Regional Cinema can be considered a dirty term in the film industry, often equated with cheap, low brow, and/or exploitation movies; it became a mainstay of the Hollywood outsider. These films are often shot on location, involve a cast and sometimes crew composed of locals, and typically stray from the standard Hollywood formula. Join me as we go on a journey across the continental US to get to the heart of what it really means to be a regional film. At each stop, we’ll break down a film from a specific location, highlighting not only the idiosyncrasies of the film itself but its reflection of the local culture.
Our first stop is Stowe, Vermont. Fans of hiking and snow-related activities have been visiting this mountain town in northern Vermont since the late 1800’s. Along with tourism, the area has relied on a mixture of agriculture and farming. Being so far up north, means that life can be extremely tough. Winters cut to the bone, leaving only the inescapable, unforgiving landscape. And like most rural areas, it comes with its fair share of ghost stories and folk tales. These stories often revolve around the Green Mountains, a range that stretches from the north to the south of the state. Whether it is the tale of the frozen hill people or the expansive Green Mountain Cemetery in Montpelier, the local tales reflect a people grasping for something more. That brings us to our feature film, 1976’s Dark August, a story about a man trying to escape the grief of a violent accident and the lengths someone will go in order to seek vengeance.
Dark August is directed by Martin L. Goldman and was written by Goldman as well as two of the stars of the film, J.J. Barry and Carolyne Shelyne. This intimate relationship between the director, his actors, and the creation of this plodding tale of revenge and the occult is evident in each frame. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Barry and Shelyne were dating while they made it, resulting in interactions that feel natural, even in the most tumultuous moments. The film is set in the same location that it was shot, Stowe, VT. In fact, to this day, it is one of a small handful of movies filmed in the lush mountain town.
The story centers on Sal Devito (J.J. Barry), a big city photographer fleeing from the guilt of killing a young girl in an automobile accident. Attempting to get away from the stress and anxiety of city life and in search of a reset, Sal settles with his girlfriend Jackie (Carolyne Shelyne) in Stowe. We quickly learn that Stowe is where the accident occurred. Now, if it was me, I wouldn’t have decided to find peace in the same place where that exact traumatic event occurred, but Sal is gonna do Sal. In fact, this begins to highlight the qualities that make him a less than likable protagonist. He is difficult, stubborn, as his paranoia builds, doesn’t shy away from confrontation, and by strict 70’s standards, rarely buttons his shirts higher than his midriff. Soon, and without any evidence, Sal begins to claim that the young girl’s grandfather Ned McDermott (William Robertson) has placed a curse on him. Well, be careful what you wish for, because sure enough Sal begins to see cloaked figures often watching him from a distance.
As these occult moments of voyeurism increase in frequency, Sal turns to anyone that will listen and offer help. After a tarot card reading that only increases his dread of the future, Sal finds himself in the willing hands of Adrianna (Kim Hunter), a local psychic that the townsfolk claim is a witch. Adrianna offers guidance and provides Sal with a specific set of instructions to get rid of the demons plaguing his every waking moment. In a setup that is cosmically funny, Sal is instructed to burn down the studio he just built and after the structure is completely incinerated, pour a potion on it while reciting an incantation. What Sal didn’t anticipate was Stowe’s swift and responsive Fire Department which extinguishes any chance he had of ending this nightmare. With things going wrong at every turn, Sal must figure out how to stop the curse placed upon him before it destroys not only himself but everyone he cares about.
Dark August is far from a perfect film, often breaking the unspoken rule of “show, don’t tell” with its reliance on dialogue to move the story forward which can make the pace feel stagnant at best. It doesn’t help that Sal is damn near unlikable. His gruff attitude makes him appear less grief stricken and more annoyed that he is dealing with the situation. While he may have been acquitted in the eyes of the law, shouting about it certainly doesn’t make him seem repentant. On top of this, the decision on how to end Sal’s story seems half baked and anticlimactic. It can be thematically linked to the idea of cycles of violence but lacks impact and it’s quite frankly, surprising when the credits start to roll. While the film suffers from these deficiencies, there are enough positive qualities that allow it to shine in the pantheon of 70’s folk horror.
