Dark Days

Dark Days is a documentary by Marc Singer that captivated the tragic lives of homeless people living in Manhattans underground railroad system. After relocating from London to Manhattan, Singer was struck by the number of homeless people living in the city. After hearing about the vast community living in these dark, abandoned, underground tunnels, he decided to discover it for himself where he ended up befriending some of them. This lead to his decision to film a documentary capturing their lives in effort to help them financially.

After watching this documentary in class, it is no doubt that we were touched in one way or another about this film. We asked ourselves, "How does this documentary have shape?" and "Why is it so special?" We agreed that it was a documentary worth applauding because it was a living transcript. They were not actors, there was no script, the film was shot entirely in black and white with a hand held camera, they shot the film in the dark depths of the tunnels, and meanwhile, these people held back nothing. They shared everything from their drug addictions, to losing their children, or even to crack a joke, making light of their situation.

After researching further into this documentary, I was able to find more information that I feel added to the genuine nature and real life tragedy of this film. Not only did Marc Singer befriend the homeless and attempt to support them financially with this film, but he stayed down in the tunnels for the entire duration of shooting. He didn't just film their lives, he lived their lives. He ate out of the dumpster, lived in a shack, and used a bucket for a toilet for two years. That is true dedication that shined in this documentary. 

Dark Days is a raw, yet touching film that breaks through the myths of homelessness and truly shows the audience a different side of their story that would otherwise still be left ignored and misunderstood. It takes you into the lives of these people who have lived there for over 25 years living day by day just to survive.