Watch Dark Days

Dark Days is a 2000 documentary that encapsulates the lives and experiences of an underground homeless population living in the abandoned portion of the New York City Subway system. The film was directed, photographed, and produced by British filmmaker Marc Singer. The film begins by immersing the viewer in the gritty and surreal world created by the abandoned subway tunnels. Singer, who was himself homeless in the late 1980s, introduces us to his fellow inhabitants, who have constructed their homes from materials found within the tunnels. This underground society has its own hierarchy, its own economy, and even its own culture.

Singer's camera takes us on a tour of this dark underworld, where residents have ingeniously rigged their dwellings with electricity, plumbing, and even ventilation to maintain a livable environment. We witness them struggle to survive, constantly at risk of being evicted from the tunnels by the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Singer's camera captures the stark contrast between the bleak underground world and the bustling city that exists just a few feet above.

The characters in Dark Days are the heart of the film. From the charismatic Dee, with his finely-honed survival skills and unexpected humor, to the emotional and soft-spoken Henry, we see a range of personalities and perspectives on life in the tunnels. The film is not afraid to show the harsh realities of their existence, from addiction to mental illness, but it also highlights their resilience, resourcefulness, and deep bonds of friendship.

In one particularly moving scene, Singer follows Henry as he revisits the site where his companion, a dog named Cigarette, died. Henry reflects on the joy and companionship Cigarette brought to his life, and we see the depths of love and loss that exist even in this underground world.

As the film progresses, we see the underground society come under threat from the city government, who are determined to shut down their homes and evict them from the tunnels. Singer captures the residents' struggle to find a new place to live, and the heartache of leaving behind a community that has become their family.

Dark Days is ultimately a testament to the human spirit, and an eye-opening look at a side of society that is often ignored. It is a visceral and emotional journey that immerses the viewer in the lives of its subjects, and leaves a lasting impression. Singer's remarkable feat of filmmaking manages to entertain, inform, and touch the hearts of those who witness it.

The film was well-received on the festival circuit, winning the prestigious Audience Award and Freedom of Expression Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2000. It has since been recognized as an important document of New York City's recent history, and as a powerful representation of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of hardship.

Dark Days is a 2001 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 21 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 75.