IN THE WINTER DARK

Creepy music, mangled animals and an old man's nighttime wanderings introduce this Australian tale of terror. James Wright's low, gravelly voice and thick dialect bring credibility to the dark story of four rural people and the frights filling their summer nights. Wright seems equally comfortable portraying a lonely, retired gardener and a pregnant punk-rocker on a drug trip. As each of his characters dreams or remembers shameful and dreadful events of earlier years, they all come together to defend their valley against a new horror. Despite a dramatic conclusion, presented aptly by Wright, the story never answers the question posed on the first side of tape one--what (or who) is killing the animals? Not even a gripping performance can make up for such a disappointment. R.P.L. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 00]