Long Night in a Dead City

Director - Richard Griffin (Exhumed, The Disco Exorcist)
Starring - Aidan Laliberte (Red, All In), Sarah Reed (Testing, Family Problems), and Anna Rizzo (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Seven Dorms of Death)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror/Thriller
Tagline - "On New Year's Eve, Daniel Belmont will vanish into the night."
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I have several filmmakers that I call my favorite.  Most know my love for George A. Romero, Lloyd Kaufman, John Cherry, and indie filmmaker Richard Griffin.  I've been a fan of Griffin's for almost a decade now even though he has been making films longer than that.  Last year Griffin took a break from my beloved genre when he directed his own take on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.   The film was fucking fantastic but took me out of my element.  Griffin returned to the darker side of cinema with his newest film Long Night in a Dead City.  This dark thriller once again shows why Griffin is one of my favorite storytellers and an underrated filmmaker.  Thank you Richard for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to see your new film!

     The film follows a young man that awakens in the street late at night and the apparent victim of on hell of a ass whoopin.  He can't seem to find his brother and wonders the street where he encounters several strange individuals who want to help him until he comes across and old marquee having an all night showing.  He buys a ticket where he watches several films that dives deep into his psyche.  When he is able to finally leave he continues through the city where he uncovers the mystery to what happened to him and his lost brother.
     I can say a lot about a Richard Griffin's film.  I go into his films knowing that I am going to see some amazing acting and some of the best cinematography in indie cinema.  Long Night in a Dead City is no different.  The film looks amazing and the cast absolutely kills it.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  Aidan Laliberte is great as the film's lead.  He perfectly portrays the innocent Daniel who is aimlessly searching for his brother.  He does a great job at making the film feel emotional.  It is rare to see a male lead in an indie production carry that much emotion.  He did a great job and I look forward to seeing him in more films in the future.  The supporting cast is just as good.  They all look deep inside themselves and deliver memorable performances.  I could spend all day praising the cast, and they truly deserve every ounce of praise they receive, but I'm too fucking fat and lazy to type all that out.  Congrats guys.  The story for this marks Griffin's return to the dark drama/thriller that many of us really enjoy.  Griffin released something truly amazing several years back and won over new fans when he gave the world Exhumed.  The film was very dark, moody, and story rich.  Long Night in a Dead City is just like that.  The atmosphere is fucking perfect making it almost nightmarish set against the dark, urban environment.  The suspense flows perfectly with the tone of the film and the story keeps you on edge.  Sadly, the film is a little slow paced at times which does make the viewer lose patience.  Some of the scenes are just a little too long and could be trimmed just a little to help move the film along.  Finally, the film does rely heavily on story but it still delivers some blood here and there.  This isn't a film for gorehounds but if you want a story rich film with great practical effects and light blood then you will enjoy this one.  Overall, Long Night in a Dead City is not your average horror film.  The film is more mystery and dark drama than anything and could easily be compared to the giallo films made famous Dario Argento.  The film is beautifully shot, suspenseful, and mysterious.  This film should not be passed up so check it out.