged from okay to excellent, particularly with images such as the nuns on the hilltop, and the bus going down a road with telephone poles looking like a trail of crosses. From the standpoint of imagery and atmosphere, the film was quite good.
But then there was the story. Or rather, where was the story? I was never able to really figure out what was going on, or how the pieces fit together. Moreover, the job of trying to decipher a plot was made much more difficult by a sound track that was loud and distracting. Although it wasn't a long movie chronologically, it seemed endless during the viewing.
Of the four stars I gave it, three were for technical achievement and one was for the story.
But then there was the story. Or rather, where was the story? I was never able to really figure out what was going on, or how the pieces fit together. Moreover, the job of trying to decipher a plot was made much more difficult by a sound track that was loud and distracting. Although it wasn't a long movie chronologically, it seemed endless during the viewing.
Of the four stars I gave it, three were for technical achievement and one was for the story.
I cant believe the rating given to dark waters by users. Its a must see italian horror film!!
ozman742520 October 2000
I grew up on Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci as well as Mario Bava and ive seen them all succeed and fail with certain movies. When they were at their best they were THE best. Dark Waters embodies the best of these great directors' works. It is extremely creepy. Atmosphere over substance is always a given with most italian horror films but with Dark Waters there is actually a coherent storyline to go along with the great "feel" of the movie. I highly recommend it if you are fan of these aforementioned directors. The images will stay with you long after the closing credits.
A low-budget horror cocktail; Take Fulci, add Argento and Soavi and stir!
DVD_Connoisseur31 January 2007
"Dark Waters" is what I'd call an "interesting" film. Mariano Baino has clearly been influenced by his fellow horror directors - there are moments in the movie that could have been pulled from an Argento, Fulci or Soavi film. However, Baino's tale is not bad at all, it just lacks originality. From the opening, with its "Evil Dead"-style panning camera shots, I knew this wouldn't be terribly inventive. However, it showed promise from the outset and it didn't disappoint.
The movie is full of atmosphere and light in plot. The beautiful Louise Salter travels to a distant island in search of answers to questions that have troubled her for some time. This leads to encounters with creepy killer nuns and a mysterious creature. There are some genuine surprises in this film and there are enough moments of suspense to keep the viewer hooked 'til the final credits roll.
The film is darkly lit, full of menace and a joy to watch.
A strong 7 out of 10.
The movie is full of atmosphere and light in plot. The beautiful Louise Salter travels to a distant island in search of answers to questions that have troubled her for some time. This leads to encounters with creepy killer nuns and a mysterious creature. There are some genuine surprises in this film and there are enough moments of suspense to keep the viewer hooked 'til the final credits roll.
The film is darkly lit, full of menace and a joy to watch.
A strong 7 out of 10.
Excellent attempt to recreate old school Italian horror.
Infofreak25 June 2002
Mariano Baino obviously loves Argento's 'Suspiria' and 'Inferno' and Fulci's 'The Beyond'. 'Dark Waters' is very good attempt at recreating old school Italian horror where style is more important than plot, and atmosphere rules. It isn't as flamboyant, incoherent or as gory as Argento and Fulci's most excessive movies, but that isn't such a bad thing. Personally I'm nuts about movies that deal with heresies, conspiracies, and evil nuns, so I enjoyed this creepy thriller a great deal. Recommended.
There is a good chance we are going to get killed anyway, so we may as well try and find out why.
lastliberal18 August 2009
This is a strange and creepy movie. It is shot in the Ukraine, and in a place with no electricity and only candlelight. It has a creepy sound throughout, and very little dialog.
There are nuns that live in this harsh place and they spend a lot of time in flagellation. They also spend a lot of time doing things that make no sense whatsoever. I am sure it does to them, but we are left in the dark.
Elizabeth (Louise Salter) visits this strange place. She is there to find out why dear old dad had been making regular payments to these nuns.
Mother Superior (Mariya Kapnist), an old crone that must be a couple of hundred years old, assigns Sarah (Venera Simmons) to assist Elizabeth.
Her friend Theresa (Anna Rose Phipps) is gone before she gets there, and I am not sure I would trust Sarah.
