Dark Days is a
documentary about (and filmed by)
homeless people who lived in the
Amtrak train tunnel located in
Riverside Park on
the west side of
Manhattan.
Marc Singer, the director lived with the homeless people for two years. He taught them how to use a black and white film camera and together they devised systems of lights and even a few dollies to create moving shots with high visual and emotional impact. By involving the people he met in the creation process Singer was able to create a more personal and artistic kind of documentary. The people in the film received a share of the profits-- and for a few it was a way to get out of the
homeless life while sharing their story with the world.
I live near riverside park and I've often run over or beside
the tunnel where this movie was filmed. Amtrak has since sealed off most entrances. But to this day people still seek
refuge there.
Some of the
graffiti murals shown in the film such as the
Freedom Tunnel are still in existence.