Successful novelist, Thad Beaumont, tries to get rid of his literary alter ego, George Stark. However, it would appear that Stark becomes real and wants to take over Thad’s life at any cost.

The Dark Half was Stephen King’s 1989 novel that was written as a reaction to himself being outed as writing books under the pen name of Richard Bachman. It was also the second highest selling book of the year after Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger.

I remember reading the book when it first came out and thoroughly enjoying it.

The film is also just as good as the book. When I learnt that it was Romero directing, I knew the project was in safe hands.

Perfect casting (including Michael Rooker who I had just seen in the masterpiece Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer around this time), a brilliant creeping and building tension and atmosphere by the bucketload.

The book felt personal to King as he was mirroring events in his own life and his craft. This is also captured in the film by Romero who also seemed to pick up on this on reading the book.

An interesting aside- Romero was showing a rough cut of the film to studio executives. One noted that there should be a light on in an empty house in the film during a scene at night. Romero exclaimed that this didn’t make sense. Why would there be a light on in an empty house in the film? But later, studio executives were VERY insistent about this detail. To the extent that the film would be taken away from him if he didn’t comply. Romero was forced to reshoot the scene but with a light on in the empty house. Insane. Never underestimate the major studio’s and their power, even when decisions make no sense whatsoever.

4 out of 5 stars