What happens when a remote Alaskan town faces a month of total darkness?
In short: In the isolated town of Barrow, Alaska, the sun sets for thirty consecutive days every year. When a mysterious stranger sabotages the town's communications, the residents are left defenseless against a predatory band of vampires who have arrived to exploit the relentless, month-long polar night for a brutal, unchecked massacre.
The 2007 horror film 30 Days of Night, directed by David Slade, originated from a 2002 comic book miniseries by Steve Niles and artist Ben Templesmith. After initial difficulty pitching the concept as a film, the comic's unique mood and vampire aesthetic attracted producers Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert. The project moved through several script iterations, including drafts by Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson, before reaching the screen.
The film adaptation made notable changes to the source material, including renaming the protagonist Eben Olemaun to Eben Oleson and casting Josh Hartnett in the role, a decision that drew criticism because the character was originally Inuk. To maintain a sense of dread, the production team collaborated with a linguistics professor at the University of Auckland to create a fictional vampire language characterized by click consonants, designed to emphasize the creatures' primal, predatory nature rather than human-like speech.
The story follows Sheriff Eben Oleson and his estranged wife, Stella, as they navigate the slaughter of their town. As the month-long night progresses, the survivors are whittled down by the vampires, led by the ruthless Marlow. In a desperate final act, Eben infects himself with vampire blood to gain the strength necessary to kill Marlow, ultimately sacrificing himself as the sunrise brings an end to the siege.
Released in October 2007, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $75 million worldwide against a $30 million budget. Its performance spawned a franchise that included a sequel, Dark Days, and two television miniseries. The film remains a distinct entry in the horror genre, noted for its attempt to move away from traditional vampire tropes toward a more naturalistic, visceral depiction of predation.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 30 Days of Night (film)
- Also: Wikidata — 30 Days of Night · CC0
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