Fear
In The Night (1972/Hammer/Anchor Bay DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Film: B-
Jimmy
Sangster's Fear In The Night (1972) is a psychological
thriller about a young bride (Judy Geeson) who believes a mysterious
one-armed man is stalking her. A previous nervous breakdown leaves
her questioning even her own sanity. Is the assailant real, or just
a figment of her imagination? A move with her husband (Ralph Bates)
to a rural boarding school run by the eccentric headmaster (Peter
Cushing) and his younger-than-he wife (Joan Collins) further
complicates matters. Sounds from (supposedly?) empty rooms, exposure
to bizarre, strange, unknown cultures, and Cushing's eerie presence
help to set the tone of this picture.
Producer/co-writer/director
Sangster does a fine job of spinning this tale, despite the fact it
seems like a story we have seen before. The film is subtle and
talky. The segue ways here are quite unnerving. The audience is
left questioning more than just the girl's sanity as things move
along. The soundtrack and superb performances help to sell the
drama.
The
transfer for this DVD is average, but can look crisp and terrific at
times, thanks to the anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image. The
color does not quite look right, i.e. not the color usually
associated with Hammer productions of the time and this was a
three-strip, dye-transfer Technicolor release, so a Blu-ray will need
a corrected print. Trying to make it look like modern color does not
work, though the transfer is supposedly off of original camera
materials. This is obviously not a typical Hammer film anyhow, but
that still does not help. The image also has some grain and lack of
sharpness in parts. The lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is not bad for
a monophonic film of its time either, but the age of the sound still
shows.
Extras
for this film are a running feature-length audio commentary with
Sangster and Hammer Films Historian Marcus Hearns, along with the
theatrical trailer. Though this is not a major film in the Hammer
catalog, there had to be something more to offer. With so many films
offering extended, enhanced content, I was left wanting for more.
Fear
In The Night doesn't have the jump start opening scene that
highlights many other Hammer films. It is a slow burn, and is best
suited to be so. So much so, in fact, that we can still be delighted
to take the journey that culminates in such a dynamic climax.
-
Michael M. Burkett
