Night Creatures (1962)

Movie Info

You might even call us Ghost Riders

Marsh Phantoms are terrorizing the coastline, but Captain Collier (Patrick Allen) suspects something more sinister might be occurring.  Investigating possible illegal trafficking, Collier discovers every move he makes met by the town and their leader Parson Blyss (Peter Cushing).  The town might have secrets, but Blyss might have a bigger one…only recognized by a mute (Milton Reid) who seems to know Blyss from his past.

Directed by Peter Graham Scott, Captain Clegg was released as Night Creatures upon its release in the United States.  The movie is based on the Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn stories of Russell Thorndike.  Hammer Films had planned to make a version of I Am Legend with the title of Night Creatures and turned Captain Clegg into Night Creatures for U.S. release to satisfy distributors.  The film was relatively well received and often available in multi-packs.

This movie is a bit of a bait-and-switch by Hammer.  The movie is marketed as a horror film with the swamp creatures and ghosts, but it is really a mystery-caper movie movie…and a pretty good one at that.

Good Morning, Mr. Blyss!

I like the characters of this story at it is set up almost like Les Miserables.  Blyss It is a rather Jean Valjean type character with his past as Clegg trying to be kept behind him.  He’s turned his life around for the most part (minus the smuggling) and now the leader of a town.  He watches over his daughter Imogene (Yvonne Romain) secretly and helping to make her happy with fellow townsman Harry Cobtree (Oliver Reed).  It is a fun tale and has some suspense and mystery to it.

The cast is great.  Peter Cushing is great and it is always nice to see him not in a Dracula/Frankenstein role in these old Hammer productions.  He has a nice sparring partner in Patrick Allen who is determined to bring him down.  I like the subplot involving Oliver Reed as the well-to-do son dating the “wench” Imogene played by Yvonne Romain.  I also like the mute character played by Milton Reed who is a bad guy but you don’t want everyone to think he is crazy (though it is established that he is a rapist).  Unfortunately, the character has no name is simply referred to as Mulatto…but of course it was 1962.

Let’s have a long and entailed wedding as the men trying to arrest you get closer and closer…

The movie looks good.  I like the ghost effect (that is of course just a trick).  I still think the imagery for these scenes are nice including seeing the ghosts riding along the moors.  In addition to this, the rest of the film is sharp, colorful, and nicely shot…very classic in appearance.

Whether you call it Night Creatures or Captain Clegg, the movie is fun.  The movie isn’t much of a horror film if you are looking for real chills, but it does have some nice moments of suspense.  The visuals of the “night creatures” are fun and hold up, and this little movie should be seen.