Halloween Pick: Below
You know, in the seven years I've been writing about film, no movie stands out in my mind as a pure studio hosing of both an audience and a film as does the story of Below. David Twohy's (Pitch Black, The Arrival) excellent WWII haunted submarine movie is heavy on mood and sharp as all hell, written both by himself and writer/director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain.) Unfortunately, owned and distributed by Dimension Films, the genre label of Miramax, the film met a sad and bitter end.
When the rated PG 13 The Ring opened to a resounding $150M+ domestic haul, the Weinstein's decided that Twohy's film (which was still in editing) should in turn be edited down to a PG-13. Twohy however, pointed out that his three-picture contract allowed for him to turn in an R rated film and felt that the film simply wouldn't work rated any lower. This led to a heated behind the scenes battle that ended with Twohy's three-picture deal being torn up (releasing him to make The Chronicles of Riddick) and the film was dumped to a scant 400 screens nationwide. Later, it was released as a prohibitively expensive DVD that kept many of the video store chains from bothering to stock it. Thus a good film met a very bad end, unseen by many.
But now, several years later, it is readily available for rental and purchase, and is well worth seeking out, especially if you're looking for some creepy Halloween viewing. Starring Bruce Greenwood (Thirteen Days, Eight Below, Capote), Olivia Williams (Rushmore), and Matthew Davis (Tigerland), Below is the story of a submarine crew that picks up the survivors of a sinking ship just as strange things begin to occur on the sub.
A healthy mix of submariner drama, hidden guilt and classic ghost story creepiness, Below is a psychological thriller that really delivers the goods. In true Twohy fashion, the movie has plenty new to offer that had never graced the screen before. From rising levels of gasses (which may or may not be causing hallucinations), destroyers combing the ocean floor with large grappling hooks, and a fully three dimensional pounding of the crew, Below satisfies both as a WWII sub film and a great piece of horror. Slow building and methodical in its execution, there is nothing cheap or shoddy about it.
Sadly, few got to see it as God intended, on the silver screen. But at least it's around on DVD, and it's one my picks for your Halloween viewing.
C. Robert Cargill
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