Season 1: Episode 17 - TWO FOR ONE: Near Dark (1987) / 30 Days of Night (2007)

Near Dark (1987)

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Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Kathryn and Eric (The Hitcher) Red.  The story centres around a young man who gets mixed up with a nomadic vampire gang.  It is a cross breed of the Western, Biker and Horror genres.  Although it was a box office flop on release, it is now considered a modern horror classic. 

 

Near Dark would share three cast members from Aliens, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Janette Goldstein.  A cinema seen in the background early in the film has Aliens on its marquee and James Cameron played the man who flips off Severn.  James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow would eventually marry.

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Eric Red and Kathryn Bigelow would go on to work together on Blue Steel.   Kathryn Bigelow would go on to become Hollywood’s leading female director with award winning films such as The Hurt Locker, Blue Steel, Point Break and Zero Dark Thirty to name a few. 

 

30 Days of Night (2007)

 

Based on the comic book miniseries by Steve Niles, this 2007 film stars Melissa George, Josh Hartnett, Ben Foster and Danny Huston.   The film was directed by David Slade and written by Stuart Beatties and Steve Niles.

 

Sticking closely to the comic miniseries, Steve Niles would work on the screenplay.  Stuart Beatties would later come in and flesh out the characters for the film medium.  The film would focus on an Alaskan town where there is 30 Days of Night or a polar night.  The film would cost $30million to make but would earn back over $70million turning it into a cult classic. 

 

DVD and Blu-Ray sales would make it a smash success on the home video market.  The film would lead to a straight to video sequel release which garnered poor reviews but sticks more faithfully to the comic miniseries. 

 

Opening Theme (.19); Introduction (2.06); Getting To Know You (2.20); Forming the Plot (5.33); Commercial (11.14); Film Trailer (11.40); Prologue (14.00); Scene by Scene (14.37); Plot Thickens (43.10); Commercial (45.53); Film Trailer (46.23); Lights, Camera Action (48.37); Critic’s Choice (49.19); Epilogue (1:25.04); End Credits (1:28.10); Closing Credits (1:37.01)

 

Opening Credits – Let The Games Begin by Stu Phillips from the Original Soundtrack Recording ‘Beyond the Valley of the Dolls’

 

Closing Credits – Vampire Smile by Kyla LaGrange taken from the Album ‘Ashes’

 

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