THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (M) Presented in Glorious 35mm
The Ghost and the Darkness at Revival House Perth
Brace yourself for one of the most intense man-vs-nature thrillers ever made—a 1996 adventure based on the terrifying true story of two lions that halted the construction of a railway bridge in 1898 Africa and killed over 130 workers. Director Stephen Hopkins transforms historical horror into edge-of-your-seat cinema.
Val Kilmer stars as Colonel John Patterson, an Irish engineer sent to oversee the bridge construction in Tsavo, Kenya. When workers start disappearing in the night, Patterson realizes two massive male lions are systematically hunting his crew with intelligence and cunning that defies nature. Enter legendary hunter Charles Remington (Michael Douglas in full grizzled adventurer mode), who joins Patterson in a desperate battle against predators that seem almost supernatural in their ability to evade traps and slaughter men.
What makes the film genuinely frightening is its commitment to depicting the lions as they were—not mindless beasts but strategic killers who seemed to hunt for sport rather than hunger. Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematography captures both the beauty of the African landscape and the dread of night falling, when the darkness becomes hunting ground. The attack sequences are brutal and suspenseful, using shadows and sound design to maximize terror.
Douglas and Kilmer make a compelling team, with Douglas bringing world-weary wisdom to balance Kilmer's determined engineer. Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-nominated score adds primal intensity to every frame. The film doesn't shy away from the colonial context while keeping focus on the thriller elements.
This is Jaws on land—primal, relentless, and based on events that actually happened.
Present in authentic 35mm film for the true cinematic experience!
When: Sunday, November 30th at 6:35 PM
Where: Revival House Perth
Rating: M - Intense sequences and violence
A true story more terrifying than fiction—man-eating lions versus desperate survivors.