THE DIVIDING HOUR


Directed by Mike Prosser
Written by Mike Prosser and David Walker
Produced by Jeff Yarnall
Director of Photography Jeff Yarnall
I’ve read the hype surrounding Playground Film’s The Dividing Hour, in Fangoria and some other horror news sites. After reading the premise I didn’t think I would like the film, and to be honest, at first I didn’t. The story didn’t seem to be going anywhere, but half way through the film, a wonderful thing happens, a plot twist. A genuine twist that I didn’t see coming.
The film revolves around four men who, during the opening sequence, rob a bank. This goes off without a hitch. It’s there escape that goes wrong. What seems like a near perfect getaway, is thrown askew when they crash their getaway car. Of the four, only one seems to be unhurt. On their quest to find a phone, they come across a house they can’t seem to escape. As the hours pass we watch the group break down and turn on each other as they try to come to grips with their surrounding. In the end they have to face up to their actions. To give away too much would spoil the fun (not to mention, there is nothing more boring than a T.P.S.- Tedious Plot Summary, a.k.a. a play by play).
As I said before, I didn’t like the first act. It seemed a little flatly written and so did the acting. A little tightening would have been nice. Everything after the first act is about as near to perfection as you can get with a Shot on Video feature. Once the group arrives at the house, all levels of the film rise dramatically. From the story, dialogue, and acting to the editing and camera work. The film becomes genuinely creepy. Which today, is possibly the greatest compliment you can give any horror film. Most deliver “paint-by-numbers” story lines with a formula so solid you can chart the scares on a graph. It’s nice to see a film that not only aspires to be better than its competition, but also achieves its goal.
There has recently been a campaign to get The Dividing Hour onto the shelves of large, chain video companies. I can’t think of a more deserving S.O.V. feature.

You can order the THE DIVIDING OUR from the official website.