LIKE MANY #PETERCUSHING or Hammer films fan, I have down the years collected this film in just about all the domestic media formats, from VHS tape holding a fuzzy recording from a tv broadcast... worn indeed, a DVD in fact TWO dvd's, one with the UK theatrical release title and another with the title, 'Honeymoon Of Fear' with a switching of the STAR billing and attraction from Judy Geeson, to Joan Collins! Hammer films, 'FEAR IN THE NIGHT' 1972 release, isn't so much as who-done-it.. more of a WHO is GOING to DO IT!
'FEAR IN THE NIGHT' I think, is quite a surprising and unpredictable thriller, in that 'Sangster-Hammer films' style. I enjoyed the film even more this time round on Studio Canal's very nice blu ray, and as times and equipment have changed so much in my viewing habits, the viewing on a large grand tv screen, while wearing headphones.. made watching this particular Cushing film, quite a different experience of past years, . . while now, not missing a beat 😉😊 I would hate to give
too much away about the plot, but suffice to say it’s an very enjoyable 90 minutes, very much elevated by the efforts of a such a fine cast. Geeson makes for an especially
likeable lead, balanced by Joan Collins completely natural cat and spiteful piece of work!
THE PLOT:
Six months after suffering a nervous breakdown and just four months
after meeting schoolteacher Robert (Ralph Bates, 'Taste the Blood of Dracula 1970, 'Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde' 1971 'Poldark BBC tc series 1975-77),
twenty-two year old Peggy (Judy Geeson, 'To Sir, With Love' 1967, 'Ten Rillington Place' 1971) (Doomwatch' 1972) gets married and is about
to set off from London to the countryside where Robert teaches at a private
boys school.
The night before she is set to leave, she is attacked in her boarding house room by an assailant with a prosthetic arm. In spite of the concerns for her mental health from landlady Mrs. Beamish (Gillian Lind, 'And Now the Screaming Stars! 1973) and her doctor (James Cossins, 'The Anniversary' 1968, 'Blood from the Mummy's Tomb' 1971), Peggy insists that they contact the police, but no evidence is found of an attack. Hoping to put it all behind her, Peggy settles in at a cottage with Robert on the school grounds while everyone is away for the holidays but she finds little to comfort her in her new surroundings. Headmaster Michael Carmichael (Peter Cushing) is kindly but unnerves her with his prosthetic hand, his much younger wife Molly (Joan Collins, 'Tales from the Crypt' 1972, 'Tales That Witness Madness' 1973, 'Dark Places 1974) insinuates that she really does not belong there, and she is attacked again while Robert is away. Although Robert does not believe her, he arms her with a shotgun for protection when he leaves for an overnight trip and does not know what to make of things when he returns to discover a puddle of blood and both shells empty.
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED by long time script writer, Jimmy Sangster it about the fourth script he has served up, based on a variation of the French 1955 thriller Diabolique (1955) and the 1944 film, 'Gaslight'. Many Hammer fans at the time of it's release, wasted no time in spotting some of the similarities between Sangster's 1961, 'Taste of Fear' / 'Scream of Fear' starring Susan Strasberg, Ann Todd and Christopher Lee. Sangster had a period of writing a handful of Hammer suspense and terror films for a few years, Hysteria in 65, Nightmare 1964, and Paranoiac in 1963, are all very good films, similar plots threads, but maybe 'Taste of Fear' is the best of the bunch, with 'Fear In The Night' sitting side by side. The plots of both do have shared shades, but in both, the casts are so good I feel the both cross that finishing line with the end credits, in shared first place.
WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY, for those few who have not had the opportunity to view 'FEAR IN THE NIGHT' yet, I will share one opinion from the many who have seen the film and can't wait to tell you.. 'Well, I KNEW who the villain was AND how it was going to end, pretty early on!' However, this maybe a fair 'give-away' to just how guidable and flexible a viewer I really am, as I can not lay claim to that opinion of the film! I first watched 'Fear In The Night' in 1981. I was too young and naive to be admitted into our local flea pit, and see the film on it's release, so a TV viewing, armed with my VHS recorder remote and a room bathed in darkness, I was totally sold by the plot... even though I had seen a TV broadcast of 'Taste of Fear' just days before 'Fear In The Night' and was so wrapped up in the plot, I failed to see any of the similar threads of 'Taste'!! Maybe it was because, even though I really enjoyed Judy Geeson and Ralph Bates performances, I was so totally absorbed in one particular character... it kept me wrapped up in theory of 'Is he REALLY that twisted'... maybe or maybe knot!
