The final nightmare from Dead of Night (1945) Read our blog at www.scaringeachother.wordpress.com to read our reviews of a variety of classic and modern horror films!
The Avengers 1965 black & white series had an episode called Too Many Christmas Trees. It was in the first Emma Peel run. That episode was a homage to Dead of Night and a character in it was played by Mervyn Johns, the protagonist in this. John Steed has recurring nightmares and Steed and Mrs Peel are invited to a country house Xmas party with a Dickensian theme. The story is about telepathy and the baddies trying to read Steed's mind to get at his inside info. It was at the time of M K Ultra, Manchurian Candidate and the mind control panic. You could say that Dead of Night was a foreshadowing of a later theme.
I remember when I first watched this I was genuinely terrified (but impressed) at just how they captured the chaotic energy of a lucid nightmare with the quick cuts and wild angles, like the world is falling in on itself. It almost felt like the protagonist at that point was aware that he was in a nightmare and was exerting some control over what was going on, resigning himself to everything around him.
What makes it even more incredible is all the people piled up in the door on the right, so if you're looking over there you don't notice (or at least I didn't) him standing up at first! Genuinely made me jump
Amazing for the time. This was Michael Balcon’s answer to Universal Horror movies of the 30s and a gamble for Ealing that ultimately backfired but is considered a master piece today. Paved the way for Hammer Horror for sure.
Watching this in the 1980s at 2 am on a 9 inch b&w television-- bad audio and all -- made this movie a true (but brilliant) nightmare. This is such a brilliant anthology movie; perhaps the very best.
I've been looking for an old English horror film that I saw when I was a small child and I will never forget the ending, the setting is the same as this a couple is trapped in a spooky town and hears their stories, what got me was the ending the couple drives away and believes they have left but after some driving they returned back to the town meaning they are trapped
My favourite post war movie, way ahead of it's time, Michael Redgrave as the unhinged ventriloguist and his dummy Hugo was a spectacular piece of short story telling in a 5 set movie, still great today.
Menses used this montage tactic in " Invaders From Mars" and This film has one step forward on it all by having Mervyn Johns appear ghostly in all the episodes Great Calvalcanti
But that's not the end, as the final scene reveals him locked in a perpetual repeat of the story , over and over again, his torture is some kind of hell......
I watched this movie a dozen times and still can't make out what Hugo says at the very end! It seems like it should be "good night", but sounds very distinctly like "Bood Nigh".
(2:55) In the original story, Silvester Kee was a nice guy, Maxwell (Hugo's original master) is the creepy one and Hugo is the creepier one. Here Silvester Kee is Hugo's master and is creepy, although Hugo is still creepier.
I first watched this years ago on my first night alcohol free for two years. That bit at the end when the ventriloquist dummy stands up made me absolutely shit myself. You dont need gore for a hood horror movie. Tremendous
A story that directly influenced the astronomer Fred Hoyle who advocated the "Steady State" theory of cosmology. Just view this film from start to finish.
Back in January, this entire great film was available for viewing here: /watch?v=Y6HFx4yfB6c but now it is removed. Is this a copyright issue or something else? I would think that after 68 years it would be public domain.
Hugo, lord Charles's dad said this was his favourite film role. He was offered a part in the Anthony Hopkins film but wisely turned it down. He now runs an agency for older out of work dummies and his latest client is Donald Trump.
One of the great British post war horror films. Frequently imitated, but never bettered.
The Avengers 1965 black & white series had an episode called Too Many Christmas Trees. It was in the first Emma Peel run. That episode was a homage to Dead of Night and a character in it was played by Mervyn Johns, the protagonist in this. John Steed has recurring nightmares and Steed and Mrs Peel are invited to a country house Xmas party with a Dickensian theme. The story is about telepathy and the baddies trying to read Steed's mind to get at his inside info. It was at the time of M K Ultra, Manchurian Candidate and the mind control panic. You could say that Dead of Night was a foreshadowing of a later theme.
I remember when I first watched this I was genuinely terrified (but impressed) at just how they captured the chaotic energy of a lucid nightmare with the quick cuts and wild angles, like the world is falling in on itself. It almost felt like the protagonist at that point was aware that he was in a nightmare and was exerting some control over what was going on, resigning himself to everything around him.
As someone says below, the whole point of the movie, and the real nightmare ending, is after this clip
One of my favorite horror films. I saw yesterday. The ending when he’s in the cell and the doll comes to life made my heart stop.
