celluloidnotes

Darkon is a fascinating documentary that I have not been able to shake for the three days since seeing it. It has stuck with me not because it was so brilliant, but because it is one of those unbiased studies of a subculture that gives you pause on the scope of human experience.The film explores a community of people who participate in the live action game called Darkon.

The participants form countries, dress in full armor, and do live battles with padded swords and arrows. (This is obviously something of a simplification; it’s game with complex rules and traditions that would necessitate a separate essay to define).

Darkon is the type of documentary that ultimately highlights some of the fundamental differences – experientially – between documentaries and narrative features. While the filmmakers have created some interesting battle sequences and have brief moments of incredibly, atypically, beautiful shots, the film ultimately fails on a technical level. It’s difficult to understand the exact regulations of the game, and how it functions, and they never delve into other questions any viewer who is unfamiliar with the game would have. Where did it come from? How did it start? Who is the governing body that runs the events across the country? How do I join?

Nonetheless, the film actually works, revealing how a documentary is fundamentally constructed in a different fashion. It’s interesting, despite the frustration that it causes, the subject matter is absolutely fascinating. The characters in the film are interesting, portrayed intelligently, and reveal an interesting subculture that most of the world will never be familiar with. Despite the somewhat thin documentary work, what is there is fantastic. 

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