The bottom line is that Elizabeth should have listened to her father.
Bloody, gory, creepy, suspenseful, in the tradition of Argento and Bava; a must see.
There are nuns that live in this harsh place and they spend a lot of time in flagellation. They also spend a lot of time doing things that make no sense whatsoever. I am sure it does to them, but we are left in the dark.
Elizabeth (Louise Salter) visits this strange place. She is there to find out why dear old dad had been making regular payments to these nuns.
Mother Superior (Mariya Kapnist), an old crone that must be a couple of hundred years old, assigns Sarah (Venera Simmons) to assist Elizabeth.
Her friend Theresa (Anna Rose Phipps) is gone before she gets there, and I am not sure I would trust Sarah.
The bottom line is that Elizabeth should have listened to her father.
Bloody, gory, creepy, suspenseful, in the tradition of Argento and Bava; a must see.
Worse than Ed Wood, and not half as much fun
AllINeedAreTheCoenBrothers7 February 2023
Let's see. How many complaints can I come up with about this movie without even bothering to hard? Well, first, the entire cast seems to be on Valium; and all but three of them (the actors playing Elizabeth, Sara, and Theresa) apparently don't seem to speak English and learned their lines by phonetically. That makes their cadences weird and their dialogue almost impossible to understand. But at east a few of them said no to the valium and turned in some suitably bonkers performances.
The script, which appears to have been written by a sixteen-year-old, leaves far too many unanswered questions. For instance 1) What the heck happened to the priest at the beginning? Did he drown or survive? We never see him again or learn his fate. Maybe he survived and pushed the first nun we see off the cliff, but if so, why did he do it, and 2) if not, who did push her - and why? 3) Why was Elizabeth so desperate to get to the island the moment she arrived? It's nighttime and pouring buckets, two different boat captains warn her that she might sink if she tries, and she honestly has no reason to rush. 4) What sorry excuse for an editor spliced together a night scene on the island where it's still raining buckets with a night scene showing a cloudless sky - and then another night scene where it's raining buckets? 5) Why is the island's (apparent) coroner chopping up bodies and feeding them to seagulls, and why doesn't Elizabeth seem to care? 6) Was the child who staged the biggest serious the same one who wrote the script? 7) Couldn't that kid or the incompetent editor at least have thought of speeding up that scene to make it look like the fighters' blows were connecting with more force than feathers?
Really, the only good thing I can say about this movie is that the set designer had some nice, spooky catacombs to work with and plenty of money for candles.
Don't waste your time on this piece of dreck. It's not worth even $1.99.
The script, which appears to have been written by a sixteen-year-old, leaves far too many unanswered questions. For instance 1) What the heck happened to the priest at the beginning? Did he drown or survive? We never see him again or learn his fate. Maybe he survived and pushed the first nun we see off the cliff, but if so, why did he do it, and 2) if not, who did push her - and why? 3) Why was Elizabeth so desperate to get to the island the moment she arrived? It's nighttime and pouring buckets, two different boat captains warn her that she might sink if she tries, and she honestly has no reason to rush. 4) What sorry excuse for an editor spliced together a night scene on the island where it's still raining buckets with a night scene showing a cloudless sky - and then another night scene where it's raining buckets? 5) Why is the island's (apparent) coroner chopping up bodies and feeding them to seagulls, and why doesn't Elizabeth seem to care? 6) Was the child who staged the biggest serious the same one who wrote the script? 7) Couldn't that kid or the incompetent editor at least have thought of speeding up that scene to make it look like the fighters' blows were connecting with more force than feathers?
Really, the only good thing I can say about this movie is that the set designer had some nice, spooky catacombs to work with and plenty of money for candles.
Don't waste your time on this piece of dreck. It's not worth even $1.99.
Actually Pretty Good
ncpmvtjc4 April 2022
Plot holes abound and dialogue few and far between but I really liked the atmosphere created by this movie. Getting immersed in that was part of the entertainment. I liked the Black Sea location. Truly unique. The leading actress was certainly compelling-to watch anyway. And they kept this to a brisk hour and a half so t didn't get boring. Yes a half hour longer would have been too much of this. Check it out.
