Product Details

• Actors: David Hemmings, Robert Powell, Carmen Duncan, Gus Murcurio
• Directors: Simon Wincer
• Format: Anamorphic, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Widescreen
• Language: English, French, Spanish
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Synapse Films
• DVD Release Date: October 28, 2008
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001D5C1KI
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,367 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Dark Forces (Special Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Wea-des Moines Video Release Date: 10/28/2008

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yea! This undiscovered gem gets the treatment it deserves!, July 24, 2004

By 

W. Schmidt (Beaverton, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Forces (DVD)

Known in the rest of the world as HARLEQUIN, this modern mystical "Svengali" story with a twist has never had a decent home video release. Shot in expressive widescreen Panavision it doesn't translate well to indifferent pan & scan jobs, like the OOP VHS and U.K. cheapie DVD. Elite has issued a very nice looking 16X9 enhanced scope version with Director and Producer commentary, a nice and informative touch.

David Hemmings, a political hotshot, has a terminally ill son who seems to magically improve under the (seemingly) benign influence of a modern "court jester", (Robert Powell) who appears at his son's birthday party as a clown and ends up insinuating his way into a position of influence with his wife and child. If this sounds very Rasputin-like it is, but the story has a few surprises along the way.

If you've never seen this gem and like subtle and tense supernatural / suspense stories give it a try.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Robert Powell as a Harlequin with special powers., July 8, 2004

By 

James McDonald (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Forces [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Released in 1980. Original Title: Harlequin.
Alex (Mark Spain) is a nine-year old who is ill with Leukemia. Robert Powell (Jesus of Nazereth [1977]) plays a clown at his birthday party and tries to cheer him up. Alex's father, Nick (David Hemmings) is a Senator who could become the next Deputy Governor. The clown, also known as a Harlequin, has a gift of performing magic for children and is able to produce thunder from the sky at will. The boy has become quite taken by the clown. After paying a surprise appearance to the sick boy with clown make-up, the family soon realizes this man, "Gregory", has special healing powers for the boy. However he has evil powers for others.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark forces, July 7, 2010

By 

Spellbinder00 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dark Forces (Special Edition) (DVD)

Dark Forces is an intriguing movie about a senator to become president and wife who he married for political reasons and their sick child dying of leukemia.The senator being control by high government dark forces who are setting him up for president through murder of another canidate. Then a magician/wizard comes along and feels sorry for the family and child and decides to cure the boy.This is then where the story takes off and bcomes more exciting every minute.A mystical-fantasy based on the story of Rasputin and his influence over the royal Czar's court and his death is told in a new way in this modern version of the Rasputin story of the 18th century. A good watch if you just love fantasy. Stars Robert Powell as the Magician, Divid Hemmings the husban, and Carmen Duncan as the wife and Mark Spain as the sick child. This Movie also carried the titles "Harlequin" and "The Minister's Magician"
I really enjoyed this movie which the first time I watched it was 1980 under the title "Harlequin".