Dark Harvest (upcoming Film)

''Dark Harvest'' is a 2023 American fantasy horror film directed by David Slade and written by Michael Gilio, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Norman Partridge. It stars Casey Likes, E'myri Crutchfield, Dustin Ceithamer, Elizabeth Reaser, and Jeremy Davies.

''Dark Harvest'' was theatrically released exclusively in select Alamo Drafthouse Cinema theaters for one day on October 11, 2023, before releasing on digital on October 13.

Plot

In a town, a bunch of teen boys wearing a mask are chasing an unnatural entity. The entity burns one of the boys, but at last, the being chased by the boys is killed by Jim. Jim eats some flesh of the entity and rest of the teens follow him. He is felicitated for his achievement by the harvester's guild in the form of car and cheque. He is cheered by all, bids farewell to his brother and departs in his new car. One year later, teens in the school are lectured by officer Ricks about how to take down Sawtooth Jack before he rings the bell in the church at midnight. The killer of Sawtooth will get a car. Teens are speculating that the Sawtooth killing is rigged. Meanwhile a fight ensues where officer Ricks tells Jim's brother that he doesn't belong here. Jim's brother escapes the school chased by the furious teen. He soon enters a cinema hall where he meets Kelly and gets a popcorn and cola on the house. He asks her to the midnight dance but she is not invited and he promises her she would get invited if he wins the Run. Jim's brother and his friends go out in fields to smoke despite curfew and decide that they will hunt the Sawtooth this time. Jim's brother Richie discusses the prospect of him doing the Run with the family at the dinner table. His father reminds him that he is not allowed as his brother has already won and it is against the rules. A heated argument ensues and his dad slaps him. He then leaves the table in anger, determined to participate in the Run. Somewhere in the field, a farmer is preparing a scarecrow.

Next day Richie is followed by Riley from school who brutally beats Richie and tells him that he is not worthy of being Jim's brother. Richie receives a letter from Jim saying he wants to come back home and the Run is not everything. Richie later steals a car and is soon apprehended by officer Ricks on his way to town. Richie tries to flee but is struck down by Ricks. Many teens are put on house arrest. They grow hungry and thirsty and are released on the night of the Run dressed to hunt the Sawtooth. Meanwhile Sawtooth is being fabricated with artificial material by a farmer at the field. As soon as he finishes, Sawtooth comes to life. Richie is out for three days and gets woken up by his father who tells him that he has secured a job for him and that he can work full time after graduation. Ignoring that Richie leaves house angrily for the Run. Soon his friends join him and they start in a car for the chase. On the way something hits their car and it comes to a halt. Upon getting our of car to inspect, his friends notice food near a farm and start eating it while one of the friends, Charlie starts chasing the Sawtooth. All the other friends follow him. Charlie is sliced in half. His other friend's head is partially cut off. Richie then comes face to face with Sawtooth but escapes in terror. Richie meets Kelly and soon Bud joins them. On seeing the cross of the scarecrow, Bud frightens and runs away. He goes home and tells his mother that he doesn't want to die, but is chased away by his parents because all the teens in town are participating in the Run. Later Sawtooth chases Bud who reaches a bunker and asks to be let in. However they don't let him enter because he doesn't have 20 dollars. One of the inmates in the bunker decides to open the door as he thinks its unfair to leave him outside all alone. However, when he opens the door, Sawtooth is seen killing Bud and later Sawtooth kills all the teens in the bunker. Richie breaks in officer Rick's house and steals his gun and car. Elsewhere hungry teens are raiding shops for food. Riley soon catches Richie and asks him to fight him. Richie with the help of Kelly beats Riley and his friend unconscious. Teen mob turns violent killing each other on slight provocation. Kelly confronts Richie about a rumor surrounding her and tells him about her parents and her life. Richie receives the location of Sawtooth on the car's radio, which actually was a trick to trap Richie and Kelly. Later when Richie finds Sawtooth he notices the belt on Sawtooth which was actually his brother Jim's. He therefore doesn't make a move and Kelly strikes the Sawtooth with a spade. Sawtooth escapes and Ricks catches Kelly and Richie in a car at gunpoint. Kelly makes a move and they manage to escape. Richie reaches home with Kelly and asks his mother to bring ice and a towel. His mother is high and is not in her natural state. Richie asks about all the previous Run winners and their current whereabouts. He confronts her to tell him the truth about his brother. However she kills herself stabbing a knife in her neck.

