Dead of Night (1977)

Waste of time

Nice effects though.

I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

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

Three tales of mystery and suspense.First and most so-so yarn, "Second Chance" - Frank (a liable Ed Begley Jr.) buys and restores an antique car that transports him back to 1926. This one alas doesn't do much with its intriguing premise, although the flavorsome recreation of the period prevents it from being a total washout.Second and most clever vignette, "No Such Thing as a Vampire" - Alexis (a sympathetic turn by Anjanette Comer) suffers from a deep-seated fear of vampires that her pragmatic husband Dr. Gheria (the always fine Patrick Macnee) tries to use scientific means to resolve. The grim surprise ending and rich Victorian era milieu make this story a winner, plus there's a juicy role for veteran character actor Elisha Cook Jr. as antsy butler Karel.Third and most frightening segment, "Bobby" - The mother (an excellent Joan Hackett) brings her son Bobby (a supremely creepy portrayal by Lee H. Montgomery) back to life only to have him return as an angry little fiend who terrorizes her in a beach house. Director Dan Curtis does an expert job of crafting a spooky ooga-booga atmosphere and generates plenty of nerve-rattling tension from a scary variant on hide and seek which culminates in a genuinely bloodcurdling conclusion.A worthwhile omnibus outing.

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!

This is pretty cool!Richard Matheson and Dan Curtis(NIGHT STALKER,SCREAM OF THE WOLF)again collaborate.This was a failed pilot for a proposed tv series,but the movie can be enjoyed for what it is.There are 3 tales here,with "Bobby",the 3rd story,being the most chilling.Worth a look.