Dead of Night' | Critics' Picks | The New York Times

[@DrDreggs1]

In my opinion, quite simply the finest supernatural horror film ever made.

[@barpypardlo]

Very heartening that so many American friends enjoyed this very British film. Thank you!

[@3prettyvacant]

+Andrew Fawcett It shouldn't be obscure to American audiences. Luckily it can be shown on Turner Classic Movies every so often ( though not enough). It scared me, even as an adult, especially the Victorian birthday scene, and Michael Redgrave's excellent performance as the Ventriloquist. Cant get enough of British Films such as the Hammer Films and even regular films like ""Brief Encounter" with Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. Or "Waterloo Bridge"with Vivian Leigh 1940

[@bighuge1060]

I fell in love with this movie decades ago when I caught a bad copy in the early a.m. and the overblown print and bad audio made the viewing so surreal. I even did a metal etching in art school back in 1979 of the movie. I absolutely LOVE this movie.

[@adamgottschalk5423]

I made my little brother watch it on TV when we were kids - he's never forgiven me, so creeped out by "Hugo"

[@thebobbs6999]

For me, this remains the best horror film of all time. Forget all the clever visual fx and the gore of all the modern movies, this one stays with you, haunts you and intrigues you long after you've seen it. Each time I watch it, it seems to throw up a fine detail I hadn't noticed before. A very, very clever and psychologically unnerving narrative. The word 'uncanny' could have been created solely for this film.

[@rodionrebenyar]

Psychologically unnerving is good enough for me!

[@jimroebuck9341]

Best horror anthology film ever.

[@asb7395]

I thought Michael Redgrave stole the show as the deranged ventriloquist.

[@eldorado62]

I am a huge fan of black & white movies from the 1930's, '40's & '50's. I liked the way that the producers played with the black & white images, playing the dark against the light to dramatic effect. The camera angles too were unique. This movie is a classic. I saw it many years ago when I lived in England. It was a great time to be growing up....& being scared!!! I'd love to do it again.

[@ajaypatil4083]

Yes! Me too.

[@nickbarrettfilm]

Started watching this as I'm a huge Dead of Night fan (and as a fair few people have pointed out - this is NOT an obscure movie Mr Scott!), was about to post it when I realised you've included (and thereby dissipated the amazing climax of the movie) the clip of the doll in the cell at the end and even included a massive spoiler with Craig and the doctor - come on guys shape up, that's seriously crappy for people who haven't seen this amazing film!

[@garyhosty]

full agreement -

[@TheAdelaidehall]

In the chilling ‘Ventriloquist’s Dummy’ segment of Dead of Night Elisabeth Welch plays an American expatriate, a glamorous owner of a Parisian nightclub, 'Chez Beulah'. For the first time in an English-speaking film, a black woman is depicted as successful, independent and resourceful. This Beulah serves customers, not a white mistress. When a white American (played by Hartley Power) visits ‘Chez Beulah’, he is reunited with his old friend from New York, and the couple flirt a little. Beulah also sings with white musicians, something that could not be shown in American cinema at that time. For more information about the great Elisabeth Welch see Stephen Bourne’s Elisabeth Welch: Soft Lights & Sweet Music (Scarecrow Press, 2005).

[@violetjm]

Very interesting observations, thanks for all that info. I loved her in this movie.

[@Red88Rex]

This film was ahead of its time. I have watched several recent movies that employ the circular narrative, and LOVED them...I had no idea that type of story went so far back in film history! Also the anthology similar to the "Tales From the Crypt" movie is great. Each tale is uniquely creepy and memorable. Really great film.

[@prben2]

They don't make em like this any more, true atmosphere, plots and gothic creepiness, calm and sophisticated style, and most of all screen persona of convincing characters! It beats all the phoniness, narcissism, the in your face, wham bam, super fast, in a mad rush, bad language and violence of todays movies.

[@RenanCMaia]

Ventriloquist's Dummy sequence is amazing!

[@mikebynes3720]

That one scene with the dummy in the jail cell always gave me the creeps............sitting in the corner

[@flowerchildsmile]

Michael Redgrave's chapter was terrifying!

[@davepx1]

Hardly obscure, I'd have thought! One of the most famous horror films of all time, and still shocking in its final nightmare sequence. It's all the more striking to recall that that this was the loveable Ealing Studios (though much of their comedy output too carried a dark undertone), and that this was 1945 when you'd imagine people would have had enough of horror and death. I'm mystified if it's really so rarely seen in the US: for all its British tone there seems to be a good helping of US style in there from both 30s horror and 40s noir. There's a nice Eallng DVD set teaming it incongruously but interestingly with three of the studio's comedy classics: you might need them anyway after watching it. Both spiffing and awesome, and in a class of its own.

