Empire of the Dark

Empire of the Dark is a 1991 American fantasy action horror film written, co-produced, directed and edited by Steve Barkett, who also stars in the film. Barkett plays Richard, an ex-police officer who seeks to avenge the apparent death of his former lover (Tera Hendrickson), whom he witnessed be ritually sacrificed two decades prior by Satan worshipper Arkham (Richard Harrison) after entering a portal to Hell.

Cast

 * Steve Barkett as Richard Flynn
 * Christopher Barkett as Terry Nash
 * Tera Hendrickson as Angela Nash
 * Richard Harrison as Arkham
 * Dawn Wildsmith as Madame Oleska
 * Jay Richardson as Eddie Green
 * Patricia Schiotis as Stacey Brent
 * Joseph Pilato as Guy Zupan

Animator Jim Danforth appears as one of Satan's henchmen.

Production
Empire of the Dark was shot on 35 mm film.

Barkett described the film to Tulsa World:

"It's really very much a Sleeping Beauty story, combined with Bela Lugosi's White Zombie and a lot of other stuff. It's the toughest movie, and the most expensive movie, I've ever made, and it's been a tough sell."

Home media
The film was released on VHS by the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based distributor VCI Home Video in 1997; VCI later re-released the film on DVD.