Meanwhile, Sawtooth enters Jim's old room and burns it. Richie's dad meets officer Rick to put an end to all this but Rick says that thing should be killed by midnight. Otherwise the whole town would become a hell. Richie and Kelly discusses that if the thing reaches the church by midnight then there would be no winner and no one to sacrifice for the next year. Richie reaches the church and finds his dad there and it is confirmed to Richie that Sawtooth is indeed his brother Jim. His dad tells him the truth about the Harvester's Guild (HG) and how they were threatened to keep Jim's whereabouts a secret in return for a big house and a car. Finally Jim/Sawtooth reaches the church and Richie tells him to be cool. However Jim is shot twice by Riley. Jim compels Richie to shoot him and help him get out of his misery. Richie eventually shoots Sawtooth/Jim in the head and wins the Run and is soon felicitated by the HG like Jim. He leaves the party with the same lines as Jim. Richie's dad threatens to shoot Ricks as he will soon kill Richie. Richie picks Kelly and on his way out of the town, is chased by a Ricks. Richie abruptly stops the car to avoid a collision with a tractor which is desperately parked on the road to stop them from escaping. Richie tells Kelly to hide in the car and later leave if he doesn't come back in ten minutes. Ricks has Richie at gunpoint but before Ricks pulls the trigger Richie shoots him with a revolver which he conceals in his jacket. Richie is later struck on head by the same farmer who makes Sawtooth and is buried alive in the soil. Richie's dad arrives and tells Kelly to leave the town for good. She curses him and leaves. Few days later the farmer removes Richie's buried body to prepare him as the next Sawtooth but is killed by Richie's father. Later, on Halloween's eve, Richie transforms into Sawtooth and is told by his father to burn everything down.

Cast

* Casey Likes as Richie Shepard
* E'myri Crutchfield as Kelly Haines
* Dustin Ceithamer as Sawtooth Jack/October Boy
* Elizabeth Reaser as Donna Shepard
* Jeremy Davies as Dan Shepard
* Luke Kirby as Officer Jerry Ricks
* Britain Dalton as Jim Shephard
* Steven McCarthy as Coach Nelson

Production

In September 2019, it was reported that New Regency hired David Slade to direct the adaptation of Norman Partridge's 2006 novel, '' Dark Harvest'', with Michael Gilio writing the script and Matt Tolmach and David Manpearl producing. On February 23, 2020, it was reported that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures acquired the film after New Regency put it on turnaround, and Gilio will also executive produce the film.

In June 2021, it was reported newcomers Casey Likes and E'myri Crutchfield were cast in the lead roles. Later, it was revealed that Jeremy Davies, Elizabeth Reaser and Luke Kirby were added to the cast.

Principal photography was slated to begin in August 2021.

Release

''Dark Harvest'' was originally scheduled for a theatrical release on September 24, 2021, but was pulled from the release schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was rescheduled to be released on September 9, 2022, but was pulled from the release schedule again. It was released one day only in select theaters from Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on October 11, 2023, followed by a digital release on October 13. It is the final film distributed solely by MGM following the formation of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution.

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of 23 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6/10.

References

External links

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{{Portal bar, Film, United States, Speculative fiction, Fantasy, Horror

American dark fantasy films
American films about Halloween
Films about bullying
Films based on American horror novels
Films directed by David Slade
Films postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Films produced by Matt Tolmach
Films set in 1963
Films shot in Winnipeg
Halloween horror films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films