Would it be odd to say that murder is white hot right now? Perhaps so, but it would not exactly be too off the mark. For the past decade or so, the interest in true crime has skyrocketed thanks to a proliferation of content in the form of podcasts, books, television series and more. Fans of this content simply cannot get enough, as they excitedly flock to Reddit or Facebook groups (shoutout to any Murderinos who are reading this) to share their favorite new grisly discovery with one another. It is these types of curious individuals who might find the most to enjoy about Fhiona-Louise’s lone directorial effort, Cold Light of Day. Positioned as more of a docu-drama than any kind of horror or thriller narrative, the film serves as a fictionalized account of the actions perpetrated by notorious Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Occasionally described as the “English Jeffrey Dahmer,” Nilsen is known to have killed at least twelve young men between 1978-1983 in London. The film gives a passable look at these horrific events, but more thorough individuals will prefer the supplementary Google search after a viewing.
In what may be the oddest decision of the film, the Dennis Nilsen character portrayed in the film is not actually named Dennis Nilsen. Instead, an incredible Bob Flag gives an eerie performance as Jordan March, an embodiment of Nilsen in every sense except his name. March is a painfully average fellow who looks older than he is and has no signs of life behind his eyes. He is the exact type of person you would not pay a second glance to on the street. Except, there is someone who has an eye on him; the film begins with the police arresting March at his apartment and proceeds to head to the police station where the interrogation begins. While March initially tries to proclaim his innocence, he is ultimately spineless and starts to take the detective and the audience through some of the more memorable details of his killing spree. The film is very cyclical in the way we see March scoping out men who will not be missed only to have them come back to his apartment to be dispatched and violated, in that order. March is a sick man, but the movie rarely goes for the jugular in the way that would make this notably entertaining. There is the occasional shot of a removed limb or decapitated head, but mostly it is the beginning of a strangulation and cut-away to the end result.
The only time where the movie ventures away from the documentary aesthetic is when we get flashbacks to March’s childhood which sloppily attempts to inject some trauma as some sort of explanation for his actions. These scenes may be out of place, but they are some of the only times where you get anything resembling depth to the character. March dispatches a good half dozen men throughout this brisk 80-minute movie, but the lack of charisma from either the killer or his victims makes the film feel much longer than it actually ends up being. This is a shame, though, since the dingy production value gives you a base level of creepiness that makes you primed for something unsettling, but your pulse only pounds in fits and spurts. The uncanny look of Bob Flag coupled with deviously straightforward execution may be enough to satisfy some, but this is a story that should have hit a little harder if it wanted to be remembered among some of the greats.
Video Quality
Cold Light of Day makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of Arrow Video with a 1080p transfer in 1.33:1 that was sourced from a new 2K scan of the 16mm AB negative. Given the inherent limitations of the source format, this is a very grainy transfer which jives with the natural artistic intent of the picture. The grain can become a bit too clumpy and noisy at times, but overall it resolves naturally. This is a very visually dour film that is drained of almost any sign of color. Skin tones look natural enough beneath all the grain, and the presentation offers up some fairly deep black levels. The disc experiences a minimal of black crush, but nothing overly problematic. The presentation shows off some details in the production design, but this is a case where the more brightly lit scenes reveal more than any other moments. Instances of print damage have been cleaned up quite a bit, which results in a clear base picture. This was an extremely low-budget production that was never going to be a knockout under the best circumstances, but it looks as strong as you could hope for an independent film from the 80s to look. Arrow Video has provided a strong Blu-Ray transfer for a film many probably never would have heard of otherwise.
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a LPCM 2.0 mono track that perfectly captures the intention of the film. The dialogue holds up pretty well, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the urban noise when March is out prowling. Volume remains stable with no troublesome dips in quality. The environmental effects are delineated nicely without issue. The track mostly avoids any instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. The source elements are not the strongest, but they are presented in the best possible way. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Commentary #1: Film historians Dean Brandum and Andrew Nette offer an interesting and informative commentary track in which they discuss the enigma that is director Fhiona-Louise along with additional details of the real-life killings perpetrated by Dennis Nilsen. These two keep things lively and on-track throughout.
- Commentary #2: Writer/Director Fhiona-Louise is interviewed for an informative commentary track that delves into her history, how she came to the project, her creative group of friends, the way society treated homosexuals at this time and more. Louise is someone who could have easily been lost to film history, so it’s really nice she was able to talk about this film after all this time.
- Playing the Victim: A sixteen-minute interview with actor Martin Byrne-Quinn in which he discusses his work as a young actor on the project, the experience of working with director Fhiona-Louise, his experiences during rehearing and shooting the film and more.
- Risky Business: A five-minute interview with actor Steve Munroe in which he discusses his small role in the film, how Louise went about filming his scenes and more.
- Scene of the Crime: A thirteen-minute tour of the shooting locations in the film with writer/director Fhiona Louise and Arrow Video producer Ewan Cant. Most of the locations have been greatly gentrified, but it is still quite interesting to view them while Louise gives many tidbits about the locations and her intentions with the film.
- Original Promotional Film: The original five-minute film that was shot in order to secure funds for a full-length feature film. The footage itself is in quite rough shape, but it is a fascinating time capsule.
- Re-Release Trailer: A minute-long trailer from Arrow Video that does a very nice job of selling the movie.
- Short Films: Two short films from filmmaker Jon Jacobs featuring Cold Light of Day director Fhiona Louise.
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- Metropolis Apocalypse: A nine-minute short film that tackles the hustle and bustle of city life in an artsy way.
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- Sleepwalker: A nearly four-minute short film that is pretty creepy and worth checking out.
Final Thoughts
Cold Light of Day never really comes together as something completely satisfying, but there are elements that offer up a few chills. Bob Flag has the right unsettling look to creep you out, but the performance itself never quite draws you into this horrific character. Arrow Video has done an excellent job of rescuing this movie with a new Blu-Ray sporting the best A/V presentation possible from the source material and some interesting special features. True crime fans might deem this noteworthy, but this may simply be too low-key to make a grand impression.
Cold Light of Day is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