Creepy but not a Horror - Baffeling and Boredom
danieledwards-8720118 May 2019
This film starts out a little weird at the start until a story begins to unfold.
From there you're sure now the story gets going, there's an eliment of intrigue and mystery, you hope this film will start to make sense now and develop into something. Otherwise this film surely couldn't have such a rating and a cult following of its own?
Unfortunately, that never comes and you feel you've invested so much time into watching this movie you want to see it through even if you feel like turning it off, you want to know what this is all about and just what's going on. Considering it's such a short movie it feels like one of the longest...
What is the purpose of this cult, why they're doing what they're doing and will the main character escape these traps that have been set for her by this evil cult whom seem to either want to release the beast or cage it up, while killing everyone else in the name of Jesus Christ as sacrificial offerings it seems to such, of those whom they believe are engaged in releasing the beast.
In doing so they don't see that beast working through them it seems and if it be to cage up that beast or unleash it, they themselves become a manifestation of such a beast and that seems to be the main thing to take away from this movie.
So there's a lot of double crosses and inverted crosses, some of which are on fire and used to kill people. It's as if a Christian made it to prove or show their own evils.
It too me at any rate, isn't a horror at all. It's a creepy mess, as if you can imagine a Schizophrenics view upon a cult/a Christian appearing religious sect whom are actually satanic and have inverted Christianity. While there may very well be groups that fits this profile, the way it plays out is as though those whom believe such groups exist see them through the eyes of Schizophrenia, so you can't be sure you're seeing what you're seeing through the eyes of a dream/nightmare or if you're supposed to accept what you're seeing as actually happening, or is it the breaking down of th mental faculties of the main character in parts as though the beast has taken over her senses? Or is it the energies surrounding the island and the practices of the religious cult?
At the end it wouldn't surprise you if the main character woke up in her bed at home in London, having never left, nor returned to the island and said "Nah, I think I'll give that trip to that island a miss" So she actually never left and it was all just a nightmare having pondered should she keep paying this group the money once her father died or not and slept on it...
The cult following individuals of this movie must be equally as mad and Schizophrenic as the cult group in this movie or they've watched a different film to me, or they have had some sort of information made available to them that I haven't that could otherwise make this movie an interesting one?
I wish I could find this, then I wouldn't feel I had just wasted over 1h30minutes of my life with what I've just been watching. It's as though it's badly finished and missing interconnected synchronicities that could otherwise fit this film together into a watchable movie.
I wouldn't recommend the film to anyone and to stay clear, beyond saying you should otherwise watch it to see just how truly bizarre it is but don't expect to enjoy it as you would expect to enjoy a movie that's recommended to you. I'd just say watch it to someone whom we could critical ridicule this ridiculous film together, or perhaps on April Fools day you could sit and watch it with a friend you don't like very much or whom you're having a joke with and pretend you're enjoying it and look to them and say what's up with you, this is great what's up with you?
It's as though that what these critics whom have pedestalised this movie are doing. They're actually making fun of it and us audience by having use watch this terrible movie that had potential and could have been so much better...
Unfortunately, that never comes and you feel you've invested so much time into watching this movie you want to see it through even if you feel like turning it off, you want to know what this is all about and just what's going on. Considering it's such a short movie it feels like one of the longest...
What is the purpose of this cult, why they're doing what they're doing and will the main character escape these traps that have been set for her by this evil cult whom seem to either want to release the beast or cage it up, while killing everyone else in the name of Jesus Christ as sacrificial offerings it seems to such, of those whom they believe are engaged in releasing the beast.
In doing so they don't see that beast working through them it seems and if it be to cage up that beast or unleash it, they themselves become a manifestation of such a beast and that seems to be the main thing to take away from this movie.
So there's a lot of double crosses and inverted crosses, some of which are on fire and used to kill people. It's as if a Christian made it to prove or show their own evils.
