Fear in the Night possesses all the hallmarks of a low budget entry from one of the Poverty Row studios, but was, surprisingly perhaps a 1947 release from Paramount.
Like the similarly raw, unrefined 'Detour' this slimline psycho-noir is well worth investigating. The special effects, including some mind-warp camera work, which may have seemed striking 70 years ago come off as clunky and dated to the point of being quaint. These factors, however, simply add to the film's period charm, becoming a source of arcane fascination.
DeForest Kelley and three companions are forced to seek refuge from a storm in an empty mansion, which turns out to have been the setting for Kelley's recent traumatic and life changing nightmare. The plot has been dismissed in some quarters as implausible. Personally, I thought that cinema was largely about fantasy, escapism and imaginative leaps into the surreal.
More implausible is the bewildered reaction of Kelley's boss at failing to reach him by phone, after his employee had earlier rung in sick. Didn't it occur to him that Kelley might have had a doctor's appointment, or was perhaps unable to answer due to a chronic case of what touring English cricketers refer to as Delhi Belly !
Due to Star Trek's popularity, Deforest Kelley became a household name in the 1960's (a bit like Domestos). Not exactly an overnight sensation, but it is interesting to see him in a principal role at the outset of his career.
Panned by the critics upon its release,'Fear' has gradually developed a cult following among aficionados of the genre. Not top notch, but if you can live with the rudimentary production values this is a rewarding discovery for those seeking something enigmatic and obscure.
Like the similarly raw, unrefined 'Detour' this slimline psycho-noir is well worth investigating. The special effects, including some mind-warp camera work, which may have seemed striking 70 years ago come off as clunky and dated to the point of being quaint. These factors, however, simply add to the film's period charm, becoming a source of arcane fascination.
DeForest Kelley and three companions are forced to seek refuge from a storm in an empty mansion, which turns out to have been the setting for Kelley's recent traumatic and life changing nightmare. The plot has been dismissed in some quarters as implausible. Personally, I thought that cinema was largely about fantasy, escapism and imaginative leaps into the surreal.
More implausible is the bewildered reaction of Kelley's boss at failing to reach him by phone, after his employee had earlier rung in sick. Didn't it occur to him that Kelley might have had a doctor's appointment, or was perhaps unable to answer due to a chronic case of what touring English cricketers refer to as Delhi Belly !
Due to Star Trek's popularity, Deforest Kelley became a household name in the 1960's (a bit like Domestos). Not exactly an overnight sensation, but it is interesting to see him in a principal role at the outset of his career.
Panned by the critics upon its release,'Fear' has gradually developed a cult following among aficionados of the genre. Not top notch, but if you can live with the rudimentary production values this is a rewarding discovery for those seeking something enigmatic and obscure.