Dark August

Dark August – 1976 – United States

This movie is a little different. It’s set up like a regular witchcraft movie. A guy named Sal accidentally runs over a young girl in his car. To get revenge, the girl’s grandfather curses Sal with black magic, and Sal’s life starts falling apart. He has seizures and mood swings. He is haunted by a faceless figure. Ultimately, Sal seeks the help of a local psychic, but breaking the curse requires anguish and sacrifice. All of this reminds me of Thinner (1984) by Stephen King, but Dark August is a few years older than that.

Dark August is interesting because it’s very light on supernatural thrills. It’s slow-paced and low-key. There are barely any special effects, and its depiction of witchcraft rituals seems sedate and authentic. There isn’t much horror aside from the gloomy, oppressive atmosphere of the movie.