History Film / DarkWasTheNight

* GoryDiscretionShot: The foreman’s death is not seen, only his blood splattering in his windshield.
* GunsAreWorthless: The creature endures multiple shots from a pistol, one with a shotgun, and possibly one from a hunting rifle, only to recover and quickly begin attacking again. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it is a hunting knife in the belly that kills it.]]
** Possibly averted, as [[spoiler:there is more than one monster.]]

* DaylightHorror: Twice. First, the opening scene. A logging crew and their foreman are torn to pieces by an unseen creature. Second, when a group of hunters track the monster into the woods and walk into an ambush.

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: Adam has a dinosaur toy on his piano in his first scene and is later shown to have dinosaurs painted on the wall of his room.

* AdultFear: Coming to realize that someone was watching you and your child through your kitchen window late at night. Worse, realizing that that it wasn't a ''person'' watching you. [[spoiler:Even worse still, having your son in your house with you when something monstrous forces its way inside.]]

* DownerEnding[=/=] BolivianArmyEnding: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of creatures swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]

* TookALevelInKindness: Abrasive hunter Jim afternoon one of his cameras catches proof there really is something out there and he realizes Paul and Donny really are doing what they can.

* BadassBeard: Paul, Earl and Jim are all tough, decently bearded men.

* TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou: [[spoiler:In the final shot, a monster lunges at the camera.]]

* {{Adult Fear}}: Coming to realize that someone was watching you and your child through your kitchen window late at night. Worse, realizing that that it wasn't a ''person'' watching you. [[spoiler:Even worse still, having your son in your house with you when something monstrous forces its way inside.]]

* {{Amicably Divorced}}: Paul and his ex-wife Susan split up after [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a household accident]]. However, they clearly still care for each other.

* {{Because Destiny Says So}}: Pondered by Donny near the end of the movie, where he wonders if he was transferred from a big city to a small town because he is supposed to protect someone. Paul dismisses it.
* {{Clothing Damage}}: Most noticeably when the sole survivor of the hunting party stumbles up to Paul. His orange vest has been clawed to shreds.
* {{Daylight Horror}}: Twice. First, the opening scene. A logging crew and their foreman are torn to pieces by an unseen creature. Second, when a group of hunters track the monster into the woods and walk into an ambush.

* {{Downer Ending}}/ BolivianArmyEnding: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of creatures swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]

* GoodParents: Jake and his ex are both good with their so .

* IgnoredExpert: Longtime Local hunter Earl picks up on how ''something'' has made all of the animals dissapear and reflects about how he's heard stories from his Native American grandmother that some kind of monster could be out there. He isn't immediately taken seriously by Paul, who implies that he's just trying to spook the new guy when Donny brings it up.
* {{It Can Think}}: ''"Maybe it's adapted to its surroundings. Maybe it's learned how to hide. What if its smart enough to know that we're a threat? To know to avoid us? Until it has no choice..."''

* {{My Greatest Failure}}: In a conversation with Donny, Susan reveals that the reason she and Paul separated is because [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a swimming pool accident six months prior to the film. Paul blames himself for allowing it to happen.]]
* {{Nothing Is Scarier}}: For the majority of the film, the entity prowling the town at night is barely even glimpsed. We can hear it. We know it's there. But we don't see it. [[spoiler:Even during the climax, we don't get a very good look at it due to it being dark and the only light sources being flashlights.]]

* {{Standard Cop Backstory}}: Paul and Donny both have elements of this.
* {{The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You}}: [[spoiler:In the final shot, a monster lunges at the camera.]]

''Dark Was the Night'' is a 2014 American thriller. The film revolves around Paul Shields (Creator/KevinDurand), the sheriff of a small Northern town of Maiden Wood. When animals go missing and trails of strange footprints appear around homes, Paul and his deputy Donny (Lukas Haas) initially dismiss it as a creative prank. However, they are quickly forced to consider a more sinister alternative: that something dangerous has moved into the woods surrounding their town.

* FarmersDaughter: Although she works at a store in town, Clair, the daughter of a farmer whose livestock is attacked by the creature shares a flirtatious look with Donny when she first appears while brushing a horse and Paul says Her dad shit at her last boyfriend.

* {{Guns Are Useless}}: The creature endures multiple shots from a pistol, one with a shotgun, and possibly one from a hunting rifle, only to recover and quickly begin attacking again. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it is a hunting knife in the belly that kills it.]]

* FarmersDaughter: Clair, the daughter of a farmer whose livestock is attacked by the creature shares a flirtatious look with Donny when she first appears and Paul says Her dad shit at her last boyfriend.