What makes it even more incredible is all the people piled up in the door on the right, so if you're looking over there you don't notice (or at least I didn't) him standing up at first! Genuinely made me jump
Terrifying
Terrifying
I first watched the entire film I 1987 on TV. I had no idea such a great horror film was made in England. I wish there was more
The actor shown at the beginning (Mervyn Johns) played Scrooge's clerk Bob Cratchit in the 1951 Alistair Sim movie Scrooge.
The actor at 3:23 was in it as well. ("Come into the parlor, come into the parlor...")
Amazing for the time. This was Michael Balcon’s answer to Universal Horror movies of the 30s and a gamble for Ealing that ultimately backfired but is considered a master piece today. Paved the way for Hammer Horror for sure.
why do I watch these before bed? *shiver*
MAN!!! I SAW THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME YESTERDAY...DAMN IT !! WOW...
Watching this in the 1980s at 2 am on a 9 inch b&w television-- bad audio and all -- made this movie a true (but brilliant) nightmare. This is such a brilliant anthology movie; perhaps the very best.
Like many I saw this as child but it left its mark and I really got into all the Amicus films from then on
I love how all the shorts amalgamated makes a really creepy end
Amazing ending to an amazing movie!
I've been looking for an old English horror film that I saw when I was a small child and I will never forget the ending, the setting is the same as this a couple is trapped in a spooky town and hears their stories, what got me was the ending the couple drives away and believes they have left but after some driving they returned back to the town meaning they are trapped
My favourite post war movie, way ahead of it's time, Michael Redgrave as the unhinged ventriloguist and his dummy Hugo was a spectacular piece of short story telling in a 5 set movie, still great today.
Utterly fabulous sequencing of the previous stories, rolled into the final nightmare.
Menses used this montage tactic in " Invaders From Mars" and This film has one step forward on it all by having Mervyn Johns appear ghostly in all the episodes
Great Calvalcanti
I'd like to read Mark Gatis's view on this film. Dead of night, The Haunting (B&W) and Halfway house, I never tire of them.
But that's not the end, as the final scene reveals him locked in a perpetual repeat of the story , over and over again, his torture is some kind of hell......
I watched this movie a dozen times and still can't make out what Hugo says at the very end! It seems like it should be "good night", but sounds very distinctly like "Bood Nigh".
I think Hugo says "wouldn't I"referring to his threat to leaving Maxwell and joining Sylvester.
tomtriffid No, he says "Wouldn't I?"
HeadFullaFuzz You're right! I just read the script.
I first saw this in 1971 when I was nine. I also thought he said "good night" until I saw the film again 16 years later.
That's okay, I didn't want to sleep anyway...
(2:55) In the original story, Silvester Kee was a nice guy, Maxwell (Hugo's original master) is the creepy one and Hugo is the creepier one.
Here Silvester Kee is Hugo's master and is creepy, although Hugo is still creepier.
The ending of the film is epic!
I first watched this years ago on my first night alcohol free for two years. That bit at the end when the ventriloquist dummy stands up made me absolutely shit myself. You dont need gore for a hood horror movie. Tremendous
DAE actually laugh at Hugo’s jokes, despite still finding him creepy as well?
Love this movie😊
A story that directly influenced the astronomer Fred Hoyle who advocated the "Steady State" theory of cosmology. Just view this film from start to finish.
"Blimey. George is dying" 😅
Back in January, this entire great film was available for viewing here:
/watch?v=Y6HFx4yfB6c
but now it is removed. Is this a copyright issue or something else? I would think that after 68 years it would be public domain.
ususlly its the bbc that does it
Wish I could find the soundtrack for this scene, can’t find it anywhere…
Hugo, lord Charles's dad said this was his favourite film role. He was offered a part in the Anthony Hopkins film but wisely turned it down. He now runs an agency for older out of work dummies and his latest client is Donald Trump.
Great ending love this movie 🎉
(2:55) Hugo and his new master, Silvester Kee.
When Hugh the Dummy Doll driwn this sir in the jailroom,what says?
He says "Wouldn't I?". A repeat of his line from earlier on when he threatens to leave Maxwell for another ventriloquist.
(2:50) Sally O' Hara was cured for insomnia.
"E agora...?"
Now that it's out of public domain it's a real clean copy, but I can't afford it.