Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45575 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-01-08
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Synopsis
A variant on the film LES DIABOLIQUES, about a young girl who is deluded into committing a murder while recovering from a nervous breakdown.

Customer Reviews

A clever offering from Hammer
Fear in the Night is a clever tale from the early 1970's of newly weds at a rural English public school during the holiday period.

I would watch any horror film with Peter Cushing in it, but I wouldn't say this was a horror movie - instead it's more of a 90 minute psychodrama.

Without spoiling the plot, this film is an elaborate tale of treachery and deceit which is well worth watching.

This is good ole British film-making of a form that we rarely see these days. Useful supporting role by Joan Collins.

A blast from the past...
This is a good standard English terror film of the 60s' It has several suprises and reminds me of what great terror films we used to make those days. The scenes are what all expect England to be: a well done film for all Hammer fans should see.

School's Out!
Although made by Hammer, Fear In The Night (1972) is not a horror film, but is in fact a suspense thriller.

It was produced, directed and co-written by Hammer legend Jimmy Sangster.

At the centre of the story is 22 year old Londoner Peggy (Judy Geeson) who is attacked by someone with an artificial arm on the evening before she moves to the private boys school where her new husband Robert (Ralph Bates) teaches. Her landlady and doctor are sceptical when she informs them of her ordeal, mainly because they know she is recovering from a nervous breakdown. The following day she arrives at the idyllic rural boarding school. As she takes a stroll around the premises she hears the voices of children, even though all the pupils are on holiday. Is Peggy's mind playing tricks on her? Then she meets the Headmaster (Peter Cushing) who's a bit creepy and has a moustache and an artificial arm. Later that same day someone with an artificial arm attacks her again. She informs Robert, but he doesn't believe her, "I believe you think you were attacked". Peggy eventually puts two and two together and shoots the Headmaster. But, of course, there's a twist to the plot...

Besides from the gripping story, what really makes this film worth watching are the performances from the four main actors. Peter Cushing, as always, is on top form. What a pleasure it is watching this master at work. Amazingly, he only worked on this film for four days! Judy Geeson is well cast as the vulnerable young woman who is forced to question her own sanity in what must have been quite a demanding role. Joan Collins is perfect as seductive sculptress Molly. Joan is one of the all-time greats at playing bitches. She doesn't make her entrance until almost halfway through the film and the first thing she does is blast the guts out of a cute little rabbit with a shotgun! Ralph Bates is also very good, and was becoming a bit of a Hammer regular by this time. Incidentally, Ralph and Joan would both go on to star in the much underrated I Don't Want To Be Born (1975).

On the DVD itself, there are no faults with the picture or the sound. It is presented in full screen. There are no subtitles available. As for extras, there is a commentary by Sangster himself and a trailer.

Fear In The Night is not top drawer Hammer, but is well worth checking out. If you like this film then may I recommend getting hold of a copy of Hammer's Taste Of Fear (1961), which was written by Jimmy Sangster, and is also about a young woman tricked into believing she is losing her mind.