Highly Overrated But Still Good

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Being a fan of Hammer Horror and the Giallo sub-genre I started talking to a friend about Horror flicks to view in October. Whilst being aware of Hammer's late Psycho-Thriller/Giallo era,I was surprised to get told of a Hammer psycho which co-starred Peter Cushing,which led to me fearing the night.The plot:Preparing to move to a secluded boys' boarding school that her husband Robert Heller will be working at,Peggy is attacked by a stranger wearing black gloves.Waking up from the attack,Peggy finds no proof that an attacker was in the house,and starts to wonder if she is imagining things. Going to the school with Robert,Peggy meets headmaster Michael Carmichael,whose quiet behaviour puts Peggy on edge. Attacked (and knocked out) again,Peggy wakes up to find Robert asking what she thinks might be causing her to faint.Fearing her sanity,Peggy decides to relax and walk round the school.Hearing the sound of school children,Peggy walks into the school and is horrified,when she finds it to be completely empty of kids.View on the film:Reaching the screen after originally being written in 1963,co- writer/(along with Michael Syson) director Jimmy Sangster gives the horror a sly middle class shell,dressed in crisp surroundings and prim clothes which allow for the psychological terror to lurk underneath. Dissecting Hammer studios major theme of female hysteria with Giallo black gloves,the writers brilliantly mix haunted Gothic Horror memories of a past that has long gone with a rich Film Noir pessimism.Tearing Peggy Heller away from being a "Scream Queen",the writers use the disbelief in Peggy's visions to cast her as a Film Noir loner,whose hysteria over what she is experiencing is clouded by the meek middle class façade Robert covers her eyes with.For the final Hammer Horror he would direct, Sangster and cinematographer Arthur Grant set the mood tranquillity,by giving the opening morbid,stilted camera moves casting a shadow of something long forgotten. Cosying up in the Heller's house, Sangster sits in with corned shots on the household which lock Peggy in and make the sudden shots of violence smash the image of Peggy's life with a mighty Hammer.Also making his final Hammer outing, Ralph Bates gives a wonderful performance as Robert,whose mature manner Bates makes just that bit eerily off. Joining in on the Giallo Horror game, Peter Cushing walks a fine line in his performance as "The Headmaster" whose gentlemen manner is undermined by Cushing blinding him with shards of cold emotion across his black glasses.Delivering a scream with fear to match the best of Hammer's Girls,the elegant Judy Geeson wonderfully turns Peggy into a burnt-out Film Noir loner,whose chirpy middle class heart is worn down by Geeson into a hysteria which leads to Peggy being numb to the outside world,as Peggy discovers that fear is the key.

A great story and cast! A suspenseful horror-thriller! Worth watching if you like the classics! The casting in this movie is wonderful - everyone was great in this movie. Judy Geeson plays Peggy Heller so wonderfully... I felt so sorry for her. Ralph Bates plays Robert Heller a man who seemly is in-love with his young wife Peggy. Joan Collins plays Molly Carmichael - snooty rich woman. Peter Cushing is The Headmaster Michael Carmichael - a strange gentleman.The movie does build an amount of suspense and it does have it's thrilling moments. It makes a wonderful late-at-night film. Not overly scary but definitely suspenseful and thrilling! 8.5/10

Directed by Jimmy Sangster, who wrote loads for the Hammer Studios (e.g. The Curse of Frankenstein en Dracula), and made his third and last feature film with this one.For starters, Judy Geeson is very easy on the eyes. Next there is the fine atmosphere throughout the film ('70s outdoor shots of pre-autumn woods, English houses and the bit along the highway). The premise is one that keeps the mystery aspect going for quite a long time - for some it might be a bit dull, for others (like myself) it just works. The first twist to me was quite surprising and strong (total credibility not included), but the next twist concerning the professor striking back was a little too much out there; I'd have preferred a more sober and harsh thriller-like approach / confrontation.But quite pleasing, all in all.

No matter how bad the film, the august presence of the wonderful horror character actor Peter Cushing always lifts the proceedings considerably. Which is not to say that 'Fear in the Night' is a bad film, because it is quite well-constructed and enjoyable.Recovering from a traumatic experience, the fragile Peggy Heller (Judy Geeson) moves with her new husband Robert (Ralph Bates) to a boys' school, the headmaster of which is Michael Carmichael (Peter Cushing). Peggy makes the acquaintance of Michael's wife, Molly (Joan Collins), and soon begins to believe that she - Peggy - is being stalked by a one-armed man.I really liked the twist in this film and did not see it coming, which of course made it all the more enjoyable. 'Fear in the Night' is well-made and the performances are naturalistic and convincing. Judy Geeson is a sympathetic heroine and you do feel for her plight. From the ever-reliable British horror film studio Hammer, this is a film worth watching at least once.