NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT
UK, 1972,90 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Diana Dors, Georgia Brown, Keith Barron.
Directed by Peter Sasdy.
Nothing But The Night is quite an entertaining horror thriller, made by the team and stars responsible for many of the Hammer horror films. Christopher Lee, however, has the role of a police inspector and Peter Cushing is a consulting surgeon. Diana Dors has a role which enables her to be hysterical. Direction is by Peter Sasdy, who made the inventive Hands of the Ripper.
While the film was made on a rather small budget, it makes the most of its technical qualities. It has a climax on a remote island and creates quite a sense of horror (akin to the much better The Wicker Man). The plot is interesting and for 1972 perhaps ahead of its time. It is a variation on cloning and the search for immortality. Trustees of an orphanage die - after their essence is given to the orphans so ensuring their immortality. A complex but enjoyable and even thought provoking horror thriller.
1. The appeal of this kind of film? Entertainment, horror,, science fiction and fantasy?
2. The colour photography, the location photography and climaxes? Special effects? The atmosphere of horror? Musical score?
3. The title and its overtones? Conventions of horror, deaths, investigations? Nightmares? Dreams? The use of surgery, medicine, psychiatry? Hypnotherapy? The conventions of the police, the doctors? The build-up to menace and the fiery climax? The deaths of the children?
4. The plausibility of the plot, the seeking of immortality? The use of children? The conventions of science fiction medicine and potions for immortality? The police investigation? The murders? Mary Harb's mother? The blend of horror and police investigation?
5. Christopher Lee's presence as Colonel Bingham? His investigations, the detail of his researches, friendship with Sir Mark Ashley? The encounters with Dr. Haynes, Anna Harb? His going to the Scottish island? The discovery of Anna Harb burning? His being drawn into the fire? His rescue? Christopher Lee as hero?
6. The support of Peter Cushing as Sir Mark Ashley and the detached scientific point of view? Dr Haynes and his investigation and death? The assistant police, the assistants in the hospital?
7. Mary Valley as being the focus of the children. the bus accident. Mary's treatment. hypnosis, nightmares and stories? The realisation that her personality was that of the founder of the orphanage? Her leadership of the other children? The killing of Anna Harb? The attempt to kill Colonel Bingham? Mary's death and the death of the other children?
8. Anna Harb as convicted murderess, strident woman, relationship with Mary, the visit to the hospital. audience suspicions of her killing the doctor., her pursuit of Mary to the island. the ugliness of her death?
9. The portrait of the trustees of the orphanage, their deaths and the variety of deaths, the bus accident, ship explosion? The personalities of the children? The discovery of the truth?
10. The use of horror conventions especially for the deaths and the climax? Audience identification.. revulsion? Fascination with themes of life and death and immortality?