* FarmersDaughter: Downplayed with Clair, the daughter of a farmer whose livestock is attacked by the creature.

* {{Downer Ending}}: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of creatures swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]

''Dark Was the Night'' is a 2014 American thriller. The film revolves around Paul Shields, the sheriff of a small Northern town of Maiden Wood. When animals go missing and trails of strange footprints appear around homes, Paul and his deputy Donny initially dismiss it as a creative prank. However, they are quickly forced to consider a more sinister alternative: that something dangerous has moved into the woods surrounding their town.

* {{It Can Think}}: ''"Maybe its adapted to its surroundings. Maybe its learned how to hide. What if its smart enough to know that we're a threat? To know to avoid us? Until it has no choice..."''

* {{Adult Fear}}: Coming to realize that someone was watching you and your child through your kitchen window late at night. Worse, realizing that that it wasn't a ''person'' watching you. [[spoiler:Even worse still, having your son in your house with you when something mounstrous forces its way inside of your home.]]
* {{Amicably Divorced}}: Paul and his ex-wife Susan split up after [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a household accident]]. However, they clearly still care for each other.
* {{Because Destiny Says So}}: Pondered by Donny near the end of the movie, where he wonders if he was transferred from a big city to a small town because he is supposed to protect someone. Paul dismisses it.
* {{Clothing Damage}}: Most noticeably when the sole survivor of the hunting party stumbles up to Paul. His orange vest has been clawed to shreds.
* {{Daylight Horror}}: Twice. First, the opening scene. A logging crew and their foreman are torn to pieces by an unseen creature. Second, when a group of hunters track the monster into the woods and walk into an ambush.
* {{Downer Ending}}: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of creatures swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]
* {{Guns Are Useless}}: The creature endures multiple shots from a pistol, one with a shotgun, and possibly one from a hunting rifle, only to recover and quickly begin attacking again. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it is a hunting knife in the belly that kills it.]]
** Possibly averted, as [[spoiler:there is more than one monster.]]
* {{It Can Think}}: ''"Maybe its adapted to its surroundings. Maybe its learned how to hide. What if its smart enough to know that we're a threat? To know to avoid us? Until it has no choice..."''
* {{My Greatest Failure}}: In a conversation with Donny, Susan reveals that the reason she and Paul separated is because [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a swimming pool accident six months prior to the film. Paul blames himself for allowing it to happen.]]
* {{Nothing Is Scarier}}: For the majority of the film, the entity prowling the town at night is barely even glimpsed. We can hear it. We know it's there. But we don't see it. [[spoiler:Even during the climax, we don't get a very good look at it due to it being night and the only light sources being flashlights.]]
* {{Standard Cop Backstory}}: Paul and Donny both have elements of this.
* {{The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You}}: [[spoiler:In the final shot, a monster lunges at the camera.]]
* {{Wendigo}}: The creature is implied to be one of these. When Paul begins searching the internet for animals with feet that match the prints found all around Maiden Wood, the camera lingers on a Wikipedia entry for ''windiga'', an alternate spelling of wendigo.

* {{Adult Fear}}: Coming to realize that someone was watching you and your child through your kitchen window late at night. Worse, realizing that that it wasn't a ''person'' watching you. [[spoiler:Even worse still, having your son in your house with you when something mounstrous forces its way inside of your home.]]
* {{Amicably Divorced}}: Paul and his ex-wife Susan split up after [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a household accident]]. However, they clearly still care for each other.
* {{Because Destiny Says So}}: Pondered by Donny near the end of the movie, where he wonders if he was transferred from a big city to a small town because he is supposed to protect someone. Paul dismisses it.
* {{Clothing Damage}}: Most noticeably when the sole survivor of the hunting party stumbles up to Paul. His orange vest has been clawed to shreds.
* {{Daylight Horror}}: Twice. First, the opening scene. A logging crew and their foreman are torn to pieces by an unseen creature. Second, when a group of hunters track the monster into the woods and walk into an ambush.
* {{Downer Ending}}: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of creatures swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]
* {{Guns Are Useless}}: The creature endures multiple shots from a pistol, one with a shotgun, and possibly one from a hunting rifle, only to recover and quickly begin attacking again. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it is a hunting knife in the belly that kills it.]]
** Possibly averted, as [[spoiler:there is more than one monster.]]
* {{It Can Think}}: ''"Maybe its adapted to its surroundings. Maybe its learned how to hide. What if its smart enough to know that we're a threat? To know to avoid us? Until it has no choice..."''
* {{Non-Malicious Monster}}: Though it is undeniably vicious, the creature is most likely just a hungry and territorial animal that was driven from its home by a logging camp. It even seems to prefer feeding on animals rather than people, when given the chance. It repeatedly attacks a horse stable instead of a nearby farmer. And later, when Paul approaches a dead deer in the road, the creature momentarily attacks him, but takes the deer carcass instead of finishing him off. Further more, both times that it attacks humans in broad daylight is when they are deep in the woods, presumably infringing on its territory.
* {{My Greatest Failure}}: In a conversation with Donny, Susan reveals that the reason she and Paul separated is because [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a swimming pool accident six months prior to the film. Paul blames himself for allowing it to happen.]]
* {{Nothing Is Scarier}}: For the majority of the film, the entity prowling the town at night is barely even glimpsed. We can hear it. We know it's there. But we don't see it. [[spoiler:Even during the climax, we don't get a very good look at it due to it being night and the only light sources being flashlights.]]
* {{Standard Cop Backstory}}: Paul and Donny both have elements of this.
* {{The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You}}: [[spoiler:In the final shot, a monster lunges at the camera.]]
* {{Wendigo}}: The creature is implied to be one of these. When Paul begins searching the internet for animals with feet that match the prints found all around Maiden Wood, the camera lingers on a Wikipedia entry for ''windiga'', an alternate spelling of wendigo.

