Dark Rising
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| Directed by | Andrew Cymek |
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Dark Rising is a science fiction comedy franchise created by Andrew Cymek and adapted for film and television by Mihkel Harilaid. The original film, Dark Rising: Bring Your Battle Axe, was released in 2007 and featured the introduction of Summer Vale.
The story was brought to television as Dark Rising: The Savage Tales of Summer Vale (2011) but shortly returned to feature film with Dark Rising: Summer Strikes Back (2011). Mihkel Harilaid of Black Walk Films leads the series' production as Executive Producer and each component has been directed by Andrew Cymek of Defiant Empire Films.
The franchise is once again in production of a one-hour drama series, Dark Rising: Warrior of Worlds, set for release in 2013 in co-operation with Mar Vista Entertainment. The series was picked up by Super Channel 1 in Canada and started on July 20.
Synopsis
There are two Earths. Our Earth, the one we know and love, and Dark Earth, a world of demons and magic, a dimension created at the height of the Roman Empire in an attempt by a powerful sorcerer to banish demons from this world forever.
When Summer Vale was a young girl her father spent his time deciphering ancient texts and when he read from the Book of Shadows a portal opened and a group of Agents took his daughter. Summer was experimented on and used by the government to find a way to combine human and demon DNA, trying to find a way to win a secret war waged for thousands of years. The Dark Rising franchise follows the exploits of Vale, a half-Human half-Demon hybrid, and her allies as they battle to save humanity. Their fight takes them all over the world, from the woods to another dimension, even to Paris. Along the way they have made new friends and lost old ones.
Series releases
Dark Rising: Bring Your Battle Axe (2007)
Jason Parks' life goes from bad to worse as a series of supernatural events turn his dream of reconciliation with ex-fiancée Jasmine into a portal seeking, demon hunting nightmare. With a desperate attempt to save his fizzled-out relationship, Jason orchestrates a camping trip with the help of his best friends Ricky, a ladies' man who shoots "1-900" commercials for a living; Marlene, a long-time friend and yoga instructor; and Renee, a book worm with a knack for witchcraft.
Each with their own agenda, they convince Jasmine to join them for a weekend of fun in the sun. Unknown to the group, Renee's been having reoccurring nightmares of Summer Vale, a little girl that disappeared in town over twenty years ago, and decides to use the getaway to contact her spirit. Also unknown to the boys, Jasmine and Marlene have become a hot item. They join in the fun and humor Renee's interest in magic.
Using the Book of Shadows, which she received from a mysterious bookkeeper, Renee chants a translated phrase from the book, which opens a portal to another dimension. A Kellipoth demon arrives on the scene, killing Marlene and biting Jasmine, but the Book of Shadows also brings back Summer Vale, now a Demon Warrior Princess whose memories are missing. Jason and Summer form an uneasy bond and together they decide to reopen the portal and send the demon back to the Hell dimension.
The Kellipoth bite infects Jasmine and she becomes a member of the Kingdom of Shells, demon-like beings without a soul. Jason kills Jasmine but it is too late to save his best friend, as Ricky also succumbs to the Kellipoth. In the ferocious battle, Summer, Jason, and Renee are able to open the portal. Summer kills Demon-Ricky, the Kellipoth breaks Renee's neck, and Jason and Summer force the Kellipoth back through the portal. Jason makes the heroic sacrifice of entering the portal with the Kellipoth, allowing Summer to remain on Earth.
Reintegrating proves difficult to Summer as she can only find work as a model for “1-900” commercials… but her misery would not last long as Jason; all deck out in Demon hunting garb, returns for her help against an army of Kellipoths. It is then, when the odds are at their most bleak, when the Agency arrives offering Summer and Jason a helping hand. The Savage Tales of Summer Vale are about to begin.
Featuring
| Starring | As |
|---|---|
| Landy Cannon | Jason Parks |
| Jay "Christian Cage" Reso | Ricky |
| Brigitte Kingsley | Summer Vale |
| Julia Schneider | Renee Phillips |
Crew
| Created By | Andrew Cymek |
| Writer | Andrew Cymek |
| Producer | Brigitte Kinsgley |
| Cinematographer | Brad Smith |
| Music Composers | Marty Beecroft and Joe Heslip |
| Editor | Andrew Cymek |
Reception
Scott Foy of Dread Central rated it 2/5 stars and wrote, "What we have here is a handsome-looking, low budget production with an attractive cast who seem up to the task but everyone’s hard work is scuttled by a script that comedically isn’t anywhere as hip or witty as it thinks it is and plot-wise borders on complete gibberish."[1] David Johnson of DVD Verdict wrote, "Slow parts aside, Dark Rising is big fun, wallowing in the excesses of B-movie."[2] Adam Tyner of DVD Talk rated it 2/5 stars and compared it negatively to Army of Darkness.[3]
Nominations
The film was nominated for a record six Canadian Comedy Awards in 2008, in the categories of Best Writing (Cymek), Best Direction (Cymek), Best Actress (Kingsley and Schneider) and Best Actor (Cannon and Reso).
Dark Rising: The Savage Tales of Summer Vale (2011)
The Savage Tales of Summer Vale follows the continuing exploits of Demon Slayer extraordinaire Summer Vale and her entourage of misfits as they try to save the world each week from imminent destruction.
