The Dark Half

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The Dark Half

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A horror-story author becomes a victim of his own making when he tries to kill off one of his most famous characters.






























Timothy Hutton plays a Stephen King-like writer who wishes to dispose of his pseudonym -- the one who writes the lurid trash. But the pseudonym springs to life and begins to kill everyone near and dear to him. Legendary horror director George A. Romero takes this material seriously and lends a real intimacy -- and real dread -- to it. Hutton shines in his dual role, getting to show off some serious acting chops. Sadly, MGM presents this underrated film in a pan-and-scan transfer and the picture has moments of fuzz and grain.



















More interesting than scary, Stephen King’s source novel was, like 'Misery,' a successful writer’s expression of self-pity.
King, who’d written several books under the pen name Richard Bachman, imagined a serious writer — Thad Beaumont — writing trashy bestsellers under the pseudonym George Stark (a nod to Donald Westlake’s pen name Richard Stark). When Thad “kills off” George, the pen name literally comes back to haunt him. Since “Bachman’s” books sold comparatively few copies before it was revealed that King wrote them, the concept didn’t really scan; the book was a gimmicky idea shakily executed.

George Romero’s adaptation, handled with a lot more conviction, is another story. Romero’s more personal projects (Martin, Jack’s Wife) are virtually unseen, while people can’t get enough of his zombies. It's as though he’s always wanted to be Thad Beaumont but has been forced by his financiers (and his fans) to remain Stark.

The film is sleek and enjoyable, with a highly amusing Timothy Hutton in the dual role of nice-guy Thad and vicious George. As the kick-ass pseudonym from beyond the grave, Hutton gives a new performance; he’s actually frightening — not an adjective one generally associates with Hutton. There’s also a small, great turn by Julie Harris as Thad’s wise, pipe-smoking associate.











Timothy Hutton ...  Thad Beaumont / George Stark
Amy Madigan ...  Liz Beaumont
Michael Rooker ...  Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Julie Harris ...  Reggie Delesseps
Robert Joy ...  Fred Clawson
Kent Broadhurst ...  Mike Donaldson
Beth Grant ...  Shayla Beaumont
Rutanya Alda ...  Miriam Cowley
Tom Mardirosian ...  Rick Cowley
Larry John Meyers ...  Dr. Pritchard
Patrick Brannan ...  Young Thad Beaumont
Royal Dano ...  Digger Holt
Glenn Colerider ...  Homer Gamache
Sarah Parker ...  Wendy & William Beaumont
Elizabeth Parker ...  Wendy & William Beaumont






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