Nightkill (1980)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Ted Post

Writers:

Joan Andre (writer)
John Case (writer)

Release Date:

18 December 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

Your throat dries, heart pounds, flesh crawls and you panic...that is the fear of...

Plot:

The wife of a wealthy industrialist finds herself caught-up in a web of intrigue & murder which was created by her own deceit...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Stranger | Killing | Steam | Rich

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Donner
Jaclyn Smith	...	Katherine Atwell
James Franciscus	...	Steve Fuller
Mike Connors	...	Wendell Atwell
Fritz Weaver	...	Herbert Childs
Sybil Danning	...	Monika Childs
Tina Menard	...	Consuela
Belinda Mayne	...	Christine
Angus Scrimm	...	Desert rat (scenes deleted)
Michael Anderson Jr.	...	Lt. Donner
Melanie MacQueen	...	Alice
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paty Lombard

Also Known As:

Night Kill (Europe: English title) (video title)

Runtime:

Norway:104 min | USA:97 min

Country:

West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:18 (video rating) (uncut) | UK:18 | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Cine Artist Film GmbH

Trivia:

Originally intended for theatrical release in January of 1981, the film was sold directly to television, where it premiered on 18 December 1980.

Not bad in actual fact

I was surprised at how nail-biting this movie was, not only at the somewhat unusual plot, but by the dark and brooding performance by Robert Mitchum. Nightkill is a great thriller with amazing twists and turns throughout, and an equally strong conclusion.

The wonderful Jaclyn Smith gives out a not-too-bad performance as Katherine Atwell, but in my eyes I felt as if she was trying a little too hard in some places. Mike Connors though portrays his cold and callous character of Wendel to mesmerising effect. You actually despise Wendel! In no doubt, however, it's Mitchum who steals the show; what a twist toward the end! Nice background music too: the score actually tells the story in some parts - very ominous.

With Charlie's Angels declining in ratings by 1980, Nightkill was supposed to be Jaclyn's first big-screen motion picture after her role as Kelly Garrett, originally intended for US release in January 1981. Instead, Nightkill was sold to television and was broadcast in December 1980. Why I've always thought to myself? This could have been a real success on the big screen (and it was elsewhere in the world, where it gained a cult following). I feel as if the time and effort was wasted on what is quite a taut thriller, and it would have been very interesting to see its box office takings. 7/10