4 star crispy and fresh looking Hammer classic.
Originally released in 1972, Fear in the Night is a star studded psychological horror/thriller and a welcome entry into the Hammer film series, written by Michael Syson (Eagle’s Wing) and Jimmy Sangster (The Horror of Frankenstein, Maniac), who also directs.
This excellent horror/thriller has enjoyed a 4K UHD restoration courtesy of STUDIOCANAL and is available to own on Collector’s Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray from 23rd March 2025.
“Think of it. Living among all those happy little boys. Quite a family you’ll have.”
Peggy (Judy Geeson – Doomwatch, To Sir, With Love) is a troubled young woman, recovering from a recent hospitalisation due to a nervous breakdown. Since her release, she has been lucky enough to meet and marry a handsome teacher, Robert (Ralph Bates – The Horror of Frankenstein, Taste the Blood of Dracula), who is moving her in with him to his cottage in the grounds of the boys school he teaches at.
The night before she is due to move, she is attacked in her apartment by an unknown assailant with a prosthetic arm. Her landlady, Mrs Beamish (Gillian Lind – Aunt Clara, Don’t Talk to Strange Men) finds her and calls a doctor, but there’s no evidence of a break-in and they don’t believe her.
Hoping for a fresh start, she is taken to her new home by Robert and starts to explore the school and grounds. It’s a big ramshackle building and she keeps hearing the students, even though term has not yet started. This is when she meets Michael Carmichael (The Mummy, The Hound of the Baskervilles), the enigmatic (and one-armed) headteacher of the school. She also meets his wife Molly (Joan Collins – Dynasty (TV Series), Saving Santa), a down to earth woman who she finds somewhat scary.
When she is attacked again by the one-armed mugger, it brings up two possibilities, she is still suffering from her nervous breakdown and imaging things, or not everyone and everything is as it appears. But which one is the case?
“I couldn’t sleep. Must be the champagne. I keep thinking I can see someone…over there by the window. Can you see anyone?”
Fear in the Night is a very enjoyable watch and an extremely effective psychological horror which builds the tension brilliantly. With a fully committed lead performance from Judy Geeson, we feel her fear when she enters a room that should be full of students to find it completely empty.
The location is also stunning, a magnificent (if run down) building, which feels creepy all on it’s own, before you start to throw in strange goings on. It is important to note that the storytelling is very much of the era, when female hysteria was apparently much more prevalent. This means that while the story is well told, it isn’t necessarily very believable in this day and age.
The conversion is really good, with excellent crisp visuals throughout as well as an atmospheric soundtrack which brings the whole thing together. With some nice special features, this one is well worth adding to your Hammer collection.
“Dear me. You must think me a very dry old stick.”
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- NEW “The Fragile Mind”: Kim Newman Explores Fear in the Night
- Audio Commentary with Co-writer/Producer/Director Jimmy Sangster and Hammer Film Historian Marcus Hearn
- Audio Commentary with Film Historian Troy Howarth
- “End of Term”: Inside Fear in the Night
- Stills Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
The release includes a 64 page perfect bound booklet and two posters
| Director | Jimmy Sangster |
| Genre | Horror, thriller |
| Starring | Judy Geeson, Joan Collins, Ralph Bates, Peter Cushing |