Even with J.J. Barry’s performance, there is an authenticity with the cast and their interactions. The film boasts a recognizable star in Kim Hunter, best known for her Oscar winning performance as Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire (1952) as well as her role as Zira in the first three Planet of the Apes films, but it is primarily made up of a relatively small group of unknown actors. Barry and Sheylene were dating at the time and their relationship feels real and true. Particularly when she sees that the stress of everything is starting to get to him and wisely advises they take a break and go on a short drive. Those little supportive moments brought a smile to my face. The surrounding cast of extras is really what gives Dark August a realistic small-town vibe. When Sal suffered his episode in the general store, I was captivated by each customer. Some concerned, others indifferent, but each one seemingly with their own story to tell. The people of Stowe were so excited to be a part of the movie making process that finding the right people for each role happened easily and organically. The actual local police and firefighters stepped into those exact roles giving a deeper sense of authenticity and realism. It’s also a nice touch to cast Carolyne Shelyne’s sister as the sales girl. This family affair approach to “let’s all get together and make a movie” is what drives a lot of the very best regional films.
Equally important to the extras littering the background of the film is the town of Stowe and its surrounding wilderness. As the film breaks away from its narrative beats, we are given shots of the locale that are vital and captivating. From the smattering of stores on Main Street, to the dark forests of the looming Green Mountains, the film gives us a good sense of Sal’s surroundings. And by today’s standards it appears that not much has changed. The general store is still there and at one point Sal walks down the road towards the Stowe Community Church. This piece of religious iconography appears to be in the same state it was in the film, white and pristine. And as is the case in most small towns, it remains a major landmark. While the town helps ground the story with a sense of familiarity, it’s the green, lush, dense forests that provides a sense of ominous danger. Goldman understood the importance of this balance when he foreshadowed Sal’s journey into the darkness through the photography in the art gallery. The most striking of which was a photo of the forest and Sal; each starting out as their own entity and slowly superimposed and fading together until they are one. A similar technique is employed in my favorite shot of the movie which is a quick cut to a pale horse standing in a field with the dense forest behind it. The horse glows and shimmers and it delivers a symbolic nod that death looms near our frustrated antagonist. As much as Sal must contend with the dark forces of the occult, he must equally battle the forces of nature. In one scene, he chases the hooded figure through the woods until he reaches a swiftly moving body of water. Never one to give up, he continues his pursuit and struggles mightily as he slaps and plods through the water. I would be willing to bet that this beautiful stretch of water is a tributary off the Little River, which runs right alongside the town. It also makes for a wonderful allegory as Sal travels further from his city born life and his madness increases.
Dark August plays with the idea of man up against the sinister forces of magic all the while harboring his own dark past.It presents Sal as a man that attracts this energy as if it were his natural state. The idea that men commune closer to this darkness is evident in Ned’s voluntary use of ritual to see his own dark desires fulfilled. Conversely, Adrianna is presented as a practicing witch matter-of-factly. Yes, Sal makes a blithe remark, but he is immediately rebuked and from there on it is accepted as is. It’s a refreshing take as well as one that is steeped in the history of Vermont. Like encountering the frozen hill people and learning their dark but loving ways, it just is. As these veins of black magic weave between the arteries of light magic, Dark August walks hand in hand with another Vermont shot occult film, Transformations, a film which follows a coven of witches communally practicing white magic.
So, when all is said and done, I enjoyed Dark August. Like small town life it is full of fantastic moments bespoke by idiosyncrasies that lend a realism to the works. Do I wish it ended differently? Absolutely. Could Sal be someone that I would actively root for? Sure. At the end of the day, even it’s sleepiest moments, it made me pay attention and take notice of this little town and its weird goings on. And that right there is pretty damn special. Forty-six years after its filming I’m curious to visit Stowe. Time is obviously going to change things, but I would be willing to bet it is still just as marvelous and the fire department is just as responsive.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joe Ferry is a longtime resident of Phoenixville, PA and can usually be found at the Colonial Theatre. Those rare occasions when he’s not there, he’s likely watching a weird deep cut, kung-fu flick or something with Edwige Fenech. Most of all he loves movies big and small. If you have a movie or region you want to see covered, shoot him an email at joe@thewickedwild.com.