* {{Adult Fear}}: Coming to realize that someone was watching you and your child through your kitchen window late at night. Worse, realizing that that it wasn't a ''person'' watching you. [[spoiler:Even worse still, having your son in your house with you when something mounstrous forces its way inside of your home.]]
* {{Amicably Divorced}}: Paul and his ex-wife Susan split up after [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a household accident]]. However, they clearly still care for each other.
* {{Because Destiny Says So}}: Pondered by Donny near the end of the movie, where he wonders if he was transferred from a big city to a small town because he is supposed to protect someone. Paul dismisses it.
* {{Daylight Horror}}: Twice. First, [[spoiler:the opening scene. A logging crew and their foreman are torn to pieces by an unseen creature.]] Second, [[spoiler:when a group of hunters track the monster into the woods and walk into an ambush.]]
* {{Downer Ending}}: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of creatures swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]
* {{Guns Are Useless}}: The creature endures multiple shots from a pistol, one with a shotgun, and possibly one from a hunting rifle, only to recover and quickly begin attacking again. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it is a hunting knife in the belly that kills it.]]
** Possibly averted, as [[spoiler:there is more than one monster.]]
* {{It Can Think}}: ''"Maybe its adapted to its surroundings. Maybe its learned how to hide. What if its smart enough to know that we're a threat? To know to avoid us? Until it has no choice..."''
* {{My Greatest Failure}}: In a conversation with Donny, Susan reveals that the reason she and Paul separated is because [[spoiler:one of their sons died in a swimming pool accident six months prior to the film. Paul blames himself for allowing it to happen.]]
* {{Nothing Is Scarier}}: For the majority of the film, the entity prowling the town at night is barely even glimpsed. We can hear it. We know it's there. But we don't see it. [[spoiler:Even during the climax, we don't get a very good look at it due to it being night and the only light sources being flashlights.]]
* {{Standard Cop Backstory}}: Paul and Donny both have elements of this.
* {{The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You}}: [[spoiler:In the final shot, a monster lunges at the camera.]]
* {{Wendigo}}: The creature is implied to be one of these. When Paul begins searching the internet for animals with feet that match the prints found all around Maiden Wood, the camera lingers on a Wikipedia entry for ''windiga'', an alternate spelling of wendigo.

''Dark Was the Night'' is a 2014 American thriller. The film revolves around the events that occur in the small town of Maiden Woods after a long trail of mysterious footprints lead through the streets and into the surrounding woods. Though initially dismissed a creative prank, Sheriff Paul Shields and his deputy Donny Saunders quickly begin to realize that there may be something more sinister behind the prints.

The film is [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory loosely based]] on the real-life events that took place in Topsham, England in 1855. One morning, the people of the town awoke and found sets of unidentifiable, bipedal footprints. The incident became known as ''The Devil's Footprints''.

