How sad is this?

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

As is the case with many of these movies, I had never heard of "Black Noon" and had it not been for you tube, chances are, I never would have. The movie takes place in the days of the old west and follows a reverend named John Keyes and his wife, Lorna, who find themselves at the mercy of the desert when, out of the blue it seems, they are rescued by folks from a small town. At first, everything seems fine until Lorna starts falling in and out of sickness, until the reverend is seemly bringing "good luck" to the town that had experienced misfortune, and until the wife begins hearing voices and seeing people dressed in strange garb with animal masks in the dead of night. Anyone who's seen enough horror movies probably knows where this is going: its a devil cult and a damn good one too! In fact, I would go as far as to say this probably one of the best devil cult themed movies I have ever seen due to the good acting from Roy Thinnes as the reverend, Ray Milland as the town's leader, the beautiful Yvette Mimieux as "Deliverance", and Hank Worden as old man Joseph. It also helps that the props for the town are very well done and the filmmakers know how to effectively film some creepy, dream like sequences. The only bad thing I can find with the movie is that its been allowed to be forgotten. Still, if you ever get the chance, "Black Noon" is a great way to catch some quality storytelling from an age in which they knew how to do it. P.S. If you should ever find yourself traveling in one of America's great deserts and you come across some people from a town called San Melas, don't accept their help; instead, RUN!!!

Like many people on this site, I saw this movie only once, when it was first televised in 1971. Certain scenes linger in my memory and an overall feeling of disquiet is how I remember being affected by it. I would be fascinated to see it again, if it was ever made available for home video.Possible spoiler: I wonder if anyone else would agree that the basic plot setup and characters might have been derived from a 1960 British movie, originally titled City of the Dead, retitled Horror Hotel for the American release? There are some similarities also to a later British film The Wicker Man.One detail remains with me years after seeing the film. It's a small but significant moment near the beginning of the film. As I recall, a minister and his wife have stopped to aid some people by the side of the road, circa 1870, somewhere out West. The friendly seeming Ray Milland introduces himself and his ( daughter?), Yvette Mimieux, a beautiful young mute woman. While the preacher is helping Ray Milland with the wagon, a rattlesnake slithers into view and coils menacingly, unobserved by any of the characters except Yvette Mimieux. She doesn't look scared at all, but stares at the snake with silent concentration, until it goes away. With this strange little moment, we already realize there's something highly unusual about these seemingly normal folks, though the possible danger to the minister and his wife remains vague and uncertain for a long time.That one little scene stays with me vividly after all these years, along with many others. The film has a haunting quality about it that won't let go, and it's not surprising that people remember it so vividly. Someone ought to make this available for home video!

Scary, but mostly in the sense that will it be over before I turn 70. I saw this as a late night re-run in about 1976 and thought it would never end. Like crackers, it's better than nothing (but just).Ray Milland is a little scary because he looks as if he's been stuffed by a taxidermist. Yvette Mimeux looks as if she's smoked up all the Beautiful Downtown Burbank Brown. It's a sort of Roy Rogers version of Rosemary's Baby. This is one turkey that should never have been made. If you have insomnia and it's 1:30 on Saturday morning and there's nothing on but replays of the 1972 Roller Derby Chamionship, then I guess it beats that. But God help you if this is your only choice for entertainment.

So, finally I know it exists. Along with the other Uk contributors on here I saw this on what MUST HAVE BEEN it's only UK screening in the 70's. I remembered the title, but got nowhere when I mentioned it to people. It scarred me (that's 2 'r's) but when you go to bed with doom whizzing about your brain and listening all around for impending terror, then isn't that what a TRULY CLASSIC horror movie is all about?? I can barely remember the intricacies of the movie, but what I do recollect is my shivering flesh and heightened senses. Can anyone confirm my suspicions that this is black and white? Again, if anyone has any info on how to obtain a copy of this, please get in touch...