Night Comes Too Soon

Little known short (just 52 minutes) UK supporting feature, starring Valentine Dyall. A pair of newlyweds buy a rundown old mansion, only to find that the spirits of all three members of a love triangle that ended in murder many years before still linger there. Desperate to rid themselves of the haunting they contact a friend who has made a study of such things (Dyall). This is actually an adaptation of Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1859 novel The Haunters and the Haunted. Shot entirely at a supposedly haunted derelict manor house near North London, the budget appears to have comprised solely of the petrol money/train fares to the location. Nevertheless, they do a good job of setting an uneasy atmosphere right from the couple's first night in the house, with strange noises and half-heard whisperings. The appearances of the ghosts are done by superimposition, or sometimes by simply turning a light up and down on an actor standing in shadow, and perhaps reflected in glass. Unfortunately, with the exception of Dyall, the rest of the performances are distractingly 'stage-like'. Also, the backstory to the haunting is glossed over too quickly, and needs more detail in its explanation, and the twist at the end makes no sense. It's a shame this adaptation didn't have (a) more money, (b) more time, and (c) a better supporting cast. There's obvious potential in the story. 5.5/10.

The Ghost Of Rashmon Hall is a short quota quickie from Great Britain which probably did not get much if any exhibition in the USA. Though the film is something like what you might have seen on the Twilight Zone or Boris Karloff's Thriller it's not all that bad. It depends greatly on the sinister voice and bearing of Valentine Dyall and Dyall certainly delivers.

Gathered around a parlor Dr. Valentine Dyall an expert in the paranormal tells a tale of a pair of newlyweds who purchase an old mansion with a curse on it. Anne Howard and Alec Faversham are the newlyweds and the place is definitely haunted. The two get up close and personal with three ghosts, the squire on the estate, his wife, and her sailor paramour.

The ending is not something you would expect, but Alfred Hitchcock couldn't have done better. Valentine Dyall makes believers of those at the party about ghosts.

This film is hokey beyond belief. The action is so stilted and there are so many pregnant pauses. The leads seem to be acting like they are in a public information film. Valentine Dyall is always a great presence to watch, but in this film he is so limited by the awful direction. The film, as others have said, look waaaaay older than it actually is...it looks more like a very early 30s film and the soundtrack (which is inappropriate at times) sometimes sounds like it's from a Laurel & Hardy short. That said, there are some superb filmic ideas, and for all they are 'low budget' I thought they were really quite eerie. Someone could take this film now and create something as good as 'The Others'...but considering that won't happen, we are left with an odd but strangely compelling film.

Whilst House of Mystery,released in 1961,uses a similar story,it is a far more impressive and chilling film.In this film too much relies on the chilling voice of Valentine Dyall and optical effects.Dyall was making a name for himself on BBC radio as "The Man Of Mystery" at the time and so was transferring his talents to the screen.The problem that I found with the film was that it was not that chilling.There are a number of ghosts materialising and a rather half baked reason for the happenings but it did nothing for me.It might of course have been different for someone sitting in a dark cinema all those years ago.You don't expect a big budget with these films but you do expect some big ideas.

Although set in the usual enormous house that in those days films would had have us believe everybody then lived in, austerity Britain never looked more austere than this telling of a very similar story to the haunted mirror episode of 'Dead of Night' (an impression further confirmed by the casting of that film's Anthony Baird in the framing story).

Despite atmospheric photography of a derelict Mill Hill mansion by Ray Densham, for most of it's length it gets its atmosphere largely from various noises like a dripping tap, creaking doors, screams in the night, breaking glass and especially the narration by Man in Black himself Valentine Dyall; although the spectre when finally seen is quite satisfying.