The Dark Side Magazine |link| Online

, the founding editor, set the tone. His editorials were often rants against the hypocrisy of the censors and the blandness of modern Hollywood. He was the curmudgeonly uncle of the horror community, guiding readers through the muck.

However, the magazine was perhaps most famous for its coverage of censorship. In a time when knowing which version of a film was uncut was a vital piece of information for collectors, The Dark Side became a consumer watchdog. Columns like "Nasty News" and detailed breakdowns of cuts made by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) were essential reading. For a teenager trying to decide whether to spend their pocket money on a VHS tape, The Dark Side was the final arbiter of value. A magazine is only as good as its writers, and The Dark Side boasted a roster of personalities that readers felt they knew personally. the dark side magazine

Then there was the legendary . While Balun was an American writer (famous for his Deep Red magazine), his presence in The Dark Side bridged the gap between the US and UK scenes. His "Piece o' Mind" column was a chaotic, enthusiastic love letter to practical effects and DIY filmmaking. Balun hated CGI with a passion, and his rants against "computer cartoon bullshit" became legendary. He introduced a generation of British readers to the concept of the "guerrilla filmmaker." , the founding editor, set the tone

Other regular contributors, such as and Sharon Siddoway , brought diverse perspectives, covering everything from the Gothic romances of Hammer to the splatterpunk of Troma. The magazine also fostered a community feel; the letters page was a bustling forum where readers debated the merits of subtitles versus dubbing, shared tape-trading lists, and organized fan clubs. The Art of the Exclusive In the 1990s, access to filmmakers was difficult. There were no Twitter Q&As or Reddit AMAs. Getting an interview with a director required legwork, phone calls, and connections. The Dark Side excelled here, consistently landing exclusive interviews with the titans of terror. However, the magazine was perhaps most famous for

That publication was The Dark Side .

The magazine became famous for its "no holds barred" approach to reviewing. Critics didn't pull punches. If a film was garbage, the review would say so in no uncertain terms, often employing a dark wit that became a hallmark of the publication. Conversely, if a film was a misunderstood masterpiece, the writers would champion it with an almost academic fervor.