Review of Dead of Night (1974) by Luis Dirceu D — 06 Dec 2014
Entertaining grindehouse schlock is an early effort by director of the family classic "A Christmas Story." Bob Clark also directed "Black Christmas" around this same time and later went on to fame and fortune with "Porkys.
" Anyhow, to this film in particular, it's the story of a Vietnam vet who was thought killed in action mysteriously returns home, but does not seem to be himself. At first he just seems vacant ant distant, but soon escalates into violent and murderous moments of rage.
And is he really dead? A zombie, maybe? It's a pretty typical low budget drive-in type of shocker, but it's well crafted and also features some earnest performances by the actors playing his parents, John Marley and Lynn Carlin, both of whom are alumni of Cassavetes' pictures.
The film is clearly an exploitation flick, but I do think it had a subtext going on about PTSD for veterans even before such a thing had the name. This one is a must see for fans of grind house flicks.
This review of Dead of Night (1974) was written by Luis Dirceu D on 06 Dec 2014.
Dead of Night has generally received positive reviews.
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