DVD review: Dark and Stormy Night
A parody of and homage to the “old dark house” films of the 1930s, this 2009 movie created by Larry Blamire is a love letter to films of the past.
When Sinus Cavinder’s will is to be read, a motley group of relatives and hangers-on converge on the Cavinder Mansion on a dark and stormy night.
When the lawyer in charge of the will is murdered before the addendum to the will can be read, it’s up to plucky reporters Eight O’Clock Faraday (Daniel Roebuck) and Billy Tuesday (Jennifer Blaire) to get to the bottom of the mystery. With the bridge out and no way to leave the mansion, possible supernatural high jinks and killers on the loose, it’s only a matter of time before more are murdered.
Roebuck and Blaire let loose rapid-fire dialogue in a “His Girl Friday” style, and the whole affair is reminiscent of classic Abbott and Costello films. Betty Garrett (“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”) makes a great appearance as Mrs. Hausenstout, stealing the few scenes in which she appears. The smarmy Burling Famish Jr., played by Brian Howe (“Journeyman,” “The Pursuit of Happyness”), is another standout.
Fans of more recent spoofs such as “Clue” and “Murder by Death” will recognize what’s going on here, and while a few jokes don’t hit the mark, “Dark and Stormy Night” is still filled with laughs.
Perhaps a bit overstuffed with characters, “Dark and Stormy Night” nonetheless provides plenty of entertainment, especially for fans of the genres being spoofed. It’s also a horror-mystery that can be shared with the entire family, which could add to the appeal.
Extras include a color version of the film, a gag reel, an audio commentary and a “making of” featurette.
— Matthew Price
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