Dead of Night (1977)

I love this movie so much

I'll tell you why so serious

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

DEAD OF NIGHT opens with a narrator informing us that "the Dead of Night is a state of mind." Dead on. This trilogy of terror begins with a very lovely Time travel tale adapted by Richard Matheson from a Jack Finney short story. Second up we have NO SUCH THING AS A VAMPIRE, based on Matheson's story; it ends with what I would call a "Transylvanian Twist." The last is really the least interesting in terms of Story (it's THE MONKEY'S PAW all over again), but it's done really well (everything's underscored by the always capable Robert Cobert, whose DARK SHADOWS theme has haunted many a dream). All around, an excellent telemovie from the era in which B movies were being made for television (and, more often than not, being crafted far BETTER than the theatrical releases that preceded them).Also on the disc that I rented was the 1969 pilot for another Dan Curtis series (shot on video, like DARK SHADOWS), DEAD OF NIGHT. Kerwin Mathews plays a supernatural investigator with an Indian sidekick. The pair are joined by episode's end by a third member, a young woman who has inherited a haunted house. Thayer David ("Professor Stokes" of DARK SHADOWS fame) plays a shady caretaker and Louis Edmonds (yet another DARK SHADOWS veteran) turns up as an oil painting of the dead owner of the haunted house. It's not a bad pilot by any means; too bad it didn't catch on the way DARK SHADOWS did...

From two legends, writer Richard Matheson and TV producer / director Dan Curtis, comes this decent three part anthology. It's slick, and entertaining, but doesn't really represent their best work. For the most part, the writing is uninspired. The movie has some twists up its sleeve, but they won't come as any great shock to the viewer. Curtis' efficient direction and the efforts of a solid cast help to keep things watchable. There is no connecting thread, but there is a narrator at the outset to set us up for the (mild) thrills and chills to come.An appealing Ed Begley Jr. headlines 'Second Chance' as Frank, a young man whose hobby is restoring old cars. One day, he purchases a 1926 Jordan Playboy, and when he takes it for a spin, he is magically transported back to the year 1926. As is usually the case for tales such as this, he learns that his actions in the past will have consequences for the future. If there is a weak link here, it's this segment, scripted by Matheson from Jack Finney's story. It's very likable, to be sure, but has no real impact when it's over.'No Such Thing as a Vampire' is a period piece starring Patrick Macnee as Dr. Gheria, who has a young bedridden wife played by Anjanette Comer. She lives in mortal fear of a vampire, and the frustrated doctor must call upon a character named Michael (Horst Buchholz) to come in and deal with the problem. Definitely more clever and macabre than 'Second Chance', this segment does come up with an amusing twist ending. Matheson scripted from his published story.The best is saved for last with the flat-out horror show 'Bobby', an original by Matheson. Joan Hackett plays a grieving, unnamed mother who uses black magic to resurrect her son Bobby (Lee H. Montgomery) who drowned months ago. Needless to say, she comes to regret this decision, as the kid is now decidedly strange and soon begins to terrorize her. Some good suspense and creepiness here, in a section that falls back on that old reliable horror trope of a dark and stormy night. The ending is fun.E. J. Andre, Ann Doran, Christina Hart, and Elisha Cook Jr. all give fine supporting performances, and both the music by Bob Cobert and cinematography by Ric Waite are excellent.While this isn't anything special, lovers of the 1970s TV terror genre will want to see it for completions' sake.Six out of 10.

Dead of Night (1977) *** (out of 4) Wrongfully forgotten made-for-TV film from director Dan Curtis and writer Richard Matheson. In "Second Chance" a man (Ed Begley Jr.) buys a broken down 1926 car so that he can restore it. After doing so he takes it for a spin and ends up back in 1926. "No Such Thing As a Vampire" has a doctor (Patrick Macnee) dealing with his wife who believes she has been bitten by a vampire. Finally, in "Bobby" a mother (Joan Hackett) is coming to terms with the death of her child when her wish is granted that he returns to her. DEAD OF NIGHT isn't all that well known today, which is a real shame because I thought it was much better than the director's better know and more respected TRILOGY OF TERROR. I thought all three stories here were pretty strong, which should come as no shock considering the work Matheson has done previous. The first film would make a perfect episode of The Twilight Zone and I admit that it really caught me by surprise. I thought the direction and performances were top-notch and the little twist towards the end was quite clever. The second film is the weakest of the three but it contains some wonderful atmosphere and also comes with a great twist. As with TRILOGY OF TERROR, the final story is the one that goes for scares and it's a creepy little tale that ends with a brilliant sequence that I won't spoil here. The film also manages to have some nice supporting performances from vets like Ann Doran and Elisha Cook. The music score is also quite effective and the cinematography is much better than you'd normally see in a film like this. I'm really not sure why this film hasn't remained more popular over the years but it's certainly in need of a bigger cult following.

Dan Curtis Productions brings you yet another anthology film to satisfy your needs. If you're unfamiliar with who Dan Curtis is, it's possible you may have heard of his other work – Dark Shadows which ran from 1966- 1971, 1975's Trilogy of Terror, and the 1996 sequel Trilogy of Terror 2. Curtis has produced, written, and directed a good portion of his work and in addition, most of it was broadcast on television. In collaboration with Dan Curtis is famed horror/science-fiction writer Richard Matheson. Matheson's work spans across many decades in and out of the genre; his credentials are very impressive indeed.This 1977 anthology is not related to the 1945 title by the same name. Curtis may have paid tribute but I cannot back that claim with proper documentation. Keep in mind that Bob Clark's Deathdream from 1974 also goes by the name of Dead of Night. The runtime of this film is about an hour and ten minutes. In that span of time Curtis brings you three different tales, with of course, varied results. Even though these stories do not share a unified theme the term "anthology" is still applicable. In the first tale, a young man (Ed Begeley, an actor with a seemingly endless resume) restores a classic car from the 1920's in the hopes of driving it like it was intended. During a strange occurrence, he is transported back in time. It's apparent that this particular tale focuses on the supernatural rather than horror. I enjoyed the atmosphere but the pay-off was lackluster – there just simply wasn't enough material to be impressed with. This story seems to fit in more with the likes of The Twilight Zone than the others.The second tale is a period piece involving a vampire, starring Patrick Macnee. This was clever but the wind was taken out of my sails when I noticed a glaring mistake on the set. Shortly after one of the characters arrives and is let in through the front door you see in the same frame the distinct appearance of a set of light switches. Curtis never specified what time period the piece takes place in but given their clothing, even if it was the late Victorian era, they certainly did not have technology like that!The third and final tale is entitled "Bobby." The story involves a mother who dabbles in black magic with the hopes of bringing her deceased son back to life. Be careful what you wish for! Some consider this a slight adaptation of The Monkey's Paw. Most viewers of this film would also agree that "Bobby" is easily the most disturbing tale out of the three. In addition to previously mentioning Dreathdream, that too borrows from the tale of The Monkey's Paw. Isn't it interesting the steps one can take to tie things in together?Dead of Night is a short film and I'd categorize it as one that would serve perfectly for a slow Saturday afternoon - just be sure you get the right version. It's all about the dates!