Night Creatures (1962)

- Captain Clegg
Cushing is good, but the plot isn't, 19 September 2005

The Crown, suspecting smuggling and tax evasion, sends Captain Collier to investigate the inhabitants of a seaside village. What he finds is a small community where things just don't seem right. The locals, even the Reverend, seem to be hiding something. But the only thing the Captain's investigation turns up for sure is a roving band of horrific marsh creatures. Are these horse-riding, living-dead things for real or are they just a ploy on the part of the smugglers to keep prying eyes at bay?

What Works:

- Peter Cushing, of Course. I've said it before and I'll say it again – I don't care how bad, boring, or pointless the material, Peter Cushing always seems to rise above what he's presented with and gives a fantastic performance. If you ignore the haircut (just joking), Cushing's work in Night Creatures is among his best.

- The Rest of the Cast. And the good acting in Night Creatures goes well beyond Cushing. The rest of the cast is just as good. Oliver Reed, Michael Ripper, Patrick Allen, and the incredibly beautiful Yvonne Romain are all excellent.

- The Marsh Creatures. The first time the marsh creatures are shown, it's quite a sight. Although not as creepy as the dead horsemen from The Blind Dead series, they're very comparable. Add to that the scarecrow with the moving eyes and you've got a really nice horror moment.

What Doesn't Work:

- Not Enough of the Marsh Creatures. The marsh creatures are the real highlight of the movie for me. But, with only two brief appearances, there is not enough of them. More marsh creatures might have made this a real winner.

- Too Predictable. The big twist ending was, at least for me, telegraphed from a mile away. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that the relationships between the characters are far too easy to predict. There's no subtlety as to what is coming next. The supposed surprise at the end of Night Creatures (which wasn't much of a surprise) really hurt a lot of what came before.

While I may never look at Night Creatures as the best thing Hammer ever did, it's entertaining enough. Ultimately, had the movie provided more in the way of surprises, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it much more. As it is, it's a terrific opportunity to watch two of my favorite actors, Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed, at their best.

6/10