Nothing But the Night starts as a coach carrying a load of orphans mysteriously crashes killing the driver & injuring young Mary Valley (Gwyneth Strong), taken to hospital she is cared for by Dr. Haynes (Keith Barron) who believes she has psychological problems connected with a recurring nightmare about fire. He convinces his mentor the pathologist Sir Mark Ashley (Peter Cushing) to help him which is just as well because Mark is also contacted by his friend Colonel Charles Bingham (Christopher Lee) who informs him that three of the trustees from Mary's orphanage, the Inver House orphanage located on the small Scottish island of Bala, have been killed within a short space of time & that he feels the coach crash was a deliberate act & no accident. Then Mary's mother Anna (Diana Dors), a convicted killer & prostitute, shows up claiming the orphanage kidnapped her daughter & she is going to kill everyone who stands between her & Mary, the answer to the murders now seem obvious but as Mark & Charles dig further into the puzzling case they discover the true horror of what's been going on...
This British production was directed by Peter Sasdy & was the one & only film to be made & released by Charlemagne Productions the company set up by Christopher Lee presumably in an attempt to mimic the success that Hammer & Amicus were having with Anglo horror at the time, if nothing else at least Nothing But the Night is a bit different although not always successful. The script by Brian Hayles was based on a novel of the same name by John Blackburn & for most of it's duration one could easily describe Nothing But the Night as a complex mystery thriller with a few horror elements thrown in there. The biggest problem with Nothing But the Night in my opinion is the fragmented, bitty, sometimes confusing & uneven narrative. It seems to go from one plot thread to another at random intervals & never really settles down into one consistent watchable story, all of the character's seem like bit parts & no one in the film stands out as the 'star' whom the action revolves around. The mystery elements are played up a bit too much & the red herrings are about as subtle as a sledge hammer hit into your face, the character played by Diana Dors has so much obvious suspicion placed on her you just know she's innocent. It's rather slow going at times although I thought the twist ending was just about worth sticking around for even if it does feature a young girl being set on fire & various other children committing suicide which seemed a bit distasteful. I will admit though the mystery elements did keep me watching & Nothing But the Night has that special ingredient that sort of draws you in to the point where you want to see where the films going.
Director Sasdy does OK but the film has dated badly although I think the 70's fashions & decor gives it a certain charm. There's some really nice location shooting here & there are a few nice moments but the annoying day-for-night process doesn't do the atmosphere any favours & I'm not sure keeping dynamite & the detonators in a wooden shed is a good idea from a safety point of view either! Forget about any gore or violence as there isn't a single drop of blood in the entire film worth mentioning.
Technically the film is fine with good production values although it's obvious the film was shot entirely on location rather than sets. The acting was alright & it's always nice to see the legendary Christopher Lee & Peter Cushing together.
Nothing But the Night is an OK mystery but just don't expect a straight forward horror film because this ain't it, a bit to confusing & uneven to be described as great but I thought it was OK none-the-less.
This British production was directed by Peter Sasdy & was the one & only film to be made & released by Charlemagne Productions the company set up by Christopher Lee presumably in an attempt to mimic the success that Hammer & Amicus were having with Anglo horror at the time, if nothing else at least Nothing But the Night is a bit different although not always successful. The script by Brian Hayles was based on a novel of the same name by John Blackburn & for most of it's duration one could easily describe Nothing But the Night as a complex mystery thriller with a few horror elements thrown in there. The biggest problem with Nothing But the Night in my opinion is the fragmented, bitty, sometimes confusing & uneven narrative. It seems to go from one plot thread to another at random intervals & never really settles down into one consistent watchable story, all of the character's seem like bit parts & no one in the film stands out as the 'star' whom the action revolves around. The mystery elements are played up a bit too much & the red herrings are about as subtle as a sledge hammer hit into your face, the character played by Diana Dors has so much obvious suspicion placed on her you just know she's innocent. It's rather slow going at times although I thought the twist ending was just about worth sticking around for even if it does feature a young girl being set on fire & various other children committing suicide which seemed a bit distasteful. I will admit though the mystery elements did keep me watching & Nothing But the Night has that special ingredient that sort of draws you in to the point where you want to see where the films going.
Director Sasdy does OK but the film has dated badly although I think the 70's fashions & decor gives it a certain charm. There's some really nice location shooting here & there are a few nice moments but the annoying day-for-night process doesn't do the atmosphere any favours & I'm not sure keeping dynamite & the detonators in a wooden shed is a good idea from a safety point of view either! Forget about any gore or violence as there isn't a single drop of blood in the entire film worth mentioning.
Technically the film is fine with good production values although it's obvious the film was shot entirely on location rather than sets. The acting was alright & it's always nice to see the legendary Christopher Lee & Peter Cushing together.
Nothing But the Night is an OK mystery but just don't expect a straight forward horror film because this ain't it, a bit to confusing & uneven to be described as great but I thought it was OK none-the-less.