[@johnlewis9158]

Davy P and the others in this thread. I have two recommendations for you one you may well have seen night of the demon the fifties version and one you may not have seen the BBC production of Quatermass and the pit also from the fifties which is available on you tube.

[@ALLNEWSUX1]

Good review, but sad that the only way he could think of to describe an anthology to today's audience is by referencing the Simpsons Treehouse Of Horror...

[@3prettyvacant]

+ALLNEWSUX +ALLNEWSUX That was pretty lame that he couldn't think of ANY other anthology than the Simpsons. They could have at least mentioned "Tales from the Crypt" 1972, the movie, not the series.

[@richtalk34]

I haven't seen all the horror films there are, not by a long way, but this, for all its dated mannerisms and primitive effects, is flat out the scariest, most unnerving film I've ever seen. It doesn't make you scream. It doesn't turn your stomach. What it does is pull you into Walter Craig's dream, and down into a vortex of dread from which there is no escape. The horror lies in the stark inevitability of the nightmare ending. A great achievement. (Agree about the spoilers included in the review; simply not British.)

[@rosemarywaldie4958]

just watched this movie....Brits knew how to do it back in the 40's!

[@johnlewis9158]

if you liked this their is one from the fifties you might want to watch. Night of the demon. It is a English film but it stars Dana Andrews. It was on you tube for quite some time but i think it has been removed

[@dennisfowler6916]

+john lewis I think NIGHT OF THE DEMON was its title when it had its release in England. For it's subsequent US release, the title was changed to "Curse of the Demon". Niall McGuinness is genuinely frightening, even by today's standards, as the lugubrious master of "The old Religion".

[@johnlewis9158]

yes i totally agree Niall McGuinness was excellent

[@Nina5144]

Dennis Fowler - Based on a story by MR James, Casting the Runes. The film terrified me, especially the professor at the children's party.

[@Stereolabdream]

I'm an English film buff who's been a fan of this wonderful film for twenty years now. I think this is a very fair review. BUT!!! It seems extraordinarily "bad form" (to maintain the Englishness idiom) to show, quite literally, the key moments of the film...even the finale... Come on guys...don't spoil the film experience for people...

[@barpypardlo]

Thanks, but,as a Brit, I have to say that this film is not remotely 'obscure'.

[@dennisfowler6916]

+Andrew Fawcett I never found it "obscure", either.This film scared the pants off of American kids at matinees for decades. I first saw it on a UHF TV B & W Horror movie "programme", when I was barely six years old, and I had trouble sleeping that night. Mervyn Johns was so versatile--a truly magnificent character ACTOR. I think ROD SERLING of TWILIGHT ZONE fame may very well have gotten his CLIFF ROBERTSON tortured ventriloquist episode story idea from the LIONELL REDGRAVE vignette in this film.

[@doctorpretorious9911]

It's a very well known and influential film that never has been released in DVD or Blue Ray in America. But many Americans catch the movie on TV, specially in Halloween season.

[@steve62482]

oh great movie, when i was a teenager in the mid 80's i read about this movie and in those pre internet times spent ages and ages trying to find it…finally channel 4 showed as part of a vintage horror season or something, can remember setting the vhs as it was on 2am or something…was amazed, an absolutely wonderful film, terrific writing, acting and directing, and fiendishly entertaining

[@DKH1103]

To my mind, one of the best b&w horror movies that's been made.

[@keithorr3327]

Like the NY Times critic says many a classic premise for at least four of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" series were based on this portmanteau/Ealing Studios British horror/thriller of 1945: "The Dummy" and "Caesar & Me" (both based on the penultimate segment appearing Redgrave in a truly chilling turn as a ventriloquist possessed by his dummy Hugo) as well as "Twenty Two" where there's always..."room for one more...honey?!" The unbroken recurring dream conceit which serves as the framing narrative within a narrative for "Dead of Night" was also used by "The Twilight Zone" in an episode entitled "Shadow Play" starring Dennis (McCloud) Weaver.

