Dead of Night

From the team who brought us "Trilogy of Terror" comes a follow-up TV produced three part anthology by writer Richard Matheson and director / producer Dan Curtis. Not to be confused with the 1945 version with the same title (which is also an anthology), this TV feature was going to be a pilot for an up and coming TV series that didn't eventuate. The three stories that have been picked are all rather different in tone. Honestly the first two tales really do pale in comparison with the last one and if this one weren't tact on it would be quite a mediocre film. Curtis' sturdy direction is fine, without over-doing anything, but maybe could have used bit more spruce. Although saying that he comes into his own in the final story. Each story (adapted from Henry James' story) written by Matheson has its nice little touch and imaginative edge, but again it's the final one that only clicks and stands-out. There's no real wrap-around story holding these tales together, but it opens with quite an atmospheric beginning to kick off proceedings.

1/ "Second Chance" - (20 minutes) A young man buys an old vintage 1926 Jordan car, which he restores, every single feature, including the original number plates. He takes it out for a drive on an old back road and then finds himself transported back to 1926.

There's nothing horrifying about this one, but there's a "Twilight Zone" spin on the material and how things play out. Rather slow-moving and sappy with Ed Begley Jr.'s musty narration adding to the ponderous pace in this stop and go affair. The robust music score was kinda off, but it was exceptionally well shot. Curtis seems to be directing from the script. It's not bad and has an endearing stroke to it, but its quite uneventful and far from intriguing. This one feels rather misplaced compared with the other two. I can't knock that this isn't a smart little fantasy, but it doesn't grip you either.

2/ "No Such Thing as a Vampire" - (20 minutes) A professor living in a mansion in the eastern Europe with his wife, finds out that his wife has bite marks on her neck. He doesn't believe in vampires, but his superstitious servants and the surrounding village think otherwise. A doctor is called in to see her and he notices that the husband also has marks on his neck.

This broodingly unusual mystery is a tightly drawn up one idea concept and is shaped by its Victorian settings. It's more suggestive in its set-up and has things going on behind the scenes to throw you off course. Instead it gets rather clunky with a payoff that comes as quite a let down. Not that it wasn't good, just that I was expecting something more from this enliven mystery. Patrick Macnee is good in his sly performance, Elisha Cook Jr. equally so as superstitiously uptight servant. Horst Buchoiz and Anjanette Cormer are reasonably sound. The atmosphere is very bleak and is rallied up by the foreboding music score and flowing photography.

3/ "Bobby" - (30 minutes) A lady is staying alone in a beach house, while her husband is on a business trip. So during one stormy night she decides to perform a magic ritual to hopefully bring back her dead son who accidentally drowned. Nothing happens for a while, but then she hears a knock on the door and there sits a shivering and soaking-wet Bobby.

Now this is more like it! Haunting, creepy and truly disquieting is the key to this one. This dark little item was indeed captivating by consistently tightening the screws with controlled suspense and lingering on some spine-tingling images. Curtis paces it briskly and milks it out nicely with sweeping camera movements and a selectively alienating music score. The distinct performances are very impressive by Joan Hackett and Lee H. Montgomery. Montgomery is downright eerie and Hackett is truly fitting as the unhinged mother. It made great use of clichéd devices, like the thunderstorm to generate atmosphere. The close quarters made it thrillingly taut with its encroaching shadows and quiet air. The mind-snapping premise has that ambiguous build up too it and plays around with that feeling where things aren't what they seem, like the second one. This one does leave a lasting impression with its genuinely macabre conclusion.

I guess one out of three ain't bad, but again if it wasn't for the splendour packed final segment it wouldn't be worth your time in tracking it down. Still it's worth it if do happen to come by it.

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.

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.

I'd read countless statements and a few reviews stating that the 3rd segment here; "Bobby" amounts to what is the most frightening 30 minutes of television horror and scared many ****less when first viewed. Of course; for jaded horror viewers today, that kinda' statement can't possibly hold up. But; I watched "Bobby" (and the rest of "Dead Of Night") a few moments ago and "Bobby" doesn't disappoint.

"Bobby" is a very atmospheric episode. The tone is immediately set when the mother calls upon dark forces to return her son, Bobby, home. A few moments later Bobby returns and pretty soon it's clear he's not the way she remembered him. What follows is a cat and mouse game, extremely well played out, tense and quite frightening with one hell of an ending.

The other episodes of "Dead of Night", quite frankly, pale in comparison. "Second Chance" is a uneventful story about time travel with a twist in the end that justifies what's gone on before but little more than that. "No Such Thing as a Vampire" is a well acted little mystery, again, with an OK twist but rather slow and lacks any suspense.

"Dead of Night" will only be remembered for "Bobby" and, at the meager age of 36 years old, the episode still packs a punch. At it's basic core it's a frightening concept and with a running time of less than half an hour there's more tension and shock value to be found here than in many feature films.

Is it good value to recommend something that's only 1/3 good? In this case; I'd have to say Yes.

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...