Director – Peter Graham Scott (Tales of Mystery, Bitter Harvest)
Starring – Peter Cushing (The Vampire Lovers, Horror Express), Yvonne Romain (Corridors of Blood, The Frightened City), and Patrick Allen (Dial M for Murder, UFO)
Release Date – 1962
Rating – 4/5
Blu Release – 4/5
Hammer Horror has contributed so much to the genre and is a huge part of movie history. Many fans love their adaptation of the classic Universal monster films. However, as enjoyable as those films are I still find myself drawn to some of their amazing yet lesser known titles like Kiss of the Vampire, The Vampire Lovers, most importantly, Night Creatures.
Several years ago, while I was in high school, a friend of mine purchased the VHS from eBay. It was released under the title Captain Clegg and it quickly became a favorite of mine. I purchased a Hammer DVD set several years later and watched is numerous times since then and when my friends over at Scream Factory announced the blu release I was quick to request a review copy. I couldn’t wait to upgrade one of my favorite films and check out what additional features Scream would include. Like always, I want to thank Scream Factory for hooking me up with a review copy.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a small coastal town governed by Reverend Dr. Blyss. The Royal Navy pays the town a visit after receiving a tip that they were illegally smuggling alcohol. The Navy starts investigating and uncover a local legend about a group of supernatural beings that roam the swamps on horseback terrifying anyone that trespasses on their marshland. However, this legend is a cover up for the townsfolk to smuggle their alcohol without being caught along with another major secret that everyone is hiding from them. **Spoiler Alert**
Captain Clegg, Night Creatures, or whatever you want to call it, is the pinnacle of Hammer in my opinion. It features one hell of a cast with some highly memorable and enjoyable characters, a story that doesn’t fit to just one genre, and some of the wildest visuals to come out of 1960’s cinema. As much as I do love it I do find it far from perfect but it’s still one I love dearly so this review will obviously be biased.
The acting in this one is great. Peter Cushing never disappoints and this film is no exception. It’s not my favorite performance from him but I’ll be god damned if it’s not one of his better ones. The supporting cast is fantastic as well but the star of the show is Patrick Allen. His character is why I love the film so much and his performance is absolutely brilliant. He’s one of the few actors that could carry the limelight with Cushing.
The story for this one is great but very predictable. I loved the small town secretly banding together to smuggle alcohol while the Royal Navy tries to uncover their underground business. The addition of the supernatural legend surrounding their swamp adds a nice horror themed layer to the already impressive story. However, the film is very predictable for first time viewers and the big secret and reveal has little to no impact on the viewer. The foreshadowing and red herrings give too much away.
Finally, the film has some make-up effects and a little blood but nothing that will stand out. However, the scenes with the night creatures truly have to be seen to be appreciated by genre fans. These scenes are fantastic especially for an early 60s horror effort. Overall, Night Creatures is one of my favorite Hammer releases and this blu release from Scream Factory is a must own for fans and collectors. If this is one you have never seen before then I highly suggest you snag a copy. You will not be disappointed.
Special Features:
NEW 2K Scan From The Interpositive
NEW Audio Commentary With Film Historian Bruce Hallenbeck
NEW Pulp Friction – The Cinematic Captain Clegg – An Interview With Author/Film Historian Kim Newman
NEW The Hammer Must Fall: Peter Cushing’s Changing Directions – An Interview With Author/Film Historian Jonathan Rigby
NEW Brian With Bowie – An Interview With Special Effects Artist Brian Johnson
The Making Of Captain Clegg Hosted By Author Wayne Kinsey
The Mossman Legacy: George Mossman’s Carriage Collection
Theatrical Trailer
Still Gallery
