Review of Night of Death! (1980) by Brian S — 15 Sep 2010

A gem of French horror cinema from 1980, proving that the country can do far better in the genre than watching Jean Rollin's dreadful flicks might lead one to believe.

Martine gets a new job as a caretaker at a retirement home thanks to her fiance. She arrives a day early and meets current caretaker Nicole, owner Helene, handicapped handyman Flavien, and a crew of quirky senior citizens. On the 28th of the month, Nicole disappears and Martine begins finding clues that something bad has happened to her, leading her to discover that Helene may be a lot older than she looks. Somehow, it's all tied to a serial killer who dispatches his victims with golden needles and a long string of vanished young women who have worked at the retirement home.

The acting and story in this horror-mystery are excellent. There are clues to what's going on from the outset that one has to be watching for, and it all ties together quite well in the end. While there are a couple of gory scenes, including some graphic cannibalism, "Night of Death!" successfully creates a mood of mystery and menace throughout. A good deal of effort has been put into character development, too, particular when it comes to Martine and Helene. This is an intelligent, creepy, unusual horror flick that blends a good whodunit mystery with horror and dark humor. The pacing lags a bit from time to time and some of the gore effects look quite dated now, but absolutely worth a watch!