Popcorn Frights Film Festival Coverage
The Darkside of Society review
If you’re looking for an in-depth discussion on the 80s classic Society…you are woefully out of luck. If you love conspiracy theories and nonsense…come on in.
Festival reviews will not contain spoilers
The Darkside of Society
Directed by Larry Wade Carrell
Written by Larry Wade Carrell
Starring Brian Yuzna, Screaming Mad George, Julian Sands, Alan Jones, Richard Stanley, Anthony Timpone and David Gregory
The Darkside of Society Review
We recently took the opportunity to look back at Brian Yuzna’s Society for its 35th anniversary. It’s a film that I’ve always held in high regard. On occasion, I’ve even wondered how some of the stranger choices in the film were made. The Darkside of Society is here to answer those questions. Kind of. Those looking for an in-depth discussion about the making of this 80s near classic will not find what they’re looking for in this documentary. At all. If you want to spend 90 minutes listening to baseless accusations and unproven conspiracies that posit everything you see in Society comes from its co-writer’s reality…I’ve got good news for you.
The Darkside of Society is the story of Zeph E. Daniel. He went by Woody Keith when Society was made. The entire documentary focuses on Daniel and his newly unlocked memories that led to the creation of the movie. He was born to LA socialites…and, wouldn’t you know it…he saw satanic rituals and cult activities all over ! You may ask yourself…why haven’t you heard about this before? Well, Daniel informs us…he was brainwashed to forget all of it. Don’t worry. He has proof. His mother played as an extra in Society. Something, he claims, she would only do because it was real. What better way to discredit it and throw people off track?
That’s what The Darkside of Society is. The indulgence of a man who, sadly, believes every word he’s saying. Never mind that he doesn’t have evidence of his claims. Never mind that the people he accuses can’t defend themselves. Daniel’s mother confessed that this was all true before she died, he tells us. If you’ve seen Society…well…you understand why this would be problematic.
The late Julian Sands serves as our narrator in The Darkside of Society. He sums up the experience with a rare nugget of wisdom that recontextualizes the documentary into a tragedy. What matters, he suggests, is that Daniel believes this happened. It matters because it is believed by the one person who it matters to. Daniel exorcised demons he didn’t know were there when he wrote Society. Years of programming having deleted the memories from his mind, of course. The good news is that his life is better now. He writes novels and music and even an occasional screenplay.
The bad news is that he clearly needs a stronger support system. Daniel’s wife Patricia is on hand to talk about how his life has improved since he confronted these demons. She comes across likable enough until she casually slides the word “plandemic” into a conversation. It then becomes clear how this documentary full of braindead conspiracy theories and ridiculous delusions got from pitch to production.
Aside from the unintentional comedy that comes from cutaways to an interviewer’s face as Patricia carries on…there isn’t a lot to enjoy in The Darkside of Society. Or perhaps it is intentional. We don’t know for sure how director Larry Wade Carrell views any of this. Aside from (foolishly) giving Daniel and company a platform to speak from.
The Darkside of Society features several talking heads. Most of them seem interested in discussing the influence and legacy of the movie. We don’t hear as much from them. What’s the point of making Special FX master Screaming Mad George sit down for an interview when you are only going to give the film’s incredible effects a brief, passing mention? There’s a movie critic, a journalist, a producer and even director Brian Yuzna. I don’t know why they bothered with any of them. This documentary isn’t about Society. It’s unfortunate to see that fascinating movie used to indulge a sad fantasy. It does, at least, explain why none of the actors from the movie were talked to. What would be the point?
At one point in The Darkside of Society, we learn that Daniel and Yuzna are collaborating on a novel version of Society. After watching this documentary…I don’t think a worse advertisement for that product is possible.
Scare Value
It’s rare that a documentary about a movie will make you less interested in that movie. The Darkside of Society is going to require time and distance to fully wash off the effects of. This is a sad story that thinks it’s a hopeful one. Fans of Society should avoid. Fans of good documentaries should run.
