Dark Harvest (2023 film)

Dark Harvest (2023 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 being released digitally on October 13. It received lukewarm reviews from critics.
Plot
Narration: Halloween Old Sawtooth Jack is going to rise from the cornfields and try to make its way to the Church before Midnight. It’s got to be stopped.
1962: A group of teens wearing masks and carrying weapons come upon the burning remains of their friend, killed by Sawtooth Jack (STJ). They chase STJ to the church and Jim kills him then consumes candy from inside his torso. The other teens also feast. The Harvesters Guild (HG) congratulates Jim by giving him a car and check for $25,000. A dance is then held that the whole town attends. Jim then says goodbye to his brother, Richie, and leaves town in the car.
1963: 5 days to Halloween – Officer Ricks lectures the male teens on the mandatory Hunting and Killing of STJ and the consequences for the town should they fail. The teens speculate ‘the run’ is fake/rigged leading to a fight. Officer Ricks intervenes and throws Richie out as he isn’t eligible to take part as his brother won it the year before.
Richie enters a cinema and speaks to Kelly, while avoiding Riley who has followed him from the meeting to continue the fight.
Richie discusses going on ‘the run’ with his parents, who try to dissuade him because it is against the rules.
A farmer is seen creating the STJ scarecrow: an emaciated dead body tied to a ‘T’ cross with a carved pumpkin placed over the head.
Riley beats Richie up and steals his belt. Reaching home, Richie has received a letter from Jim wishing him a happy birthday. The letter says Jim is enjoying his travels, but that his brother should stay put at home and that winning "the run" isn’t all its made out to be. In anger, Richie steals a car, which is later pulled over by Ricks, who knocks him out. The teens of the town are seen being locked and confined in individual rooms with no food or drink.
The old farmer is seen cutting the STJ scarecrow down, filling the torso with candy and then sewing it up. STJ is seen standing up.
The teens are released from their confinement and rampage through the town wearing masks and carrying weapons. Richie wakes on his bed to find he has been unconscious for 3 days. He storms out and joins ‘the run’ despite his parents protests, meeting up with 3 of his friends. They make their way to the cornfields and start to hunt STJ. STJ then kills two friends causing Richie and the remaining friend, Bud, to run away. He gets to the ‘T’ cross and meets a girl, Kelly, who isn’t supposed to take part. They agree to work and break the rules of ‘the run’ together.
Bud makes it to the outskirts of town but is turned away from homes and a bunker where other teens are hiding. STJ kills Bud and then sets the bunker on fire, killing the hiding teens. Richie and Kelly make it to town where Richie breaks into Ricks house stealing beers and a handgun. They then steal Ricks patrol car. Meanwhile the rest of the teens are in town looting, killing each other and older members of the community. Riley and friend find Richie and Kelly who eventually turn the tables and leave them unconscious on the sidewalk, Richie reclaims his belt.
Using the police car's radio, Richie and Kelly are lured to the center of town, where STJ finds them. Richie fails to shoot when he recognises the belt and buckle that STJ is wearing as the match to his own, and belonging to Jim. STJ hesitates in killing Richie. Kelly hits STJ with a bat and both make their escape. Richie goes home and questions his drugged up mother about previous winners, now realising that each winner becomes the STJ for the following year. The guilt and loss over Jim being too much the mother stabs herself in the neck.
Richie’s father is threatened by Ricks to put a stop to his son, STJ/Jim, to prevent the ruination of the town. Richie and Kelly go to the Church, finding his father there they learn that his parents knew nothing about the STJ curse, before Jims win, but couldn’t speak of it after under threat of death by the HG.
Richie meets STJ outside the church and tries to help him inside, however Riley shoots STJ. STJ/Jim indicates that Richie should deal the killing shot to win ‘the run’. Richie shoots STJ in the head.
At the Midnight Dance he dances with Kelly, and she slips him a gun while they make plans to leave town together. He is given his congratulations, car and winnings and then drives off to leave town.
Richie meets Kelly at the railroad, but they are pursued and stopped by Ricks. Kelly crouches down in the car and isn’t seen by Ricks, who marches Richie to the ‘T’ cross and an open grave with the intention of killing him. Richie shoots first and kills Ricks, but the old farmer appears and hits Richie from behind with a shovel, then buries him alive.
Richie’s father finds Kelly in the car and tells her to leave town, which she does.
1964: The old farmer digs up Richie and proceeds with the STJ ritual. Richie’s father intervenes to cut STJ/Richie down before the Old farmer returns. He kills the old farmer when he attempts to interfere/revenge for his sons. When STJ/Richie stands, he tells him to ‘Burn it down….Burn it all 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 released digitally on October 13, 2023, following a one night only screening in select Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations on October 11, 2023. It is the final film distributed solely by MGM following the formation of Amazon MGM Studios Distribution. It was previously scheduled to be released on September 24, 2021 and September 9, 2022.
Critical reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 72% of 36 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10. Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 51 out of 100 based on four critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
References
External links
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 1962
Films set in 1963
Films shot in Winnipeg
Halloween horror films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films