30 Days of Night (2007) – Film Review
Director: David Slade
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston
Certificate: 18
By Sarah Morgan
Vampire movies – they’re ten-a-penny, right? They’re so commonplace that finding one that’s a little bit different is a tricky task.
30 Days of Night, however, is just that, thanks to the fact that it takes place in the northernmost town in Alaska where, for a month every year, there is no daylight whatsoever – turning it into a potential playground for bloodsuckers who have a natural aversion to the sun’s rays.
The initial idea came from writer Steve Niles, who wrote it as a comic book initially, but on being unable to find a publisher, turned it into a screenplay. That failed to sell, but in the meantime, IDW Publishing decided to back the initial comic. It was a hit, so Niles and his agent began approaching production companies again and, lo and behold, were successful.
“Hungry bloodsuckers”
The result is a violent, bloody, gory but utterly gripping production.
The story begins as the town of Barrow begins shutting down ahead of its annual dark period. Many of the residents leave, with just a core group remaining, ready to spend the next 30 days in perennial nighttime. What nobody realises is that a mysterious icebreaker has moored nearby, bringing with it a group of very hungry bloodsuckers determined to make merry while the sun doesn’t shine.
Josh Hartnett heads the cast as local sheriff Eben who, on realising that the newcomers only have death and destruction in mind, sets about keeping the remaining townsfolk safe while trying to find a way to kill off the invaders.
“Fight back”
He has help from his estranged wife Stella, younger brother Mark, and a number of others who are, luckily, hardy souls, having been raised in Alaska’s often harsh wilderness.
Hartnett makes a good hero, with ex-Home and Away star Melissa George more than holding her own as Stella. Danny Huston is also impressive as Marlow, the chief bloodsucker who clearly thinks all his Christmases have come at once – until the townsfolk find a way to fight back.
Filmed largely in New Zealand (the conditions in Alaska were thought to be too dangerous), the film was directed by Englishman David Slade, who went on to tackle vampires again in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. However, 30 Days of Night remains his most impressive feature – he delivers a completely compelling film, one of the very best modern horrors.
Sarah Morgan studied film journalism at post-graduate level with the BFI and has been writing about TV and film for PA Media’s newspaper, magazine and new media customers since 1996. She’s also written for a wide range of other publications, both online and in print, including the book Offbeat and Intermission magazine, and is a regular contributor to the Talking Pictures TV podcast. When she isn’t watching movies, she’s collecting and reading vintage crime and horror paperback books or, for her sins, watching her beloved Sheffield Wednesday.
- New restoration scanned on the Laser Graphics Director scanner 4K 16bit colour depth
- 2 disc edition – UHD and Blu-Ray with bonus features on both formats
- New interview with Director David Slade
- New interview with Composer Brian Reitzell
- New interview with Actor Mark Rendall
- New interview with 30 Days of Night comic book creator, Steve Niles
- New visual essay ‘Bloodlust: Cinema’s Most Vicious Vamps’ by Chris Alexander
- New Audio Commentary with Kim Newman and Sean Hogan
- Audio Commentary with Josh Hartnett, Melissa George and Producer Rob Tapert
- 8 Making Of Documentaries: Pre-Production, The Vampire, Building Barrow, The Cast, The Look, Stunts, Night Shoots, and Blood, Guts & The Nasty #@$&!
