MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Runestone’: Horror on the Rocks

For all its artistic pretensions, “The Runestone” (at the Beverly Center), completed in 1990, is just another routine horror picture featuring a big hairy monster on the loose.

Its title comes from a huge rock unearthed in a western Pennsylvania coal mine that was apparently placed there by Norse explorers, who have carved upon it a likeness of a scary creature and surrounded him with cryptic lettering.

When the stone, which possesses formidable evil powers, is moved to New York for further research, it wreaks havoc upon the lives of many, especially those of the head of the research foundation (Mitchell Almquist); his former love, an artist (Joan Severance); and her archeologist husband (Tim Ryan).

Not only does writer-director Willard Carroll, in adapting Mark Rogers’ novella to the screen, fail to bring out whatever personality or presence these three actors possess, but he undermines them further with dreary dialogue.

The film’s few intermittent sparks of life have been provided by such seasoned stalwarts as Peter Riegert as a cocky Manhattan cop, Lawrence Tierney as his gruff superior and especially William Hickey as a creepy, eccentric Norse scholar who respects the power of the runestone.

Although there’s the feeling that Carroll means us not to take his supernatural hocus-pocus too seriously, he lacks the wit to make his picture (rated R for violence, some language and sex) work as a dark comedy.

Where the film succeeds best is in Jon Gary Steele’s elegant and resourceful production design, blending Manhattan and Los Angeles locales with striking interiors, and in Misha Suslov’s superb cinematography with its consistently effective play of light and shadow.

‘The Runestone’

Peter Riegert: Captain Gregory Fanducci

Joan Severance: Marla Stewart

Tim Ryan: Sam Stewart

William Hickey: Lars Hagstrom

Mitchell Laurance: Martin Almquist

Lawrence Tierney: Chief Richardson

Alexander Godunov: Sigvaldson

A Hyperion Signature presentation. Director Willard Carroll. Producers Harry E. Gould Jr., Thomas L. Wilhite. Executive producers Peter E. Strauss, Frank Giustra. Screenplay by Carroll; based on the novella by Mark E. Rogers. Cinematographer Misha Suslov. Editor Lynne Southerland. Costumes Terry Dresbach. Music David Newman. Production design Jon Gary Steele. Art director Stella Wang. Set decorator Nancy Arnold. Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes.

MPAA-rated R (for violence, some language and sex).