I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the final night, I am posting the horror anthology Dead of Night.
Dead of Night (1945)
Dir- Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden & Robert Hamer
Classic chiller involves gathering people who have experienced dreams that seem to repeat themselves in reality. The tales involve everything from phantom hearses to haunted mirrors. For example, one story focuses on a teen playing hide-and-seek during a Christmas party where she encounters something paranormal. The final sequence with Michael Redgrave as a ventriloquist is a knockout. The movie progresses from great to outstanding as the tales go on, and the twist ending is most enjoyable. Produced before the war and held up due to a wartime ban on horror films, the Dead of Night is one of the best-made horror anthologies. American theatrical version ran 77 minutes, but a complete edition has been restored for DVD and Bluray release. I recommend that you locate the fully restored version to enjoy the absolute magnificence of this classic British thriller.