The Coming of the Black Dawn

From the collection of

Launched in 2000, Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive spans from 1897 to the present day and currently contains an ever-expanding catalogue of 13,000 items. It comprises material from a variety of depositors including feature films, sport, documentaries, animation, amateur footage, light entertainment, and a significant proportion of broadcast material from the UTV Archive.

The Coming of the Black Dawn

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive
Newtownards
1 Jan 1965
Sound
24m

Something sinister this way comes in one of The Spence Brothers earliest films.

One of only a handful of Spence Brothers' films shot in black and white, The Coming of The Black Dawn combines stark, but atmospheric visuals with a nerve-shredding soundtrack. Their debt to H.P. Lovecraft is made clear in the naming of the demon, Cthula. Landmarks such as Helen's Tower and Tulynakill graveyard lend a touch of menace to proceedings.

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From the collection

Amateur Auteurs

Ever dreamed of shooting your own movie? These pre-digital cine-enthusiasts did - with all the passion and devotion of the true auteur.

These low- (or no-) budget creations reach beyond simple point-and-shoot, back-garden efforts towards something more ambitious and skilful, revealing their authors' passion for film and their often astonishing ingenuity with limited resources. No desktop editing software or digital special effects for these amateur auteurs. The films include fiction and documentary, competition prizewinners and private labours of love. They may be the work of cine-clubbers or individual enthusiasts. But they all show a devotion to filmmaking that far transcends hobbyism. So look out for the delightful handmade intertitles, table-top special effects and library soundtracks which decorate many of the quirky stories, ultra-local documentaries and painstakingly composed home movies featured here.