Having grown up in demon dimension and enduring years of underground government training, Summer is finally back home and struggling to adjust to her new surroundings. She is recruited to head a government covert agency that, unknown to her, has its own agenda. Summer meets with a mysterious group calling themselves The Dark Shadows Club. They warn of her upcoming battle with The Dark Lord and how all of existence hangs in the balance, but not everything is what it seems.
The series consists of twelve half-hour episodes.
Featuring
| Starring | As |
|---|---|
| Brigitte Kingsley | Summer Vale |
| Landy Cannon | Jason Parks |
| Matti McLean | Kevin Weeber |
| Danielle Baker | Temura |
| Katherine Collett | Laura |
Crew
| Director | Andrew Cymek |
| Writer | Andrew Cymek |
| Producer | Brigitte Kingsley |
| Original Music | James Chapple, Graeme Cornies, David Brian Kelly, Brian L. Pickett |
| Cinematographer | Andrew Cymek |
| Editor | Andrew Cymek |
| Series Music | Mike Ell and Josh Zandman |
Dark Rising: Summer Strikes Back (2011)
(Also known as Agency of Vengeance: Dark Rising) Two years after Jason Parks saved Princess Summer Vale from her life hunting Kellipoths in the Demon dimension, a sudden surge a supernatural activity and violent attacks resurface on our plane beyond the normal parameters. The two must once again pair together to save the world. The Rising Dark Agency, a black ops division of the Government headed by Colonel Haggerd, suspects that the mystic strikes are the work of Mardock, an evil Demon-God capable of destroying worlds. The entire Agency is on high alert but there's more to the story than they know. With the help of field agent Holly, Jason's new partner Daniel, and half-demon Bulo, Summer and Jason set out to solve the mystery of Mardock and prevent the coming apocalypse. But no one is prepared for whom they find behind the Dark Lord's ascension.
Featuring
| Starring | As |
|---|---|
| Brigitte Kingsley | Summer Vale |
| Landy Cannon | Jason Parks |
| Mike "Nug" Nahrgang | Bulo |
| Julia Schneider | Renee Phillips |
| Cory Lee | Holly |
| Michael Ironside | Colonel Hagger |
| Lauren "Angelina Love" Williams | Rosemary Black |
| Kyle Buchanan | Daniel Evans |
| Matti McLean | Kevin Weeber |
| Andrew Cymek | Kyle |
Crew
| Director | Andrew Cymek |
| Writer | Andrew Cymek |
| Producer | Brigitte Kingsley |
| Original Music | James Chapple, Graeme Cornies, David Brian Kelly (as David Kelly), Brian L. Pickett |
| Cinematographer | Andrew Cymek |
| Visual Effects | Doug Lentz - Visual Effects Supervisor Andrew Cymek |
| Music Composers | Mike Ell Josh Zandman |
Dark Rising: Warrior of Worlds (2013)
There are two Earths: our Earth, a place where magic and demons are things of folklore and legend, and Dark Earth, a dimension created at the height of the Roman Empire by the sorcerer Aramas using the Tether, a powerful device of his own creation. His intention was to exile magic and usher in a new age of man. His plan almost succeeded.
The Tether, the key to keeping the dimensions separate, has remained hidden on our Earth for two millennia. Now it has been found in a small northern town by Nacelle, a demon underlord. Sckraab, his lord and father, plans to use the Tether to open a permanent portal across the Void between the Earths and conquer both worlds.
Before the Demons get to the Tether, a young miner, Nathan Mallstrom, stumbles upon the artifact during one of his shifts. Caught in the imminent battle for the Earth’s future, Nathan joins with Summer Vale, a super soldier with Demon DNA who is dealing with her own clouded past. The two, along with Nathan’s sister Gwen and Summer's sidekick Bulo, try to unlock the mystery of the Tether and fight to protect the world from a Demonic army.
Featuring
| Starring | As |
|---|---|
| Brigitte Kingsley | Summer Vale |
| Mike "Nug" Nahrgang | Bulo |
| Jacob Blair | Nathan Mallstrom |
| Vanessa Broze | Gwen Mallstrom |
| Mishael Morgan | Nancy Leighton |
| Colin Mochrie | Nacelle "The Nefarious" |
| Adrienne Merrell | Sheila Stanton |
| Scott Thomspon | Sckraab |
| Peter Outerbridge | Aramas |
| Art Hindle | Davidath Galba Julius |
| Lauren "Angelina Love" Williams | Rosemary Black |
| Brian Krause | Bob Danton |
| Jeremy London | Marton |
| Matti McLean | Kevin Weeber |
Crew
| Director | Andrew Cymek |
| Writers | Mihkel Harilaid Andrew Cymek |
| Producer | Craig Fleming |
| Cinematographer | Rhett Morita |
| Editor | Andrew Cymek Andrew Kowalchuk |
References
- ^ Foy, Scott (2008-09-08). "Dark Rising (2008)". Dread Central. Retrieved 2014-11-12.
- ^ Johnson, David (2008-08-21). "Dark Rising". DVD Verdict. Retrieved 2014-11-12.
- ^ Tyner, Adam (2008-08-15). "Dark Rising". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2014-11-12.