Beast of the Yellow Night

"A man is saved from certain death by selling his soul to the devil, who charges him with recruiting others to his evil cause. As part of his terms for relinquishing control of his soul to Satan, the man is cursed to endure transformation into a hideous creature and stalk his victims by night. The local authorities want to find and destroy this murderous creature before it can take another victim, while the man looks to find a way to end his cursed existence," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

Filmed in the Philippines, with director Eddie Romero. It's difficult to completely understand the story; approximately, it's Faust becoming the Werewolf with a touch of Frankenstein, after a time warp.

It's more interesting, at this point, to assess the career of star John Ashley. When he mysteriously appears in the present, doctors remove bandages from Mr. Ashley's said to be horribly disfigured face. Instead, a bearded Ashley looks better in 1971 than ever (in films since the 1950s). Ashley's characterization (as Joseph Langdon aka Philip Rogers) isn't terrific, but it's valiant; probably, his career lacked worth material. Vic Diaz (as Death aka Satan) is entertaining, in the tastiest role. And, Mary Wilcox (as Julia Rogers) is the blonde dish Ashley samples.

Well, you do not have to worry about a yellow night in this film. I was thinking that perhaps there would be a full moon or something giving the night a yellowish tint which unleashes the beast, but no, the only yellow is the smoke that sometimes accompanies Satan when he shows up. This is just one of those films that tries really hard to do something good, but ends up making a film that is a bit confusing as you begin to figure out it is supposed to be kind of like an evil Quantum Leap thing, but you never really know what Langdon the main character of the story is supposed to be doing when he assumes others identities.

The film starts out in a bit of confusing fashion as a man is apparently on the run and a woman is gunned down on the way of bringing him food. He is starving and makes the mistake of eating nearby grapes, which are not actually grapes as they are poisonous. Satan comes along and taunts the man and the man agrees to do Satan's bidding and Satan rewards the man with rotten meat. The man is apparently put into other people's bodies to do stuff and he randomly becomes a monster, but who knows why. The man he is through most of the film has a wife that totally loves him, apparently more than her actual husband and a blind man offers him aid, but can he get out of Satan's clutches!?!

Not all that great, thinking this film was made in the Philippines. The cast is mainly Asian; however, the man guy, his wife and brother are all English actors. The gore in the film is light and revolves around him turning into the monster which is sort of like a werewolf, but not really and there is never a real reason he turns into this beast. Though he is a beast in daytime too, so one of those titles that just does not fit with what is going on.

So, not totally horrible, but too much of the film is a bit lacking in the plot department. Why does the guy even turn into a monster? Has he turned into a monster in any of his other stops in his service to Satan and what exactly is he supposed to be doing in these other bodies? You get some kills and some cool scenes, but not enough to become a good film, just one worth watching to try and figure out what is going on.

I remember seeing this title on the marquee at my home drive-in as a child. Watched it and finds it an interesting film, but curious as to why it's not in the Mad Doc series...or is it? The acting isn't bad at all, especially compared to original Mad Doc. I noted that the first scene of the monster's arms look like they were re-used from the Mad Doc flix. The Filipino back-drop of this film, as well as the Mad Doc films, provides something a little different and interesting that stands alone from movies that we're accustomed to viewing. The mono sound with the atmosphere, particularly in the opening scenes, gives the filmgoer the creeps. I do wish I could've talked my parents into taking me to see it way back then!

BEAST OF THE YELLOW NIGHT is yet another classic from Director Eddie Romero. War criminal, Joseph Langdon (John Ashley) makes a deal with Satan (Vic Diaz), inheriting another life. He becomes businessman, Philip Rogers. With his beautiful wife, Julia (Mary Wilcox), he seems to have hit the jackpot!

Of course, as the old saying goes, "When you dance with the devil, the devil calls the tune", and Philip's existence soon becomes a nightmare of grisly murder and madness. He's transformed into a monster, resembling a scorched pot roast with fangs!

Meanwhile, goody-two-shoes Julia tries to save their marriage. Can her love overcome Philip's bloodlust and break his bargain with Beelzebub?

Compared with other horror films, BOTYN is a royal mess. However, compared with other Romero epics, it's a minor masterpiece! Are the actors like human furniture? Yes. Is the dialogue inane, and delivered in emotionless fashion? Yes. Still, the plot holds together in a strange, dull way. Watch and believe...

This movie begins in Southeast Asia immediately after World War 2 with soldiers searching in the jungle for someone (or something) who has killed a couple of innocent villagers. As it turns out, an American deserter named "Joseph Langdon" (John Ashley) is also in the vicinity and due to his desperate situation makes a deal with the devil (played by Vic Diaz) to escape from the situation he has found himself in. It's at this point that the movie fast-forwards to the present with the body of Langdon being buried but his soul transported into a man named "Philip Rogers" (also played by John Ashley) who has just been declared dead by a surgeon in a hospital. Needless to say, his wife "Julia" (Mary Wilcox ) is overjoyed when Philip comes back to life. However, the new version of Philip isn't the same and immediately makes decisions that hurt all those around him by sowing evil among them--and that especially applies to Julia and his brother "Earl" (Ken Metcalfe). But then one night something very unexpected happens and Philip is transformed into a kind of werewolf--which creates even more problems for everyone involved. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a standard low-budget film characteristic of movies produced in the Philippines during this particular time. Yet, even though the acting was adequate it was the makeup and special effects which really doomed this film-especially on the part of the supposed werewolf. It was really bad. That said, I have rated the film accordingly. Below average.