Dark Floors

{{more plot|date=November 2017}}

A young, autistic girl at a hospital holds the key to defeating other-dimensional monsters that seek to kill everyone.[http://www.solarfilms.com/elokuvat/kaikki/darkfloors/en_GB/darkfloors/ Solar Films] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319225812/http://www.solarfilms.com/elokuvat/kaikki/darkfloors/en_GB/darkfloors/ |date=19 March 2007 }}

{{Cast listing|

• William Hope as Jon
• Leon Herbert as Rick
• Ronald Pickup as Tobias
• Philip Bretherton as Walter
• Noah Huntley as Ben
• Dominique McElligott as Emily
• Skye Bennett as Sarah
• Mr Lordi as Lead Monster
• Amen as Monster
• Kita as Monster
• Awa as Monster
• OX as Monster

}}

The full budget of Dark Floors reached $4.3 million (U.S.), making it one of the most expensive films made in Finland. Most of the budget was spent on special effects design, set construction, and a large marketing campaign, along with the post-production process.

The sets were the largest constructed in Finland, taking up 1,700 square metres during the basement carpark scene. It was originally planned to shoot the film on location in the Baltics, but Oulu was chosen instead, with special effects used to replicate a city when necessary. The production team visited hospitals to research the workings of an X-ray, thereby adding both credibility and authenticity to the CGI-rendered X-rays shown. When principal photography was completed, the extended post-production phase was launched, including the insertion of Awa's ghostly appearance.

The film was originally intended to premiere in 2007, at the Eurovision song contest in Helsinki, whose opening number, featuring Lordi, with a performance of "Hard Rock Hallelujah". Unfortunately, the team could not finish their tasks in time; moreover, Lordi were already putting final touches on their Bringing Back the Balls to Europe tour. Post-production was therefore expanded into May of the same year, and was eventually rescheduled to December.

The press conference was held at the Cannes Film Festival the weekend of 19 and 20 May 2007. Lordi appeared personally, as did director Pete Riski, producer Markus Selin, and virtually all the leading actors. All involved responded to questions, and shared unusual anecdotes on making the film.

Dark Floors was slowly 'leaked' by way of a marketing campaign, and the press were permitted to witness the production of Kita's lift scene, although everything else was kept under wraps.

The film was released in the United Kingdom on DVD (region 2) by Metrodome Distribution on 20 April 2009.[http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/70409/metrodome-in-april.html DVD Times – Metrodome in April] The release includes several extra features, listed as "Behind the Scenes of Dark Floors", "Cast & Crew Interviews", and "Dark Floors World Premiere featurette including Q&A with Lordi, the cast and crew and a live Lordi performance". The film is rated 18+ by the BBFC for "strong bloody violence and horror".[https://archive.today/20130419212514/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/0/153a6caf5df81b878025756e005e9cd7?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=4 BBFC – Dark Floors classification information]

Derek Elley of Variety called it "a cultural oddity with an OK concept" that will perform well on video.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2008/film/reviews/dark-floors-1200507487/|title=Review: 'Dark Floors'|last=Elley|first=Elley|work=Variety|date=27 August 2008|access-date=5 March 2015}} Bloody Disgusting rated it 3/5 stars, and wrote, "Even though it's plastered in heavy clichés and predictable plot-twists, has no sense of mood or tempo, and features some of the least scary monsters ever to grace the silver screen, it's still remarkably entertaining."{{cite web|url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/110749/dark-floors-finland-release-v-2/|title=Dark Floors (Finland release) (V)|author=|work=Bloody Disgusting|date=23 February 2008|access-date=5 March 2015}} Joshua Siebalt of Dread Central rated it 2.5/5 stars and called it a boring, uninspired film that is "not nearly as fun or cool as it should've been".{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/7915/dark-floors-dvd/|title=Dark Floors (DVD)|last=Siebalt|first=Joshua|work=Dread Central|date=24 July 2008|access-date=5 March 2015}} Todd Brown of Twitch Film called it "a tightly plotted, exceptionally well shot thrill ride".{{cite web|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2008/07/efm-dark-floors-review.html|title=FANTASIA: DARK FLOORS Review|last=Brown|first=Todd|work=Twitch Film|date=19 July 2008|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402105226/http://twitchfilm.com/2008/07/efm-dark-floors-review.html|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}} Ian Jane of DVD Talk rated it 1.5/5 stars and wrote that the film does not exploit its visuals or interesting premise.{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35281/dark-floors/|title=Dark Floors|last=Jane|first=Ian|work=DVD Talk|date=2 November 2008|access-date=5 March 2015}} David Johnson of DVD Verdict wrote, "Straight out of Finland—ghosts, demons, autism, and heavy metal combine for one of the more interesting and out-there haunted hospital movies to come around in quite some time."{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/darkfloors.php|title=Dark Floors|last=Johnson|first=David|work=DVD Verdict|date=7 November 2008|access-date=5 March 2015}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikinews|Lordi to star in horror movie}}

{{Wikinews|Lordi horror movie receives 300,000 euros of Finnish government funding}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070319225812/http://www.solarfilms.com/elokuvat/kaikki/darkfloors/en_GB/darkfloors/ Solar Films's Dark Floors site]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090111211829/http://www.ses.fi/en/film.asp?id=845 The Finnish Film Foundation's Dark Floors page]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071215000551/http://www.nordiskfilmsales.com/movie.aspx?id=100240 Nordisk Film International Sales: Dark Floors]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091120013058/http://www.kaleva.fi/plus/galleria_popup/index.cfm?g=1196 Kaleva newspaper's Dark Floors gallery]
• {{IMDb title|0985025|Dark Floors — The Lordi Motion Picture}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes|1200600_dark_floors}}
• [http://www.lordi.fi/ Lordi.fi] – band website

{{lordi}}

{{Autism resources}}

Category:2008 films

Category:2008 horror films

Category:2000s monster movies

Category:Films about autism

Category:Finnish horror films

Category:English-language Finnish films

Category:2000s supernatural horror films

Category:Finnish zombie films

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:English-language science fiction horror films

Category:2000s Finnish films