Review of Dead of Night (1974) by Robert A — 26 May 2012
A controversial film that was among the first to deal with Vietnam veterans returning from war traumatized. Canadian Bob Clark does an accomplished (albeit low-budget) job with this clever premise. The metaphor he uses is the undead horror flick.
Like Cronenberg's early work, there's a great deal of subtext throughout. Even the injecting of blood is a reference to veterans coping by using heroin. The acting is surprisingly excellent (both parents were the leads in Cassavetes' Faces) and the film also marks Tom Savini's make-up debut.
Interestingly, Savini himself had just returned from Vietnam and had witnessed the horrors firsthand. Deathdream has some good scares, with fine make-up and a thematic relevance that transcends countless other low-budget thrillers.
They also give the father plenty of screen time to help create empathy. It's a real hidden cult-hit find worth tracking down.
This review of Dead of Night (1974) was written by Robert A on 26 May 2012.
Dead of Night has generally received positive reviews.
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