I've seen the trailer for the Darkness Falls movie. It looks like Blair Waitch meets Pitch Black, and it did nothing to pique my curiosity. I'm passing on what looks to be a typical horror flick, which is why I was so surprised to find such a strong comic-book tie-in. Joe Harris, working from Hegeman and Fasano's story, has crafted a surprisingly touching gothic story, and it boasts some of Charlie Adlard's strongest artwork (at least in color) to date.
In the town of Darkness Falls in 1841, two children take a small trek that their parents have forbidden. One of them -- a young boy named William -- has lost a tooth, and all of the children of the town know that there's a strange, reclusive woman who befriends kids by exchanging those teeth for a sweet baked treat. But because of her hermit-like tendencies and the tragic circumstances of her life, rumor, suspicion and imagination have turned an entire town against her. And those feelings reach a boiling point.
There's a lot more texture to be found in Adlard's work here. That greater depth adds an eerie realism to the period piece, and the always gritty quality of his linework reinforces that sense of the historic. The detail in the backgrounds is meticulous, and he conveys the youth of the main characters of the story quite well. The colors are rich and varied, and no matter what color dominates a panel, there's always an unnatural glow that's in keeping with the supernatural atmosphere of the book.
Judging from the trailer, the bulk of the action in the movie is set in the present-day version of the coastal town, but this one-shot explores the background of the tragic figure that comes to torment the descendants of the 1841 residents. And by focusing on just that aspect of the story, Harris sets it apart from your typical, everyday horror-movie fodder.
Though we never see her face and she speaks only a scant few words, one really gets a sense of Matilda's sorrow, shyness and loneliness. Though on the big screen, she's transformed into a monster, here, she's a sympathetic figure and makes for a compelling character.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
