Phoenix’s last film to screen after 20 years

THE HAGUE - Agence France-Presse

River Phoenix’s film was finished in January and will screen in the Netherlands.

Nearly two decades after his much publicised death, actor River Phoenix’s last movie “Dark Blood” will premiere at a Dutch film festival.

“’Dark Blood’ by director George Sluizer will premiere on Sept. 27 at the Netherlands Film Festival in Utrecht,” according to the festival’s website.

The Dutch director had finished four-fifths of the movie when Phoenix, playing one of the three main roles, collapsed and died of a drug-induced heart-failure outside a Hollywood nightclub on October 31,1993.

 The 86-minute film was left unfinished until 80-year-old Sluizer’s deteriorating health prompted him to restart post production two years ago, his daughter Sluizer said. It was finished in January this year.

“My father is ill and he decided to resume the movie’s post-production after almost 20 years,” she said, adding “he had shot about 81 percent and there was enough material to make a suspenseful movie.”

Dark Blood tells the story of Boy (played by Phoenix), a young widower who retreats into the desert to live a reclusive life after his wife died as a result of nuclear testing. He saves a stranded couple on their second honeymoon, only to keep them hostage as he fell in love with the female lead character (played by Judy Davis), according to a statement published on the Netherlands Film Festival’s website.