Entertainment
 

Dark Highways

From Fargo Filmmaking

Dark Highways (2003) is a 98 minute movie created by Christopher Jacobs.

Mike Stromenger and CeAnne Reese in Dark Highways
Poster for Dark Highways (2003).

Contents

[edit] Main Details

[edit] Plot Summary

Dark Highways is a neo-noir suspense thriller/relationship drama. After a violent argument on the way home from a weekend at the lake with her boyfriend Wade, Val stomps out of the car at a rest stop. She is stunned, however, when Wade decides to drive off without her, leaving her stranded ten miles from town. Val starts to walk home, but soon takes refuge in an abandoned car parked by the highway and falls asleep. When she awakens, she discovers she is almost 300 miles from home, as the car’s owner had merely gone to refill his gas tank. While her friends wonder what happened to her, Val convinces her new traveling companion Dustin to take her back. Car trouble forces them to set out on foot along the lonely back roads. They wander into a remote farm building, not realizing it is a clandestine rendezvous point for a regional crime kingpin, and both are taken prisoner.

Meanwhile, Val’s officemates Tasha, Mandi, and Kevin, discuss her possible fate over drinks at their favorite bar. Kevin is especially concerned with Val’s safety, having known Wade previously. At the bar, they witness a noisy confrontation when the bartender cards a teenage girl, a girl whose unsavory new boyfriend has been taking advantage of her ambitions and surreptitiously selling risqué photos of her to an internet site.

[edit] Production Information

Dark Highways is an homage to film noir, and was shot on digital video during July and August 2003, premiering at the 2003 Forx Film Fest in November. The movie was nominated for Best Screenplay at the 2004 SMMASH Film Festival, and was an official selection of the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival.

A music video for the Sons of Poseidon song Success Through Violence, which was featured on the soundtrack and during the closing credits, was also prepared for the movie. The music video played at the 2004 "Arlene's Grocery Film Festival" held in a popular Greenwich Village bar in New York City just two days before the feature was screened several blocks away for the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Crew

[edit] Other Information

[edit] Film Festivals

  • 2004 SMMASH Film Festival, Excelsior, Minnesota
  • 2004 Rural Route Film Festival, Brooklyn, New York (trailer only)
  • 2004 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival, Los Angeles, New York City, and Las Vegas venues
  • 2003 Forx Film Fest

[edit] Photo Gallery

Kevin (Jeff Nichol), Mandi (Sharon Reinowski), and Tasha (Sarah Piersol) discuss missing officemate Val in Dark Highways.

Tiffi (Nicole Nelson) and boyfriend Bobby (J.D. Fraase) are in a short-lived good mood as they settle in to the bar.

Tiffi has an argument with Bobby in front of her uncle Nick (Christopher Jacobs)

As her uncle Nick (Christopher Jacobs) tries to take her home, Tiffi (Nicole Nelson) suddenly realizes what Bobby has been doing.

Carter Evenson autographs the arm of Sons of Poseidon fan Tiffi (Nicole Nelson) after she gets thrown out of the bar.

Dustin (Mike Stromenger) and Val (CeAnne Reese) search unsuccessfully for help after their car breaks down in Dark Highways.

Tasha (Sarah Piersol) and Kevin (Jeff Nichol) wait for a crucial phone call in Dark Highways

Tasha (Sarah Piersol) and Kevin (Jeff Nichol) ponder their eventful day in Dark Highways

Sons of Poseidon perform in the music video Success Through Violence during the closing credits.

[edit] External Links

Retrieved from "http://fargofilmmaking.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Highways"