It too me at any rate, isn't a horror at all. It's a creepy mess, as if you can imagine a Schizophrenics view upon a cult/a Christian appearing religious sect whom are actually satanic and have inverted Christianity. While there may very well be groups that fits this profile, the way it plays out is as though those whom believe such groups exist see them through the eyes of Schizophrenia, so you can't be sure you're seeing what you're seeing through the eyes of a dream/nightmare or if you're supposed to accept what you're seeing as actually happening, or is it the breaking down of th mental faculties of the main character in parts as though the beast has taken over her senses? Or is it the energies surrounding the island and the practices of the religious cult?
At the end it wouldn't surprise you if the main character woke up in her bed at home in London, having never left, nor returned to the island and said "Nah, I think I'll give that trip to that island a miss" So she actually never left and it was all just a nightmare having pondered should she keep paying this group the money once her father died or not and slept on it...
The cult following individuals of this movie must be equally as mad and Schizophrenic as the cult group in this movie or they've watched a different film to me, or they have had some sort of information made available to them that I haven't that could otherwise make this movie an interesting one?
I wish I could find this, then I wouldn't feel I had just wasted over 1h30minutes of my life with what I've just been watching. It's as though it's badly finished and missing interconnected synchronicities that could otherwise fit this film together into a watchable movie.
I wouldn't recommend the film to anyone and to stay clear, beyond saying you should otherwise watch it to see just how truly bizarre it is but don't expect to enjoy it as you would expect to enjoy a movie that's recommended to you. I'd just say watch it to someone whom we could critical ridicule this ridiculous film together, or perhaps on April Fools day you could sit and watch it with a friend you don't like very much or whom you're having a joke with and pretend you're enjoying it and look to them and say what's up with you, this is great what's up with you?
It's as though that what these critics whom have pedestalised this movie are doing. They're actually making fun of it and us audience by having use watch this terrible movie that had potential and could have been so much better...
Effectively atmospheric, an homage to earlier Italian-style horror
hippiedj30 July 2002
Ah, no wonder I had trouble finding this little gem -- when films are retitled depending on which company handles it, it's a wonder anyone will find them at all. I luckily stumbled across it as DEAD WATERS on a very no-frills DVD from York Entertainment. At that time I had wished that a company like Anchor Bay would have acquired this wonderful film and given it a decent treatment, I'm at least grateful that I found it at all even in this form. UPDATE: Thankfully due to the folks at No Shame Films, it's now available on DVD in widescreen and full of extras. UPDATE: May 1, 2016. The No Shame Films DVD releases are now out of print, but accessible (at higher prices, of course).
For those looking for fast and cheap thrills, they will be sorely disappointed by Dark Waters/Dead Waters. For those with a true sense of appreciation for something more akin to art, then this film is a dream come true. Rich in style and atmosphere it has the look and feel of an early 1970s Italian horror film, yet unlike many of those kind that offered style over substance, it has an eerie story to support the murky atmosphere that will draw you in.
After the death of her father, Elizabeth (Louise Salter) travels to a Crimean island to find out why her father had been sending funds to a "convent" of sorts. There she befriends one (who could easily be mistaken for Meg and Jennifer Tilly's lost sister) who guides her around and shows her secrets. This leads to a shocking discovery of her past and heritage. All this is conveyed in an amazingly sparse amount of dialogue, so it really shows this film's power and presence that it tells the story so minimally, letting the viewer absorb the visuals and sounds and letting those elements fill in the blanks.
The nuns are creepy, it's always raining and murky, and inside the catacombs of the main setting there's always water leaking and trickling. This effectively evokes a feeling of discomfort for the viewer. Even when the weather is clear there's a surreal atmosphere as best shown by the local shop and its shopkeeper, a strange man that seems to be feeding a corpse in a coffin to the birds piece by piece instead of the expected burial. I have a suspicion that the "townspeople" don't know he's doing this. I found that part of the story deliciously creepy and brilliant.
