The Dark Side of the Sun (1988)

Beautiful, moving film.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The ONLY good thing about this film is seeing a youthful Brad Pitt, before fame grabbed him. Yes, the landscape in pre-war Yugoslavia is beautiful as well. But truthfully, this movie is a dog. Terrible script, and awful acting, like some kid's junior high school film project. The dual personality Rick/Man in Black Leather Mask didn't really go anywhere. Frankly, with the mask on, Pitt is neither interesting, risky, or scary. The "carpe diem" theme has been done a million times before, and a whole lot better. Worst bar fight scene in film history too. The father seemed to be a good, sympathetic character, but the actor seemed to be in a straight-jacket, unable to really go with the feelings a father in his circumstances would be going through. My guess is this low budget, direct to video disaster eventually did better than break even just because of Pitt's fame, but trust me, it's not worth the two bucks.

I saw this movie on TB while I was in Irkutsk, Russia. It was pretty damn cold out so I didn't feel too bad about wasting 2 hours watching this unintentionally hilarious movie. The opening scene foretold the fromagerie to be expected from the rest of the film. The mysterious biker, dressed head to toe in black leather drives his motorcycle down a lonely country road. There's a dead dog and her dead litter of puppies in the ditch (I think) but there is one puppy that has survived. The tough biker, who must be really tough to be wearing head to toe black leather in what looks to be a baking summer day in (at the time) Yugoslavia, shows what a kind hearted freak he is and picks up the remaining puppy and takes it home in his jacket. Aww. The leathery biker has a soul! He likes puppies! Who is that masked dog-loving man? So then (through dubbed Russian voices, because it was probably a pirated copy being shown on the Bolshoi TB Channel Dva) I heard this familiar, yet very young voice speaking through the leather zipper that was the biker's mouth. Oh, who is that? I wondered. And then, just when I was ready to turn the TB off and go look at Russian orthodox cathedrals, in the shadows the masked biker begins to take off his mask. I say to my travel companions "this better be good", and then suddenly we get a glimpse of a very young Brad Pitt. I nearly fell on the floor I laughed so hard. Really, that's as good as the story got. The rest is just kind of forgettable and a little bit embarrassing, although the scenery in this film was beautiful. Watch it for a good laugh and to marvel at how young Mr. Pitt used to sound. Preferably without Russian dubbing over top.

Does anyone know WHY Pitt did this film, even if it was actually filmed in 87/88?? Sure, he was just starting out, but he seems smarter than this truly horrible movie. Granted, it was financed, I suppose, by Yugoslavians who had little experience in the finer techniques of film-making (including direction of actors). This was the director's only English-speaking film, and the producer's only film, whatsoever.The film contains one jaw-dropping scene after another. Yes, the scenery is beautiful....but the acting is atrocious, even by Pitt. Truth be told, his performance is really bad, giving no indication of his true talent.OK, somebody has to ask....wouldn't Pitt's character practically perspire to death, going around totally covered in a LEATHER suit, including his entire FACE?? And when he pulls off the "S&M" head mask, his flowing hair is always so "pretty," and his skin smooth as silk. Hit the floor laughing moment - Pitt "sees" himself for the first time in a mirror, and comments, "I look like mother!" ARGH. (First of all, this character wouldn't cop a look at himself BEFORE the age of 24?)The scene with his father exacting "revenge" at a local bar is so bad, it's not even good-bad (unless "Mystery Science Theater" covers it).How convenient everyone seems to speak English in Yugoslavia, and that many signs are in the same language, as well. They even have characters singing songs such as "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall," "Rock-a-bye-baby" and "Knick-Knack Paddy-Whack" - oh, so American. Then, there's that "Beach Blanket Bingo" sorta scene, with motorcycles on the beach. OMG.And as previous users have commented - THIS GUY WOULD WASTE PRECIOUS TIME playings games, hiding behind the leather suit because his object of love finds it more "interesting"?? Why isn't his skin showing signs of the disease after HOURS of exposure to the sun?? It's only in the final scene, that within minutes, his skin shows changes. Being that the woman was attracted to him in the suit, why not have it both ways? COME ON! This film completely falls apart. Anyway, it's interesting that Pollak & Pitt appeared together, a few years after this film, in the SAME episode of 'thirtysomething."(WHY didn't they dub Pollak's voice in the birthday scene?)

The chance to see a very young Brad Pitt and take a look at the beautiful Yugoslavian countryside before the schism are the main reasons to see this film. The film itself is fairly mundane. With only a slight story to tell the film needs a sharp script and a strong director but gets neither. Pitt (or his double) plays Rick, a teenager who spends most of the film hidden behind a leather mask. This does not give him a lot of scope to convey the tragic nature of his character except through the non-too brilliant dialogue. Cheryl Pollak is attractive and personable where the role calls for someone truly charismatic. It doesn't help that, when he finally removes the mask, Pitt is much prettier than she is. On the plus side, Guy Boyd lifts the film with an excellent portrayal of Rick's father. It's probably unfair to judge this 1980s film by today's standards but, even allowing for that, I can't see this as anything more than the kind of movie that passes the time while your lying on the sofa recovering from a bout of the flu.