Dark Days (documentary)
Encyclopedia
Dark Days is a documentary made by Marc Singer
, a British filmmaker. The film follows a group of people living in an abandoned section of the New York City
underground railway
system, more precisely the area of the so called Freedom Tunnel
.
to Manhattan
, Marc Singer was struck by the number of homeless people he had seen throughout the city. Singer had befriended many in New York's homeless community and later, after hearing of people living underground in abandoned tunnel systems, he met and became close to a group of people living in The Freedom Tunnel
community stretching north from Penn Station
past Harlem
. After living with them for a number of months, he decided to create a documentary in order to help them financially. Singer had never been a filmmaker before, and saw the production of Dark Days as a means of gaining better accommodation for the residents of the tunnel.
dollies, and learned to use a 16mm camera with black-and-white Kodak film. The post-production
process took years, as financial difficulties created delays, as did Singer's insistence of creative control to protect the tunnel residents.
During filming, Amtrak
announced they would be forcibly evicting the homeless living in the tunnels. This announcement, plus the police presence backing the decision, prompted Singer and photographer Margaret Morton
to go to the Coalition for the Homeless
for help. Eventually, Singer and Morton managed to secure housing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the film's subjects, which enabled them to move out of the tunnels and into their own apartments.
Melissa Neidich was the editor of the film. Cinevision, a New York City camera shop, supplied Singer with cameras for the two-and-a-half years of filming. When Singer ran out of money for film, Kodak supplied free damaged film for the project.
, including excerpts from Endtroducing... as well as his album with U.N.K.L.E. He also composed original music for the 'Main Theme' of the film, released on the single "Dark Days". The soundtrack has won six award in various competitions.
, Best Documentary/Non-fiction film at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, Senior Programmer's Pick at the SXSW Film Festival Awards, and three Sundance Film Festival
awards in 2000: the Audience Award for best documentary, the cinematography award for documentary, and the Freedom of Expression Award.
Marc Singer (documentarian)
Marc Singer is an English documentary filmmaker. He was born and raised in London, England and moved to Florida, United States, when he was 16. After graduating high school, he moved to New York City....
, a British filmmaker. The film follows a group of people living in an abandoned section of the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
underground railway
Underground railway
Underground railway may refer to:*The Underground Railroad, a network of clandestine routes by which African slaves in the 19th century United States attempted to escape*Rapid transit, urban railways that sometimes use tunnels...
system, more precisely the area of the so called Freedom Tunnel
Freedom Tunnel
The Freedom Tunnel is the name given to the Amtrak tunnel under Riverside Park in Manhattan, New York City. It got its name because the graffiti artist Chris "Freedom" Pape used the tunnel walls to create some of his most notable artwork...
.
Background
When he relocated from LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, Marc Singer was struck by the number of homeless people he had seen throughout the city. Singer had befriended many in New York's homeless community and later, after hearing of people living underground in abandoned tunnel systems, he met and became close to a group of people living in The Freedom Tunnel
Freedom Tunnel
The Freedom Tunnel is the name given to the Amtrak tunnel under Riverside Park in Manhattan, New York City. It got its name because the graffiti artist Chris "Freedom" Pape used the tunnel walls to create some of his most notable artwork...
community stretching north from Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
past Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
. After living with them for a number of months, he decided to create a documentary in order to help them financially. Singer had never been a filmmaker before, and saw the production of Dark Days as a means of gaining better accommodation for the residents of the tunnel.
Production
The film's crew consisted of the subjects themselves, who rigged up makeshift lighting and steadicamSteadicam
A Steadicam is a stabilizing mount for a motion picture camera that mechanically isolates it from the operator's movement, allowing a smooth shot even when moving quickly over an uneven surface...
dollies, and learned to use a 16mm camera with black-and-white Kodak film. The post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
process took years, as financial difficulties created delays, as did Singer's insistence of creative control to protect the tunnel residents.
During filming, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
announced they would be forcibly evicting the homeless living in the tunnels. This announcement, plus the police presence backing the decision, prompted Singer and photographer Margaret Morton
Margaret Morton
Margaret Morton is a Scottish curler and Olympic champion. She received a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. with team mates Rhona Martin , Deborah Knox, Fiona MacDonald and Janice Rankin.-References:...
to go to the Coalition for the Homeless
Coalition for the Homeless
…The National Coalition for the Homeless is a national network of people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and faith-based service providers, and others committed to a single mission...
for help. Eventually, Singer and Morton managed to secure housing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the film's subjects, which enabled them to move out of the tunnels and into their own apartments.
Melissa Neidich was the editor of the film. Cinevision, a New York City camera shop, supplied Singer with cameras for the two-and-a-half years of filming. When Singer ran out of money for film, Kodak supplied free damaged film for the project.
Soundtrack
The film features music by DJ ShadowDJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
, including excerpts from Endtroducing... as well as his album with U.N.K.L.E. He also composed original music for the 'Main Theme' of the film, released on the single "Dark Days". The soundtrack has won six award in various competitions.
Release and reception
Dark Days was released in 2000, and was nominated for several film festival awards. The film won many of these, including the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary FeatureIndependent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature
The Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-2000s:*2000: Dark Days**The Eyes of Tammy Faye**Long Night's Journey into Day**Paragraph 175**Sound and Fury...
, Best Documentary/Non-fiction film at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, Senior Programmer's Pick at the SXSW Film Festival Awards, and three Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
awards in 2000: the Audience Award for best documentary, the cinematography award for documentary, and the Freedom of Expression Award.
Tenth Anniversary Rerelease
Oscilloscope Laboratories is set to rerelease "Dark Days" theatrically at Cinema Village in New York City on July 1st, 2011 as well as on DVD on July 19th, 2011. The DVD will contain several new features compiled especially for this special tenth anniversary rerelease.Related topics
- Mole PeopleMole PeopleMole people is a term used to refer to the homeless people living under large cities in abandoned subway tunnels and shafts.- Urban folklore :...
- New York City SubwayNew York City SubwayThe New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
- Freedom TunnelFreedom TunnelThe Freedom Tunnel is the name given to the Amtrak tunnel under Riverside Park in Manhattan, New York City. It got its name because the graffiti artist Chris "Freedom" Pape used the tunnel walls to create some of his most notable artwork...
- Supportive HousingSupportive housingSupportive housing is a combination of housing and services intended as a cost-effective way to help people live more stable, productive lives...