He's a man of wealth and taste, the devil in this life and death. Set in the deadly nighttime hours of Hollywood Boulevard east of Las Palmas, "Shadow Hours" shows a struggle between good and evil and, more poignantly, one man's struggle with his inner demons. Starring Balthazar Getty and Peter Weller, "Shadow Hours" has a Fellini-like feel and will win fans on the art house circuit and appeal to indie channel viewers.
With his black Porsche and shiny sunglasses, Stuart (Weller) tools around Hollywood as a modern-day version of the devil, looking for converts and preying on the vulnerable and destitute. In his prowling, he stops to refuel and finds a young night-shift station attendant, Michael (Getty), who catches his whimsical and sadistic fancy. Even by Hollywood standards, Michael is down on his luck. He's recently out of rehab for coke and booze addictions and has a deep personal pit to crawl out of. The only shining light in his dismal life is his new wife, a veritable angel who has seen him through the darkest hours.
Intermingling Michael's personal struggle with a sensational string of murders that has frightened nighttime Hollywood, screenwriter-director Isaac H. Eaton has skillfully hot-wired an incendiary story line. Fueled with all the slimy trappings of present-day Hollywood, and further juiced by the satanic presence of Stu, "Shadow Hours" is an entertaining depiction of both a place and a mindset. It works as an allegory and a sharply honed personal story as we sympathize with Michael's struggles to stay clean and assume the responsibilities of his new marriage. Although the film sometimes wallows in melodrama, it invariably swerves back to the nearest mean street.
"Shadow Hours" oozes with hellish temptations as Michael tries to keep on the straight and narrow. Ultimately, it's Getty's empathetic performance as the struggling newlywed/recovering junkie that makes the film work. He's vulnerable and strong, and we root for him to resist his overwhelming temptations. Even more invincible in his Porsche and shades than he was in his Robocop gear, Weller's Mephistophelean malice is perfect for an L.A.-style devil. Rebecca Gayheart is peaches-and-cream dreamy as Michael's pregnant wife, certainly a guiding light. Once again, Brad Dourif does a terrific turn as a scummy night creature.
Technical contributions are well-realized, given the obvious budgetary constraints. The blight-night is searingly visualized by Frank Byers' eerie, smudgy cinematography, while the rank seediness of good ol' Hollywood is conveyed by Francis J. Pezza's sure-eyed production design.
SHADOW HOURS
Newmark Films Inc.
In association with 5150 Prods.
Producers: Peter McAlevey, Isaac H. Eaton
Screenwriter-director: Isaac H. Eaton
Co-executive producer: Andrea Mia
Executive producer: Michael Thomas Shannon
Co-producers: Balthazar Getty, Shon Greenblatt
Line producer: Donald West
Director of photography: Frank Byers
Production designer: Francis J. Pezza
Editors: Annamaria Szanto,
Clayton Halsey, Bill Yarhaus
Music: Brian Tyler
Costumes: Luke Reichle
Casting: Cathy Henderson-Martin,
Dori Zuckerman
Color/stereo
Cast:
Michael Holloway: Balthazar Getty
Stuart Chappel: Peter Weller
Chloe Holloway: Rebecca Gayheart
Detective Steve Andrianson: Peter Greene
Sean: Frederic Forrest
Roland Montague:: Brad Dourif
Detective Thomas Greenwood: Michael Dorn
Vincent: Corin Nemec
Running time -- 95 minutes
No MPAA rating...
With his black Porsche and shiny sunglasses, Stuart (Weller) tools around Hollywood as a modern-day version of the devil, looking for converts and preying on the vulnerable and destitute. In his prowling, he stops to refuel and finds a young night-shift station attendant, Michael (Getty), who catches his whimsical and sadistic fancy. Even by Hollywood standards, Michael is down on his luck. He's recently out of rehab for coke and booze addictions and has a deep personal pit to crawl out of. The only shining light in his dismal life is his new wife, a veritable angel who has seen him through the darkest hours.
Intermingling Michael's personal struggle with a sensational string of murders that has frightened nighttime Hollywood, screenwriter-director Isaac H. Eaton has skillfully hot-wired an incendiary story line. Fueled with all the slimy trappings of present-day Hollywood, and further juiced by the satanic presence of Stu, "Shadow Hours" is an entertaining depiction of both a place and a mindset. It works as an allegory and a sharply honed personal story as we sympathize with Michael's struggles to stay clean and assume the responsibilities of his new marriage. Although the film sometimes wallows in melodrama, it invariably swerves back to the nearest mean street.
"Shadow Hours" oozes with hellish temptations as Michael tries to keep on the straight and narrow. Ultimately, it's Getty's empathetic performance as the struggling newlywed/recovering junkie that makes the film work. He's vulnerable and strong, and we root for him to resist his overwhelming temptations. Even more invincible in his Porsche and shades than he was in his Robocop gear, Weller's Mephistophelean malice is perfect for an L.A.-style devil. Rebecca Gayheart is peaches-and-cream dreamy as Michael's pregnant wife, certainly a guiding light. Once again, Brad Dourif does a terrific turn as a scummy night creature.
Technical contributions are well-realized, given the obvious budgetary constraints. The blight-night is searingly visualized by Frank Byers' eerie, smudgy cinematography, while the rank seediness of good ol' Hollywood is conveyed by Francis J. Pezza's sure-eyed production design.
SHADOW HOURS
Newmark Films Inc.
In association with 5150 Prods.
Producers: Peter McAlevey, Isaac H. Eaton
Screenwriter-director: Isaac H. Eaton
Co-executive producer: Andrea Mia
Executive producer: Michael Thomas Shannon
Co-producers: Balthazar Getty, Shon Greenblatt
Line producer: Donald West
Director of photography: Frank Byers
Production designer: Francis J. Pezza
Editors: Annamaria Szanto,
Clayton Halsey, Bill Yarhaus
Music: Brian Tyler
Costumes: Luke Reichle
Casting: Cathy Henderson-Martin,
Dori Zuckerman
Color/stereo
Cast:
Michael Holloway: Balthazar Getty
Stuart Chappel: Peter Weller
Chloe Holloway: Rebecca Gayheart
Detective Steve Andrianson: Peter Greene
Sean: Frederic Forrest
Roland Montague:: Brad Dourif
Detective Thomas Greenwood: Michael Dorn
Vincent: Corin Nemec
Running time -- 95 minutes
No MPAA rating...
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