[@ezrastardust3124]

I just watched this film an hour ago for my film classes I’m still in awe of how clever it is

[@kristinastinson6335]

The second story set in a haunted mansion is chilling because the writer based the child on a famous true mid -Victorian murder victim Young master Kent's 15 year old half sister named Constance Kent, cut her young brothers throat ( out of jealously and vengence) nearly taking his head off, and forced his body down the servants outside privy . She very nearly got away with it too had it not been for the brilliance of dective Whicher . It cost him his job because upper middle class young ladies just wouldn't do such a thing. She got religion and made a full confession years later. The story was later made into the excellent TV drama called 'The suspicion of Mr Whicher' from the excellent book of the same title. This is what made this film so great.

[@adrinathegreat3095]

one of my favourite horror films, seen on television many times over the year's, sadly mainstream tv channels put on endless tripe over and over again and miss out far to many gems like this

[@videoinformer]

I looked this movie up because it was mentioned as the inspiration for Fred Hoyle's Steady State Model of the Universe, a competitor for the Big Bang Model. I found it hard to believe, and initially thought it might be a prank on Wikipedia, but saw I several mentions in different places.

[@scooterthelostduckling1356]

There are spoilers in this video. Other clips from the movie could have been used... One of my favorite movies and one I never get tired of... the haunted mirror story, with Googie Withers, is my favorite part.

[@bralingii1635]

Great film! I got to see it on the big screen.

[@flowerchildsmile]

A must see for any horror film fans. Brilliant

[@rewster7]

Why show the spoiler?

[@RabbiSteve]

Since this video came out, there’s now a very nice Kino Lorber Blu-ray of it with a one hour plus documentary about the film (which can also be found on YT), and a commentary track.

[@redcardinalist]

I'd hardly call Dead of Night "obscure". (And this from a film critic...sheesh).

[@markandresen1]

That sc. (partially shown here) where Maxwell smothers 'Hugo' with the pillow and the psychiatrist on his tail shouts to him through the asylum bars to stop, gave me nightmares for weeks...

[@ColumboJedi]

Just finished watching it. Great movie, and the final twist is just awesome. 1945....who would know that after 67 years, this will be interesting to watch again. xD

[@TOMBSTONESTAN]

Lol got this up in my loft collection. Remember watching back in the 60s. Love all these old black and whites.

[@andrewroche8139]

if anyone wants to know where to get dead of night it's on Wal-Mart's website

[@hunewearl8924]

this kind of horror is so much better than the boring gore filled jump scare movies we are plagued with today.

[@MarkEisenman]

A classic.

[@funkyalfonso]

Hardly obscure. And beware...spoiler alerts for those who want to see this film.

[@MisterMcGuinness]

thanks to this movie i live in terror of anywhere there's "room for one more inside sir!"

[@ThePlataf]

Absolutely brilliant film. It's available on Amazon.

[@RexMckinnis]

I just watched this randomly, it’s spooky season. This was on a list of 100 best horror movies. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@dav7444]

Far superior to ANY horror movie of it's era

[@joesmith201212]

I've been searching for a similar British horror film saw it as a small child but don't remember the title, it's a similar set up a couple drives and finds a small town and they hear their spooky stories and at the end the couple is scared and drives away and they keep driving through really thick fog for a bit but then only realize they are back in the same town and they are trapped now, scared the crap outta me as a kid, just can't remember what the movie was haha

[@BMGraham]

I watched this when I was a kid, I remembered "Just room for one more inside sir" and the "dirty thieving swine" with the dummy (which was how I was able to remember the name of the movie). I wish it were that easy to find a legal way to watch it online.

[@vilentman111]

Dusty, antique, out of the way video stores? Lol, 9.99 HMV bruh

[@Madbandit77]

Worth looking out for.

[@videoinformer]

@Stereolabdream I agree that this clip showed too many key scenes. I wish I had read comments before watching. I was concerned they seemed to be showing to much, kept watching, reassuring myself that a movie critic wouldn't give away more than he should. Maybe he wasn't responsible for the clip. I'm going to try to forget, then watch the movie in the distant future.

[@Mokkari77]

I saw this movie in the 90s on Bravo back when it mostly showed foreign movies.

[@zochbuppet448]

Once upon a time ...in the 80's Canadian TV came of age and they showed a huge assortment of things...including a lot of stuff from the UK. On the Buses all the the time on a mainstream tv in the early 80's. I was lucky in the late 80s I saw this amazing film on the CBC 2 times in 2 different years approx the same time in August as a kid. The 3rd viewing I had to leave half way through and was dragged out to go "socialize". After the 80's Canadian TV channels had to fully support American TV shows ..and then later later investment in tv shows. Most of these broadcasts were lost to some of the wost Hollywood movies that couldn't eve match a made for TV Movie of the week" from the from the 70's and 80's from American stations..ABC etc.

