Night Creatures Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Night Creatures Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 14, 2022

1962’s “Night Creatures” was originally titled “Captain Clegg,” while the film is a loose adaptation of the “Doctor Syn” books, created by Russell Thorndike. The material goes by many names, but this hardly matters to Hammer Films, who attempts to transform the story of a pirate captain in hiding into a modest adventure with some mild horror elements, turning to trustworthy star Peter Cushing to capture the essence of a secretive rogue. “Night Creatures” (the American title) is mostly supported by Cushing’s wonderful work, giving the picture a sense of life as the writing struggles to make a tale of smuggling seem exciting, with Hammer laboring to stretch meager antagonisms into a feature-length endeavor.

A war of wine smuggling makes up most of “Night Creatures,” with Captain Collier (Patrick Allen) arriving in marsh country to bust local Brits, coming up against Dr. Blyss (Peter Cushing), who, as a man of God, oversees community standards. The shadow of piracy is present in the story, offering a modest mystery in the legacy of Captain Clegg, who’s been put to rest in the area. A battle of wits and secretive ways commences, giving the cast (which includes Yvonne Romain and Oliver Reed) lengthy scenes of verbal confrontation to work with, which inspires a decent level of drama, especially when Cushing leads the way. There’s also some action to keep things interesting, as “Night Creatures” offers manly brawling and light swashbuckling, adding some physical challenges to the mix.

Night Creatures Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 2K scan of the interpositive. "Night Creatures" provides decent detail with this sort of production, capturing some skin particulars with the varied cast, who range in age. Sets are reasonably textured, exploring the period appearance of the church and local gathering spots. Costuming retains some fibrousness. Locations are passably dimensional, exploring marshland and open fields. Colors are successfully refreshed, with outfits carrying powerful primaries, favoring deep reds and blues. Skintones are natural, and greenery is distinct. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy but film-like. Source is in decent condition, with some brief wear and tear.

Night Creatures Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers a straightforward understanding of dialogue exchanges, which come through with clarity and force from the capable cast. Dramatic efforts are understood, from sharp speeches to brute grunting. Scoring cues are satisfactory, presenting decent instrumentation and power without slipping into distortive extremes.

Night Creatures Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Bruce Hallenbeck.

• "Making of 'Captain Clegg'" (32:02, HD) tracks the development of Russell Thorndike's original "Doctor Syn" books, which inspired a few adaptations before becoming "Captain Clegg." Narration is provided by John Carson, and the featurette visits a few locations used in the movie.

• "Pulp Friction" (22:07, HD) is an interview with film historian Kim Newman.

• "Peter Cushing's Changing Directions" (28:09, HD) is an interview with film historian Jonathan Rigby.

• "The Mossman Legacy" (6:55, HD) returns to John Carson, who examines the career of George Mossman and his commitment to the preservation of horse-drawn carriages, with many of these vehicles used in Hammer productions.

• "Brian with Bowie" (7:56, HD) is an interview with special effects assistant Brian Johnson.

• Photo Gallery (3:32) collects film stills, BTS snaps, publicity shots, poster art, lobby cards, and a newspaper ad.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:29, HD) is included.

Night Creatures Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Night Creatures" is typical Hammer in many ways, forgoing a gradual sense of urgency to deal with thin subplots involving uninteresting characters. And there's the presence of the "marsh phantoms," a collection of spooky skeleton-looking horse riders hoping to inspire terror in outsiders. While a prominent image in the movie's marketing and established as a major plot point, the bone brigade is only present in the picture for a few minutes. Disappointments are found throughout the viewing experience, but it's hard to deny what does work in the endeavor, which explores the process of smuggling and clandestine communication, and there's Cushing, who seems to be having the time of his life here, with his infectious enthusiasm keeping the film passably compelling.