The Eclectic Choice: Dark Forces (Harlequin)

Dark Forces (aka Harlequin) (1980) dir. Simon Wincer


As part of my exploration of the Australian New Wave, this film was added to my queue and I was excited because it has an actor in it that I've always enjoyed, David Hemmings. Now Hemmings is quite good, but the real star of the show is Robert Powell in the lead role of Wolf. Powell is given a character that allows for mystery and humor as well as getting to dress like General Zod for some strange reason.

Much like another recent Eclectic Choice, Simon King Of The Witches, Dark Forces centers around a magician who enters into society and whose powers are questioned. It made me wonder why this same idea keeps popping up every so often. Then listening to the commentary track I found out why. Dark Forces is intended as a modern day retelling of Rasputin, that fun loving magical monk who moved through the Russian power elite before being poisoned, shot, strangled, drowned and cast into legend. It's a good story and when set amongst modern day politics it becomes a fascinating curio. Not quite a horror film, not quite a political thriller, not quite a love story, but a mish-mash that makes the film worthy of cult status.

Director Simon Wincer, who would later give us the non-porn version of Free Willy, keeps the story moving with some fun visual effects, fine acting by the leads and great gravel voiced gangstering by Broderick Crawford. There is a goofy photo montage about half way through (budgetary reasons), but it isn't too much of a distraction and even better if you hum the theme to The Rockford Files.

It's worth a look and personally I think it adds a little cult class to anyone's collection.