JUDY GEESON is impressive in a role which requires her to show much weakness and mental fragility, traits in a few roles she was to play in films over the next twenty years. RALPH BATES plays Geeson's husband, and between him and Joan Collins, who 'interestingly' plays Peter Cushing's wife... there is are a few red herrings and plot twists, to keep al players busy. Which brings me to Cushing's role of headmaster, Michael Carmicheal. I has been quite a while since I sat and watched this movie, but even though Cushing's screen time is limited, there is a twist that DOES give him a screen presence, even though he is not physically on screen. The fact that all of his time in vision in the story, is shared only with Judy Geeson's Peggy.
THIS GIVES THE WHOLE FILM a weird feeling of you not really knowing IF Cushing's headmaster is actually there, or in Peggy's imagination. Again, I don't want to give anything away in regard of the plot or the background to the characters, all I will say is, Cushing juggles a what you experience as creepiness and yet, care and warmth, for the boys of his school and Geeson's character. It's a real treat to watch his face closely, a twitch, a pause here he says much.. but not what you are thinking! The climax of the film, is worth waiting for and again.. I really didn't see it coming! 😦😲 There are many I know who watch thrillers and murder mysteries as a challenge. If you are watching with them, they can't wait to share their theory and opinion of 'what is going to happen next' and 'who is doing what behind the plot' This is a pet hate of mine 😞😩😬 Which is probably why my time watching any tv or movies, is a solitary affair! 😁😂
IF YOU TOO want to enjoy the film and also have friends and family who always want to share their amazing powers of deduction and detective prowess...keep them away and enjoy! 😄😉
THE VISUALS
THE STUDIO CANAL 'Fear in the Night' transfer to blu ray, is quite impressive, compared to some of the other Hammer titles,they released back in 2013. This release gets the treat of being dual layered having a high bite rate, which is unusual for a 90 minute feature. The visuals really look rich, with impressive textures and colour. The 1080P holds quite solid contrast, with tight colours, all presented in the films original 1.66:1 frame. Look carefully and you'll be pleased to see lots of visual detail, no wobble, fuzz or debris. This is probably one of the cleanest Hammer releases you'll see, only a step or two behind the Warner Brothers 'Dracula AD 1972' and 'Satanic Rites of Dracula' blu ray remastered blu ray releases. . . there are no flaws with the image! So, when watching your copy, take comfort in the fact that, this blu ray, probably looks as good as, if not exactly like the quality of the original theatrical release, enjoyed back in 1972.
THE AUDIO
THE STUDIO CANAL Blu-ray of Fear in the Night has a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel at 1375 kbps (24-bit). It has effects that are mostly subtle with only a couple of more aggressive instances, during the first scene after the credit sequence and during Peggy's chase scene. Although this MAYBE an issue with just my pre release disc. The score is a superb one by John McCabe, who also did the scores for both 1980's 'Hammer House of Horror' and Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense'. Aside form Phillip Martell and James Bernard, both McCabe, David '(Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde) Whitaker and Harry (Twins of Evil) Robertson are really quite special composers, who brought their ear and talents to several hammer and Amicus films, thus really providing a often brilliant addition to the action. and runs beside the film adding suspense. There are optional English subtitles and my copy has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked . .
THIS RELEASE packages up its extras with a neat 17-minute featurette called 'End of Term: Inside Fear in the Night'
that has individuals like Kevin Lyons, who is the Documentation Editor at the British Film Institute,
Alan Barnes, author of the ace book, 'The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films'
doing a fine job of presenting us with the film's history, a few
production details, but nothing we didn't already know. . .
WHICH IS A SHAME, as 'Fear in The Night' is one of the few lesser known Hammer films, with a major cast member who is still happily with us . . Judy Geeson. She has many very good tales and details on her experience of working with Peter Cushing and Ralph Bates. I don't think Joan Collins will have much to say, but I am sure many Hammer crew and cast would for sure 😏 Maybe next time?? As was the practice with Studio Canal's Hammer blu rays at this time, there is also a the original trailer and the package comes with a second disc of the film on DVD. All in, Studio Canal's Blu Ray release is a neat package, worth adding to your Hammer film collection ! In the UK some stores are selling this blu ray as part of a TWO FILM deal. with other Hammer Studio blu rays, that were released by Studio Canal at the time OR you could try your hand at our PCASUK COMPETITION turning up for a full term at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, will guarantee lot's of 'playtime' a little suspense and give a nice bit of 'teaching' to your day! Have FUN!
Marcus Brooks
