Great Film overall

Absolutely the worst movie.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

The acting in this movie is really good.

THE DARK HALF opens with a scene worthy of David Cronenberg: during a brain operation, the doctor discovers an eye and some teeth growing inside writer Thad Beaumont's grey matter. Beaumont, like author Stephen King, has a pseudonym under which he writes horror novels and it's this alter ego who eventually manifests himself as a malevolent entity out to do his creator no good. Although I tend not to like doppelganger stories, director George Romero makes this one work by dint of some outstanding craftsmanship. Says Stark (the Evil Twin) to Beaumont: "You will die like no other man on Earth has ever died before." Later, when Beaumont and Stark square off in a story-writing contest and Stark falters uncertainly, Thad says: "You know the only way to do it is to do it." That could very well sum up this one: Romero gets the job done. It's not his best work- by a mile- but it showed at the time that he was more than capable of handling bigger budget films with big name stars.

Thad Beaumont (Hutton) is a successful write living in Maine with his wife Liz (Madigan) and two infant twins. Thad is critically acclaimed but far from a best seller. Writing under the pseudonym George Stark, Thad writes trashy violent novels that just happen to sell better than his own. A Blackmailer threatens to expose his other identity so Thad goes Public with the information in hopes of burying his alter ego. Instead, Thad's dark half which is George Stark takes on a life of his own and is bent on destroying Thad's world and everyone connected to him. Stark is soon stalking Thad's agents' friends and slashing them to ribbons with a razor. Horror Veteran George A. Romero adapts Stephen king's novel and directs here. Romero wisely keeps the audience wondering if it is Thad blacking out and committing these crimes, or has his mind actually released this killer into the real world. Timothy Hutton is wonderful in the dual role and has the talent to make a menacing glance be actually scary. There are multiple scare scenes that work very well. Such as when Thad's agent Miriam (Rutanya Alda) comes home puts her key in the door and it slowly opens. The audience is on the edge of their seat and they know they're going to get it, but Romero's timing is so good he gets the Jump scare anyway. There is an excellent dream sequence that is scary as well. The effects are top notch and Romero makes the attacks very violent and gory. There is a delicious sequence in a hallway that is just dripping with mood and atmosphere. All though the end result of the story is a bit much to swallow, 'The Dark Half' works as a first rate horror film.

Perhaps, it was me, but damn, The Dark Half, one of the very few Stephen King film adaptations I hadn't seen until now, was so hard to get into. The story about a boy who had another boy living in his head – literally, began to make less and less sense as the movie progressed. Worse, the movie was sooo long.Now, I do own this book and, though I hadn't read that yet, it'll probably piece together some of the holes I couldn't follow. But, this movie did not encourage me to pick up Stephen King's novel any time soon.The movie was delayed in my viewing because, well, I am not a Timothy Hutton fan. Knowing he's playing a duel role, didn't add to the excitement I should've had for this. But, since it's October, I figured I'd finally see what this was all about 20 years after its release.From what I can recall, and forgive – it's been a couple of days, a boy's writing leads to headaches and mystical sounds of birds. Upon further examination, there was a twin lodged in his brain. We are to believe the second child, the "dark half" twin had been extracted and disposed of. Fast forward many years, and that boy, Thad (Hutton,) has grown up, married, had twins of his own and is a writer. Of course, in King fashion and true life, Thad has an alternative and secret name he writes under, darker stuff. Stuff that sells.But, when the idea to "kill" off this other penned name to avoid a blackmail subplot, all hell breaks loose. This "George Stark/Dark Half" writer doesn't want to "die," so he kills people and (inadvertently or not) pins the murders on Thad.Where I had a problem was: was this George a split personality? Or a ghost, or made up/made real being? Or, a grown up version of that twin in the brain that was supposed to be disposed of? That last one is the farthest stretch, and yeah, even more than a ghost. For, the twin in the brain was just an eyeball and cavity-infested teeth. Take that out, and in the 1960s, I doubt they could've reconstructed, somehow, the whole male.As I began this review, I stated this is perhaps this is my fault. Perhaps, my mind was elsewhere and it was hard to concentrate. It was over two hours and not well paced, after all. But, if this movie was interesting enough, I'm sure it would've engaged me away from real life. Sadly, it was not.* * * Final thoughts: Not recommended. Maybe read the book. I'm sure that's a ton better and there's no Hutton there.

Thad Beaumount has buried his alter ego George Stark, a pseudonym he used when writing fiction of a dark nature than he would using his real name. When a local man is killed, evidence leads Sheriff Pangborn to George's grave, and he begins to suspect Thad. Thad is beginning to have visions of sparrows flying, something that hasn't occurred for twenty-three years since he had brain surgery. As the string of gruesome murders continue, someone claiming to be George Stark starts calling Thad on the phone. Thad fears for his family's safety, and Pangborn can't decide whether or not Thad is the murderer.....Another year in the nineties, and another generic Stephen King adaptation hits the screen. For every Shawshank, Misery, and Dolores Claiborne, you get a Lawnmower Man, Sleepwalkers, Langoliers, and this.Hutton is great as Thad and his Doppelgänger, but as expected, the bad guy is more enjoyable, has lots of funny one liners and is hardly in it. The rest of the film has Michael Rooker not shaking hands with Hutton one mi ute and then getting him beer the next.And while all this is happening, there are lots and lots of sparrows flying around the place.Romero starts the film off very promising, but as soon as Stark is introduced, the film, despite Stark being the highlight of the film, goes down the toilet.If you are a King enthusiast, go ahead, ruin your day.