Some may find the "monster" climax to be somewhat low budget -- very minor, though (didn't the "being" have an Xtro quality to it?), but frankly that didn't bother me since the whole film was so wonderfully downright bizarre to begin with. There was so much more going on if you look past the flaws, you'd see that this is a real piece of art for those of us that sometimes like a bit of beauty and substance to absorb. This is classic Gothic horror and gives the brain a bit of a challenge as well. One film critic went so far as to say it was "an unholy hybrid of Bergman and Argento." Could be, to an extent. Nonetheless, Dark Waters is thoroughly absorbing visually as well as in its storytelling. Mariano Baino should be quite proud of this little known gem and I cherish it. Discovering this film is a satisfying experience indeed. By the way, Mr. Baino is a really great guy -- he read this review and contacted me about it. That shows some real class, and I'm glad to have made him happy about my support for this film!
According to the information on the DVD's cover, it won the Special Vincent Price Award at the Rome Fantafestival. I confess I'm not sure how prestigious that is, but I am happy that Dark Waters has gained appreciation and recognition!
For those looking for fast and cheap thrills, they will be sorely disappointed by Dark Waters/Dead Waters. For those with a true sense of appreciation for something more akin to art, then this film is a dream come true. Rich in style and atmosphere it has the look and feel of an early 1970s Italian horror film, yet unlike many of those kind that offered style over substance, it has an eerie story to support the murky atmosphere that will draw you in.
After the death of her father, Elizabeth (Louise Salter) travels to a Crimean island to find out why her father had been sending funds to a "convent" of sorts. There she befriends one (who could easily be mistaken for Meg and Jennifer Tilly's lost sister) who guides her around and shows her secrets. This leads to a shocking discovery of her past and heritage. All this is conveyed in an amazingly sparse amount of dialogue, so it really shows this film's power and presence that it tells the story so minimally, letting the viewer absorb the visuals and sounds and letting those elements fill in the blanks.
The nuns are creepy, it's always raining and murky, and inside the catacombs of the main setting there's always water leaking and trickling. This effectively evokes a feeling of discomfort for the viewer. Even when the weather is clear there's a surreal atmosphere as best shown by the local shop and its shopkeeper, a strange man that seems to be feeding a corpse in a coffin to the birds piece by piece instead of the expected burial. I have a suspicion that the "townspeople" don't know he's doing this. I found that part of the story deliciously creepy and brilliant.
Some may find the "monster" climax to be somewhat low budget -- very minor, though (didn't the "being" have an Xtro quality to it?), but frankly that didn't bother me since the whole film was so wonderfully downright bizarre to begin with. There was so much more going on if you look past the flaws, you'd see that this is a real piece of art for those of us that sometimes like a bit of beauty and substance to absorb. This is classic Gothic horror and gives the brain a bit of a challenge as well. One film critic went so far as to say it was "an unholy hybrid of Bergman and Argento." Could be, to an extent. Nonetheless, Dark Waters is thoroughly absorbing visually as well as in its storytelling. Mariano Baino should be quite proud of this little known gem and I cherish it. Discovering this film is a satisfying experience indeed. By the way, Mr. Baino is a really great guy -- he read this review and contacted me about it. That shows some real class, and I'm glad to have made him happy about my support for this film!
According to the information on the DVD's cover, it won the Special Vincent Price Award at the Rome Fantafestival. I confess I'm not sure how prestigious that is, but I am happy that Dark Waters has gained appreciation and recognition!
A return to classic Italian-style horror
BandSAboutMovies17 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
After the death of her father, Elizabeth travels to a remote island, where a convent may hold the secret to the death of her mother. There, she finds nuns who conduct strange rituals in the catacombs beneath the building in an attempt to hold the evil there at bay.
One of the first Western films to be shot in the Ukraine following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the birth of this movie was as difficult as Elizabeth's. The sets and locations are otherworldly yet inexpensive, but the political situation was rife with problems, like two coups that took place during the shooting and dubbing of the film.
Director Mariano Baino had only directed the short Caruncula before this, but his eye is steady and strong. There's a definite air of looming Lovecraftian dread in this. It looks almost like a Soavi film. And while it has no score, the sound effects more than make up for it.
Any film that has squads of nuns burning buildings and killing people - as well as a crucified zombie nun and a savage elder god hidden beneath the world - is worth checking out. It doesn't have the greatest story in the world, but when has that ever stopped our enjoyment of a horror film?
