Night of Fear (film)
| Night of Fear | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Terry Bourke |
| Produced by | Rod Hay |
| Written by | Terry Bourke |
| Starring |
Norman Yemm Carla Hoogeveen |
| Cinematography | Peter Hendry |
| Edited by | Ray Alchin |
Production company |
Terryrod |
| Distributed by | Umbrella Entertainment (2005 DVD) |
Release date | 18 March 1973 |
Running time | 50:51 |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Night of Fear is a 1972 Australian horror film, directed by Terry Bourke. It was written by Bourke and produced by Rod Hay. It is about a woman who is terrorised by a serial killer in the woods. Its theme and style bears a resemblance to the horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, released two years later. The film is notable for having no dialogue or character names. It has been called "the first Australian horror movie of the renaissance".[1]
The film was featured in the documentary Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!.
Plot
A young woman crashes her car on a lonely country road. She is terrorised by a crazed hermit.
Cast
- Norman Yemm as the hermit
- Carla Hoogeveen as the woman
- Mike Dorsey as the lover
- Briony Behets as the horse girl
Production
The film was shot over twelve days in mid 1972. It was originally intended to be a pilot for TV series called Fright. The Australian Broadcasting Commission provided a crew and 35mm production facilities in exchange for television rights.[2]
Release
The film was initially banned in Australia by the OFLC.[3][4] The makers of Night of Fear appealed to the review board and it was released in November 1972 with an 'R' (18+) rating.[3] It has since been re-classified 'M' (15+).[5]
The film enjoyed a profitable run in independent cinemas and drive ins.[2]
Critical reception
AllMovie wrote, "Night of Fear is a potent, no-frills little shocker that is likely to delight fans of vintage horror", complimenting its "excellent use of whiplash-speed editing, bizarre camera angles and a densely layered soundtrack to create a consistently unnerving atmosphere."[6]
Home video
The film was released on DVD alongside fellow Australian horror film Inn of the Damned (also directed by Bourke) by Umbrella Entertainment on 16 March 2005.[5]
References
- ↑ Goldsmith, Ben; Lealand, Geoff (15 December 2010). Directory of World Cinema: Australia & New Zealand. Intellect Books. p. 190. ISBN 1841503738. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- 1 2 Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998 p269
- 1 2 "Night of Fear (1972) | Censor | Refused-Classification.com". refused-classification.com. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ↑ "Appeal on film ban deferred.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). ACT: National Library of Australia. 14 November 1972. p. 3. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
- 1 2 "Umbrella Entertainment - INN OF THE DAMNED/NIGHT OF FEAR (Double Feature)". umbrellaent.com. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ↑ Guarisco, Donald. "Night of Fear (1972) - Review - AllMovie". AllMovie. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
External links
- Night of Fear on IMDb
- Night of Fear (1972) Australian horror trailer on YouTube
- Night of Fear at Oz Movies