Mit der Nacht kommt der Tod

Dead of Night is one of those legendary TV anthologies that tends to haunt the memory of anyone who saw it when they were young and impressionable, but like Trilogy of Terror, that 'other' fondly remembered anthology from director Dan Curtis and writer Richard Matheson, it's just one story out of the three that really warrants the attention.

The first story, 'Second Chance', is a rather charming time-twister of a tale which sees Ed Begley Jr. taking a trip into the past in his restored classic car and inadvertently saving the life of its original owner. It's well told and well acted, and contains a clever Twilight Zone-style twist at the end (not at all surprising since Matheson penned many an episode for Rod Serling's classic series) but this fantasy is just a little too gentle to sit comfortably as part of this collection.

Tale two, 'No Such Thing As A Vampire', has Patrick Macnee playing a jealous professor who exploits local superstition about vampires to do away with his wife's lover. Too far fetched to take seriously and a tad predictable, this is the least memorable tale of the trio.

As was the case with Trilogy of Terror's unforgettable Zuni Fetish Doll, the best is saved for last: 'Bobby' is a well crafted and genuinely scary occult story that stars Joan Hackett as a distraught mother who resorts to black magic to try and bring back her late son Bobby from the dead. Of course, meddling with dark forces is never a good idea and Bobby's mum learns a little too late that she should be careful what she wishes for. Atmospheric and very eerie, with a really creepy turn by Lee Montgomery as Bobby and a killer of a finalé, this is best watched alone in the dark on a stormy night for maximum effect.

Dan Curtis is awesome for the few of you who don't already know that. This wonderful made-for-TV anthology horror film is further proof of his awesomeness. The movie opens with a piece that is actually not a horror story. It's a lovely fantasy about a man (Ed Begley Jr.) with a love for classic cars who rebuilds a Jordan Playboy roadster and somehow drives it back in time to 1926. I love this opening story so much. I have a special place in my heart for nostalgic stories like Somewhere in Time and Walking Distance and this reminds me of those. Gentle, leisurely paced, romantic time travel tales get me every time. Plus any movie that shows proper respect and love for the Playboy and its iconic advertisements is aces in my book.

The second story is a fun one. I won't spoil it for you but it stars Patrick Macnee and Elisha Cook, Jr. and centers around a woman being targeted by a vampire. This segment is the shortest but thankfully so since the plot is pretty thin. The third and final story is a nerve-wracking one about a grieving mother turning to black magic to bring back her dead son. It's basically one of those "be careful what you wish for" stories. Joan Hackett gives a gripping performance as the mom and young Lee Montgomery is pretty creepy as the son. It's intense stuff. This is likely going to be the favorite segment for most viewers as it's the only one that's truly horror. But as I said the first one is my personal favorite.

Overall Dead of Night is another feather in the cap of the great Dan Curtis. Despite being mostly limited to television he did more for onscreen American horror in the 1970s than pretty much any other filmmaker. Some may have had more important single films but he had the most consistent output. This is one of his more underrated efforts and I would recommend anyone who enjoys his other work check it out. In my opinion it's even better than his more famous anthology, Trilogy of Terror.

I saw this movie when it originally aired in 1977. I was only a little intrigued with the first two stories, but it was the third, "Bobby," that gave me nightmares for years. Joan Hackett is excellent (as usual) as Bobby's mother, and Lee Montgomery is equally good as a boy who goes from sweet victim to hellish tormenter. When I saw it again in '82, I was older of course and more cynical, but I found the ending just as frightening as it was the first time I watched it. Damn scary for a T.V. movie, and worth watching when Halloween rolls around!

Dan Curtis gives us another effective film, told in a trio of stories.

First has Ed Begley Jr. as a young man whose love of a car sends him on an intriguing time-travel excursion that, while not original, is at least satisfying.

Second has Patrick Macnee in a period piece as a husband worried over his fear that his wife is the victim of a vampire. Film has a clever twist that you may not see coming...

Third tale called 'Bobby' is by far the best, reminiscent of "Trilogy Of Terror" in how it tells the scary tale of a guilt-ridden mother who turns to the supernatural to resurrect her drowned son, a decision she comes to regret horribly...tense and effective, with a hair-raising final scene that will not be soon forgotten, after seen...

I have a lot of love for director Dan Curtis and for the movies he made during the 1970s, particularly his made-for-TV movies and horror anthologies. He was responsible for some of the most modest yet delightfully entertaining genre outings back then, like the vampire epic "House of Dark Shadows" (based on his own cult-series) and the infamous "Trilogy of Terror" (featuring a segment with Karen Black versus a crazed Zumi doll). For this relatively unknown "Dead of Night", Curtis had the honor and pleasure – I presume – to work with the acclaimed writer Richard Matheson ("I Am Legend") who penned down three versatile short stories of – and I quote the narrator – mystery, imagination and terror! Admittedly all the stories are mundane and tame, but they are charming and the overall movie definitely isn't boring. When browsing through the other user- comments around here it seems that most of my fellow fans prefer the last segment, but I respectfully disagree because I found "Bobby" the most predictable and derivative of the three. Personally I've seen too many full-length films or omnibus segments in which a devastated relative desperately attempts to bring a loved one back from the dead – through whatever method – only to come to the obvious conclusion that doing so is a very bad idea and has painful consequences. No, in fact, my favorite segment is the (also predictable) opening segment "Second Chance" in which old-timer car fanatic Frank (Ed Begley Jr.) buys – for a miserable $100 – and restores an awesome Jordan Playboy that was involved in an accident that killed two people back in 1926. During its first ride, however, the Jordan somehow drives Frank all the way back into time as if it wants to restart its own life-cycle. "Second Chance" is a fantasy/fairy-tale instead of a suspense story and doesn't feature a single drop of blood or moment of tension, but it's likable and nostalgic. The segment in the middle is called "No such thing as a Vampire" and is primarily worth checking out for its cast that contains names like Patrick MacNee, Elisha Cook Jr. and Horst Buchholz. Is there a vampire on the loose in the mysterious old Gheria castle and is he stalking the lady of the house Alexis? The superstitious townsfolk avoids the place like hell, but the truth might not be so supernatural after all. "Dead of Night" might just be the most forgettable movie I watched this year, but at least I don't regret it.