One of the first Western films to be shot in the Ukraine following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the birth of this movie was as difficult as Elizabeth's. The sets and locations are otherworldly yet inexpensive, but the political situation was rife with problems, like two coups that took place during the shooting and dubbing of the film.
Director Mariano Baino had only directed the short Caruncula before this, but his eye is steady and strong. There's a definite air of looming Lovecraftian dread in this. It looks almost like a Soavi film. And while it has no score, the sound effects more than make up for it.
Any film that has squads of nuns burning buildings and killing people - as well as a crucified zombie nun and a savage elder god hidden beneath the world - is worth checking out. It doesn't have the greatest story in the world, but when has that ever stopped our enjoyment of a horror film?
Hype
salstockbroker-8118312 September 2019
Probably one of the best horror films of the 1990s
rundbauchdodo27 December 2000
This extremely stylish and unique horror film is undoubtedly a must-see for every true horror fan - but also for every film admirer in general. "Dark Waters" (released in the U.S. as "Dead Waters") offers everything one might expect from an Italian director: Beautifully shot sequences, uncanny settings, some relentlessly violent moments and a creepy, thoroughly tantalizing atmosphere. Not to forget the disturbing plot that leaves room for various interesting analyses.
Especially remarkable is the fact that there is very few dialogue. This makes the whole film an even more intriguing and breathtaking experience. The story takes place in a convent on a Ukrainian island, which gives gifted director Baino a lot of space to increase the ever mounting tension as the plot unfolds. Another interesting fact that makes this movie unique is that the important characters are all women; men seem to have no importance without at least one woman, or they die quickly.
By the way this gem was a British-Russian co-production (before the Ukraine became independent), so there was (officially) no Italian money involved.
I can't understand the IMDb-users who smashed this masterpiece in their comments - they must have seen another film or expected something much more banal. Come on folks: This is high art in the tradition of Mario Bava and Dario Argento!
Certainly one of the best Italian films of the 1990s, probably one of the best horror films of that decade at all. Rating: 9 out of 10.
Especially remarkable is the fact that there is very few dialogue. This makes the whole film an even more intriguing and breathtaking experience. The story takes place in a convent on a Ukrainian island, which gives gifted director Baino a lot of space to increase the ever mounting tension as the plot unfolds. Another interesting fact that makes this movie unique is that the important characters are all women; men seem to have no importance without at least one woman, or they die quickly.
By the way this gem was a British-Russian co-production (before the Ukraine became independent), so there was (officially) no Italian money involved.
I can't understand the IMDb-users who smashed this masterpiece in their comments - they must have seen another film or expected something much more banal. Come on folks: This is high art in the tradition of Mario Bava and Dario Argento!
Certainly one of the best Italian films of the 1990s, probably one of the best horror films of that decade at all. Rating: 9 out of 10.
Italian Horror With A Dash Of Lovecraft.
venusboys325 October 2010
A horror fan who claims to love Argento and Fulci shouldn't have anything but love for this film... it draws on the same creative Muses while somehow managing to have a coherent plot. The director is a fan of Lovecraft and the story does have elements of 'The Dunwich Horror'... but it's not overtly Lovecraftian and the monster seems more traditionally demonic than any of Lovecraft's undead alien gods. The best thing about it are the very un-Hollywood faces of the local Ukrainians used as character actors... and the odd accents generated by their phonetic readings of the script... giving the setting an otherworldly atmosphere. I'd like to see more of this director's work because he definitely has some interesting ideas in his approach to movie making.
Dead in the water.
gridoon11 April 2004
"Dark Waters" is the kind of movie that wears out your patience in the first 5 minutes. Every ridiculous horror cliche (all the nights are rainy; all the supporting characters are wackos; old people know "more than they're telling"; there are candles everywhere; there are strange burp-like sounds on the soundtrack; etc.) gets a workout in this nonsensical mumbo-jumbo-filled ("the one who was but now isn't and yet is") muddle. This comment can't possibly do justice to how bad this movie really is; it's so bad it's bad; it's the worst Italian horror film since "The Sect" from 1991.
0.5 out 4.
0.5 out 4.
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