HOME TRAILERS RELEASE DATES PODCASTS REVIEWS POSTERS INTERVIEWS BOB $TENCIL NEWS FEEDS ABOUT APPS

LATEST NEWS

Brian Keene's Dark Hollow Headed to the Big Screen

by Alex Billington
April 5, 2009
Source: briankeene.com

Bram Stoker Award winning US horror author Brian Keene (seen above) and British Fantasy Award winning writer Paul Finch are combing forces to bring Dark Hollow to the big screen. The film is based on Keene's novel (Amazon), which was first published last year, that tells the story about a satyr that comes to life in a forest and begins capturing women. Award winning short film director Paul Campion, who is also a former Weta Digital texture painter, will make this his directorial debut, with a script written by Paul Finch. And to add icing to the cake, Weta Workshop will design and and create the creature makeup.

If you haven't read the book or don't know anything about Dark Hollow, check out this official synopsis:

"After two miscarriages, writer Adam Shay’s marriage is on the rocks. On a walk through local woods rumored to be haunted, Adam comes across a strange sight: a statue of a half-man, half-goat creature, a satyr from ancient legends, which comes to life before his eyes. Soon, all the women in town begin disappearing, summoned to the woods by the satyr’s hypnotic piping. When Adam gathers the menfolk to hunt down the satyr and retrieve the women, what they uncover is an unholy evil bent on protecting itself and spreading its seed."

Anyone else get a Pan's Labyrinth kind of feeling from this? Except that the faun is a bit more evil, and captures women? Stuntman and creature actor Shane Rangi has already been cast in the role of the evil satyr Hylinus. Apparently they are looking for additional funding, but are pretty much ready to shoot. This is definitely a project I'll be keeping my eye on, even if it's an indie that'll only be show up at film fests. I definitely love the sound of it and have a feeling it could be a pretty frickin' good film. If you want to get an idea for more of director Paul Campion's work, check out his impressive website: paulcampion.com.

Explore tags: Movie News, Opinions

Curtis

sounds pretty damn kool, ill keep my eyes on this one specially with Weta Workshop working on the creature. Freaky!!
http://www.feoamante.com Feo Amante

Okay, the book was nothing like PAN'S LABYRINTH. PL was a great movie, I gave it my highest rating at feoamante.com. But Pan's Labyrinth was a Dark Fantasy, light on the Horror Thriller aspects, heavy on the fantasy. I'm not taking anything away from PL, but Dark Hollow is no Pan's Labyrinth. PL meant to show you amazing things, dark imaginative dreams, all wrapped in a tragic war-time drama centered on a little girl. DARK HOLLOW is meant to scare you. Think less Guillermo del Toro and more Richard Laymon. DARK HOLLOW is an "urban tale of heart tightening terror". That's what I called it back in 2008 when I reviewed the book, and I wasn't kidding.
ElectrocaineXxX

DARK HOLLOW was Keen's worst novel IMO. I was hard pressed to even finish the damn thing. Haven't even bothered cracking the sequel.
http://www.feoamante.com Feo Amante

Hey #3, if you thought it was his worst, what did you think was his best?
ElectrocaineXxX

Well...if I had to pick...I really liked Ghoul. I thought it had a certain quality in it's depiction of the relationship between the kids that most authors miss. Keene just hit on a tone that I think even King overshot with The Body. While I wouldn't say the novel [Ghoul] was scary it entertained and had characters that you became invested in. You rooted for those kids! They had the world against them and they were damned to let it swallow them whole. I liked The Rising and City of the Dead but felt gilted with the ultimate ending to the story(s). The bleak tone that ends all of Keene's books is fine and refreshing from the happy ending so often spoon-fed to the masses (even if that is what they are begging for). But the final, "We're fucked! THE END" attitude was a bit of a, "Let's get this wrapped up and get you on your way." anti-climax. Especially since the story was drug out between two books. If that's where it was going it could have been wrapped up with The Rising. Conquer Worms was good. But how could you not mentally cast Kevin Bacon as all the characters? Even with a wig and make-up in the female roles. Dead Sea was kind of dull especially after The Rising and City of the Dead. Kind of, been there, done that...with this author in fact. And then you have Dark Hallow and Ghost Walk. But, to be fair, as I said I have yet to read Ghost Walk. So, might be the best book ever. Never know...
http://www.feoamante.com Feo Amante

Lol! I had not seen the Kevin Bacon thing coming!
ElectrocaineXxX

No disrespect to Keene (or Kevin Bacon) intended in any way. And I really wasn't challenging your opinion with my initial comment. Keene is just someone I actually have an interest in that was mentioned on this site. So...I commented. And believe it or not I'm not trying to bag on someone who I REALLY do enjoy reading. I have each of his novels, rock him on Myspace and have the cover of Ghoul prominently displayed on my own page. I simply just do not see that Dark Hallow should be the novel picked to be filmed. But you know... Thanks for even being interested in what I have to say at all Feo.