Beast of the Yellow Night

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.

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!

After recently finding a copy of this on DVD, I brought it home and was amazed to find this was everything I was looking for and a whole lot more. Filmed in the Philippines and directed by Eddie Romero, I was horrified/enlightened by its blasphemous blend of cannibalism, comedy, and deals with the devil gone bad. John Ashley is excellent as one of the most frightening, gruesome, and demented-looking monsters I've ever seen. Entertaining as can be. For me, the only thing scarier than this movie is the fact that I almost never got to see it! Great flick!

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.

A bad man makes a deal with the devil to stay alive. His reward a pile of rotten meat and existence. The devil has plans for him. The man must occasionally turn into a beast and reek havoc on the surrounding area. There is another part of the plot, his relationship with his min- skirt wearing wife. He has not treated her well, but because she loves him, she puts up with his inconsistencies, including coming back from the dead in a hospital. He knows that there is no good end, but he has been made invulnerable, so he must carry out the wishes of his master. The problem lies with what the desired end is. When dealing with he devil, we must recognize his powers and, since we don't know how extensive they are, our hero (anti-hero) has no real free will. That's the rub. He meets a snarly old blind man who has a checkered past and philosophizes constantly. The central character would like to die. The interesting thing is that after his resurrection he is a pretty kind man, thoughtful and gracious and caring. I don't know. It's so darned obtuse that I just never got a handle on it.