* {{Adult Fear}}: Coming to realize that someone was watching you and your child through your kitchen window late at night. Worse, realizing that that it wasn't a ''person'' watching you. [[spoiler:Even worse still, having your son in your house with you when something large and dangerous forces its way inside of your home.]]
* {{Daylight Horror}}: Twice. First, [[spoiler:the opening scene. A logging crew and their foreman are torn to pieces by an unseen creature.]] Second, [[spoiler:when a group of hunters track the monster into the woods and walk into an ambush.]]
* {{Downer Ending}}: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of the same creature swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]
* {{Guns Are Useless}}: The creature endures multiple times with a pistol, once with a shotgun, and possibly a hunting rifle, only to recover and quickly begin attacking again. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it is a hunting knife that kills it.]]
** Possibly averted, as [[spoiler:there is more than one monster.]]
* {{It Can Think}}: ''"Maybe its adapted to its surroundings. Maybe its learned how to hide. What if its smart enough to know that we're a threat? To know to avoid us? Until it has no choice..."''
* {{Nothing Is Scarier}}: For the majority of the film, the entity prowling the town at night is barely even glimpsed. We can hear it. We know it's there. But we don't see it. [[spoiler:Even during the climax, we don't get a very good look at it due to it being night and the only light sources being flashlights.]]
* {{The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You}}: [[spoiler:In the final shot, a monster lunges at the camera.]]
* {{Wendigo}}: The creature is implied to be one of these. When Paul begins searching the internet for animals with feet that match the prints found all around Maiden Wood, the camera lingers on a Wikipedia entry for ''windiga'', an alternate spelling of wendigo.

The film is very loosely based on the real-life events that took place in Topsham, England in 1855. One morning, the people of the town awoke and found sets of unidentifiable, bipedal footprints. The incident became known as ''The Devil's Footprints''.

* {{Adult Fear}}: Coming to realize that someone was watching you and your child through your kitchen window late at night. Worse, realizing that that it wasn't a ''person'' watching you. [[spoiler:Even worse still, having your son in your house with you when something large and dangerous forces its way inside of your home.]]
* {{Daylight Horror}}: Twice. First, [[spoiler:the opening scene. A logging crew and their foreman are torn to pieces by an unseen creature.]] Second, [[spoiler:when a group of hunters track the monster into the woods and walk into an ambush.]]
* {{Downer Ending}}: [[spoiler:Paul has killed the creature, his family is safe, Donny is wounded but alive. Then Donny realizes a bullet wound he inflicted is [[OhCrap absent from the monster's corpse!]] Cut to dozens of the same creature swarming over the roof of the building they and their families are barricaded in.]]
* {{Guns Are Useless}}: The creature endures multiple times with a pistol, once with a shotgun, and possibly a hunting rifle, only to recover and quickly begin attacking again. [[spoiler:Ultimately, it is a hunting knife that kills it.]]
** Possibly averted, as [[spoiler:there is more than one monster.]]
* {{Nothing Is Scarier}}: For the majority of the film, the entity prowling the town at night is barely even glimpsed. We can hear it. We know it's there. But we don't see it. [[spoiler:Even during the climax, we don't get a very good look at it due to it being night and the only light sources being flashlights.]]
* {{Our Monsters Are Different}}: The creature is strongly implied to be a wendigo. In Canadian and North American folklore, a wendigo is a spirit that possesses the bodies of people who engage in cannibalism. They are often depicted as humanoids with wolfish features, sometimes a pair of antlers, and cloven hooves that are split into three sections. [[spoiler:While the monster in the film has the cloven hooves, there is no mention of its origins. Furthermore, in the climax, it is revealed to be more reptilian than humanoid or canine.]]

* {{Adult Fear}}: Having your young son living with you when your town is being prowled by an unknown entity at night. [[spoiler:Even worse, having your son in your house with you when the creature breaks in.]]
* {{Downer Ending}}: [[spoiler:Paul finally kills the creature, only for Donny to realize that the bullet wound he had inflicted on it is missing. Cut to dozens of creatures swarming over the roof of the church that they and the survivors are trapped in.]]
* {{Guns Are Useless}}: The creature sustains multiple gunshot wounds, one from a shotgun, and several from a pistol. [[spoiler:However, stabbing it with a knife seems to work.]]
** Possibly averted, as [[spoiler:there is more than one creature.]]
* {{Nothing Is Scarier}}: The creature is hardly ever shown to the audience. For the most part, it is only active at night, is extremely fast, and does a good job of sticking to the shadows. It only fully reveals itself at the climax.

'Dark Was the Night' is a 2014 American thriller. The film revolves around the events that occur in the small town of Maiden Woods after a long trail of mysterious footprints lead through the streets and into the surrounding woods. Though initially dismissed a creative prank, Sheriff Paul Shields quickly begins to realize that there may be something more sinister behind the prints. Something that is not easily explained.

The film is very loosely based on the real-life events that took place in Topsham, England in 1855. One morning, the people of the town awoke and found sets of unidentifiable, bipedal footprints. The incident became known as 'The Devil's Footprints'.

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