Archive of films Old Dark House / Old Dark House
United Kingdom
2003, 4 min
Section:
Tribute to Ben Rivers
Year: 2014
A short excursion to an abandoned house in which a flashlight randomly illuminates the deserted dwelling while the soundtrack intensifies a feeling of unrest – and curiosity. This early work by Rivers reveals some of the thematic obsessions to which the filmmaker frequently returned.
Synopsis
The film’s title says it all – or so it seems. We do indeed walk through an old house in this short film, and the term "dark” aptly describes the mood. Nevertheless, the movie goes beyond this concrete context. At once both disturbing and enticing, the film draws the viewer into the visited building, which will be of interest to the director in a future work as well. The flitting flashlight randomly selects places in the abandoned structure that are there for us to see, while the unnerving soundtrack intensifies the uncertainty of where we actually are and of who is actually filming all this.
Contacts
LUX
Waterlow Park Centre, Dartmouth Park Hill, N19 5JF, London
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 203 141 2960
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.lux.org.uk
About the film
Black & white, 16 mm
Section: | Tribute to Ben Rivers |
---|---|
Director: | Ben Rivers |
Screenplay: | Ben Rivers |
Dir. of Photography: | Ben Rivers |
Editor: | Ben Rivers |
Producer: | Ben Rivers |
Contact: | LUX |
Guests

Ben Rivers
Film Director