Good morning, House of Madness travelers:
Have you ever traveled the world, or is your idea of a weekend getaway a trip to the grocery store followed by a walk around the block? With all the sights and attractions to visit and see, it's hard not to be an advocate of traveling to another country to absorb their culture, and relish their delicious foods. Heading over to France to see the Eiffel Tower seems like a lot more fun than heading up the hill and looking at the local water tower, but maybe that's just me. Either way, with reward comes risk, and for British travelers Jane (Pamela Franklin) and Cathy (Michele Dotrice), the risk becomes much more heightened than the reward of France's countryside.
Jane and Cathy are best friends touring the French countryside on their bicycles while they stop at cafes and restaurants along the way. At one particular cafe, Cathy ogles over a handsome man named Paul (Sandor Eles), but nothing comes of it, and the two continue along their way. As they ride, they encounter Paul a couple of more times as he passes by on his scooter, but again, they simply play the staring game and nothing comes to fruition, to Cathy's distaste. As the two friends venture on, Cathy begins to moan and complain about boredom, and has little to no interest in this long roundabout journey Jane has been orchestrating. The two soon stop for a break by the road at Cathy's request, and take some time to catch a little sun. After a while, Jane insists they get moving again as they still have a long ways to go, but Cathy insists she's still tired, and the two argue until Jane has finally had enough, and heads into town on her own, leaving her friend behind by her lonesome.
As Jane sits at the next cafe and waits for her stubborn friend to finally arrive, she becomes more and more concerned as the minutes turn into hours, and there's no sign of Cathy. Meanwhile, we know that Cathy has met an unfortunate fate, as a strange unknown man disables her bicycle, and takes her captive while Jane sits at the cafe down the road none the wiser. It isn't long before Jane enlists the help of everyone she comes across, including Paul, a woman from the cafe, and the local police. As Jane begins to realize that not everyone is as they seem, and no one can be trusted, she must fight for her own life as she searches for her friend in the unknown little town she's found herself trapped in. Safety in numbers, folks.
"And Soon the Darkness" is a clever little yarn that starts off slowly, but quickly unravels into a brilliant 'whodunit' while we live through the fear of our protagonist, Jane. While it may not be the most original of stories, it's one that's told very well, and leaves a chill down your spine as the credits roll.
Madness Meter: 6.9/10
NB