[@chrisl8873]

Trvial fact - After watching this movie Hermann Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Fred Hoyle came up with the Steady State model of the universe as an alternative to the Big Bang theory.

[@brianvictorkeys3107]

One of those movies that leaves a lasting impression on you.

[@TreforTreforgan]

One would have expected something more intelligently presented from the great NY Times.

[@anon2558]

Great film.

[@ilumillioniluminati7690]

This is how Slappy was created an idea from this shoe and the orginal first pinokio till goosebumps!!!!

[@fs11klrk]

@bakibol you forgot the within a dream within a dream within a dream

[@thenowuk]

Went to a showing last week in London. Fantastic. The Twilight Zone 20 years earlier! The ending is brilliant and justifies thw whole film. Only down-point was the golfing story,it just didn't fit............if that was taken out it would be perfect.

[@yepennypirate1569]

I was almost sorry I did discover this film, which I will have to buy because I can't find it showing anywhere. I will never, EVER, watch this film alone in the dark. Brrrrrr!

[@MorganScorpion]

Terrifying film.

[@colinswain9235]

+Morgan Scorpion Except for the Golf story.

[@MorganScorpion]

Yes, the golf story did suck, but in a way, it softened you up for the hammer blow that was the Ventriloquist and his dummy.

[@colinswain9235]

Morgan Scorpion The last Story, definitely was the Scariest. A lot of people watch stuff like, the Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond, and the Amicus anthology films, and don't even know that this is the one that started it all.

[@DrDreggs1]

+Morgan Scorpion I love the way the scenes from each story blend one-into-another the moment the doctor is strangled. Sublime.

[@Mumbabeal]

Even AHS was influenced by it. Neil Patrick Harris played a ventriloquist who resembled Redgraves character. Strange since most fans didn't get the references to old horror in Freakshow.

[@victorsilvester78]

Obscure!!!! Dead Of Night is a classic film very well known indeed.

[@billythedog-309]

lf U.S. audiences aren't acquainted with a film then automatically that film is obscure, no matter how well it's known outside the USA.

[@steeplepossum39]

This movie scared the shit iut of me for over 20 years.particually the story about the dummy and then followed by the story of the mirrorr.What finally snapped me out of it was my daughter started imitating the dummy and she made it look hilarious to me.No more nightmares now.I was about 7 years old when I seen this on television and I am surprised my parents let me watch it.I thought the dummy had a mind of his own, at that age I didnt understand mental illness.

[@flowerchildsmile]

If you love ghost stories this film is a must see! My favorite horror film Superb!

[@neo5kali]

I watch this movie at least once every year.

[@kristinejames9812]

I love this movie too. It's on telly here tonight!

[@marthahenrickson_today1428]

I would love to see this film again..where can I see the entire film? ut us a fabtastuc film

[@lengasparini2918]

One of the spookiest films of all time.

[@ramblergarage]

a young sally ann howes of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang fame is in this. Wonderful film.

[@tryggvi1239]

no i searched at dead of night the new horror game not dead of night

[@victorsilvester78]

Obscure!!! You are very mistaken. Dead Of Night is a classic and well known.

[@bakibol]

Dream within a dream within a dream... 65 years before Inception.

[@Jaggerbush]

I’m pretty sure this is not hard to find ….

[@Stereolabdream]

@stringmask ....erm....isn't that what I said?

[@fs11klrk]

@stringmask You forgot the dream within a dream within a dr- Oh right, yeah.

[@tapavandame3868]

infinity stone of anthology horror

[@vdelrio999]

kinda similar to Hour of the Wolf.

[@only257]

Love this movie👻

[@thenowuk]

Agree, don't watch these clips before seiing it as the film we be ruined

[@tadimaggio]

"Dead of Night" would be a perfect film, if only that IDIOTIC golf story were omitted. As someone said in a (very different) film, "Road House", "It's like putting an elevator in an outhouse. Doesn't belong." It's a measure of how good the rest of the material was/is that TWO "Twilight Zone" episodes, "Twenty-Two" and "The Dummy", were derived from it. The latter gave Cliff Robertson the chance to give a performance as the beleaguered ventriloquist that can hold its own with Michael Redgrave's. Incidentally, the Constance Kent murder case, on which the hide-and-seek episode is based, actually occurred; it was the British Victorian equivalent of the Lizzie Borden case in America.

[@animemoribundinstitute9092]

I was in the middle of watching this movie and this video sfhsklghsijlglksfgkla vitiate why spoilers no WARNING BROHAN GOSH GISH !!