Night of Fear

Terry Bourke's Night of Fear was originally meant to be the pilot for an Australian TV-series titled "Fright." However, the censors banned it on the grounds of "indecency and obscenity." That is unfortunate, as it would have made a great TV series, as this was a pretty good movie in its own right. Although you can tell it was a pilot, as the movie has opening titles very much like a TV show (and it is called "Fright), plus it only goes for 50 minutes and there is pretty much no dialogue.

Having said this, it is grisly and unsettling and although tame by today's standards, does feature a few nasty scenes. Also (and very interestingly) this was made two years before Tobe Hooper's widely regarding cult classic, "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre." While I was watching this, I was constantly reminded of Hooper's film, with the outback setting, the distressed and screaming heroine and the disturbed hillbilly villain. Night of Fear is virtually plot less, it follows 'The Woman' (Carla Hoogeveen) who takes an accidental wrong turn to avoid a collision and crashed her car near 'The Man's' (Norman Yemm) house. He stalks and terrorises her for the rest of the film.

It is a shame this was extended into a feature length with some dialogue, as it would make a great 70's exploitation film along the lines of Hooper's "Massacre." However, for what it is, it is quite good and it would not surprise me if some filmmakers got inspiration from this...("Wolf Creek").

3½/5

I appreciate that this was accordingly conceived as the pilot for a TV show. One had better appreciate it, or else the stylized opening credits and predominant lighthearted music would turn one off right away. Likewise, between Terry Bourke's direction and Peter Hendry's cinematography, there were many choices made here in terms of how shots were arranged that were choices of novelty and not of sincere intent; it's readily evident that the TV program that did not materialize was to have carried a wry, tongue-in-cheek tone even amidst the horror-thriller violence. A bit more plainly questionable is the editing, which carries the same latter sensibility but has the effect of chopping up the viewing experience in a tiresome manner. I could also do without the animal cruelty, a needless, tasteless addition even in a genre that already capitalizes on death and violence. No matter how you want to look at it, 'Night of fear' is neither free of issues nor an essential must-see.

The plot is emphatically straightforward - admittedly in keeping with the slant of the original apparent intent - and the storytelling is so direct and unsophisticated that there's not necessarily much lasting entertainment value to be had here. In the very least I commend the cast for their committed, intense performances, even if Norman Yemm is a little over the top as the hermit. I will also say that to the credit of filmmaker Bourke, the feature is able to achieve a measure of tense atmosphere. With smart use of sound effects, lighting, and art direction in addition to the acting, some more horror-appropriate themes in the score, and instances of fine scene writing, all the key ingredients are in place for a dash of suspense; say what one will of the man's direction, he's capable enough to judiciously exercise those advantages. Furthermore, it's noteworthy that Bourke doesn't bog down the abbreviated tale with extraneous dialogue; save for some passing instances of verbalized exclamations, 'Night of fear' sagely frees itself of words that sometimes just get in the way. Off the top of my head I can think of few genre flicks - or sound pictures generally - that adopted such an approach, and I admire the welcome change of pace.

In fairness to cinematographer Hendry and editor Ray Alchin, their contributions also lend to the harrowing air about the film despite the most overzealous instances. While these fifty-odd minutes are brief and forthright, they nevertheless evoke earnest feelings of horror for as dark and grisly as the story gets before all is said and done. What it really comes down to is that the production quite comes off as the audiovisual equivalent of a short story, the sort one might find in 'Scary stories to tell in the dark' or other such collections; nevermind television - Bourke may well have collaborated on an anthology movie with contemporaries, and 'Night of fear' would have fit right in. For those who appreciate all the places the genre can go, whatever form that might take, this will be modestly satisfying. It's no zenith of thrills of ambience, but it's suitably enjoyable in its grimness, and for as short as it is, it's readily digestible for something light and quick. Don't go out of your way, but 'Night of fear' is a fine little piece if you come across it, and that's all it needs to be.

It's not a work of great entertainment, but it's artistically competent and well worth it for anyone who likes to dip and wallow in Horror.

The editing merges a bit of the raison d'être of a movie trailer, that is, clippings of what will come next, without clarifying what will actually come - which didn't particularly work for me. But, knowing now that this is a movie crafted into a TV series, this almost stylized edit makes sense.

The characters present themselves in the standards of horror films, already very well established in the 1970s, and do not develop a complete arc, they are just there to do what is expected of the genre: kill and die. What you have then is the art around it. Photography, performances and soundtrack.

Pursued by madman (Yemm) after making a wrong turn, young secretary Hoogeveen finds herself at the mercy of the elements (and animals) in this taut Ozploitation thriller that's light on detail but entertaining nonetheless.

Virtually no dialogue is spoken, instead set design, makeup and location cinematography are the stars whilst the usually conservative Yemm (formerly one of the lead detectives from TV's 'Homicide') is cast as a backwoods tramp with just one thing on his mind (besides eating rats). TV soap star Behets also appears in the beginning as an ill-fated saddler.

Terry Bourke's first Australian theatrical film doesn't even make feature length at just under an hour head to tail, yet displays enough mindless mayhem to kickstart a career that would soon see the under appreciated horror-western 'Inn of the Damned', and then the more commercially successful 'Lady Stay Dead' for the 80s video market. Quick and dirty, but definitely worth a look.

Fearless editing and sound design from an unknown Australian filmmaker in the early 70s. Night of Fear - It's not a completely lost treasure but it does contain incredible composition, editing and brave use of sound (none being dialogue) skills throughout.

It would've been a hard fight to get any distribution- not so much because of subject matter or the violence, but of the techniques used that would not have been endorsed by standard filmmaking at that time. What was more impressive is the quality of the print they had for the telecine transfer! It was almost spotless!

Terry Bourke (19 April 1940 - 2002) I salute you.

More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_Fear_%28film%29