One Dark Night (1983)

Director:

Tom McLoughlin

Writers:

Tom McLoughlin (written by) &
Michael Hawes (written by)

Release Date:

February 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

A night to remember - until the day until you die!

Plot:

As part of an initiation into a club called the Sisters, a young girl must spend the night in a mausoleum.

Plot Keywords:

Mausoleum | Death | Murder | Zombie | Ghost

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Meg Tilly	...	Julie Wells
Melissa Newman	...	Olivia McKenna
Robin Evans	...	Carol Mason
Leslie Speights	...	Kitty
Donald Hotton	...	Dockstader
Elizabeth Daily	...	Leslie Winslow
David Mason Daniels	...	Steve
Adam West	...	Allan
Leo Gorcey Jr.	...	Barlow
Rhio H. Blair	...	Coroner
Larry Carroll	...	T.V. Reporter
Katee McClure	...	Female Reporter
Kevin Peter Hall	...	Eddie
Theodore Lehmann	...	Drunk (as Ted Lehman)
Nancy Mott	...	Lucy

Also Known As:

Dark Night (UK) (video title)
Entity Force
Mausoleum
Night in the Crypt
Night of Darkness (UK) (video title)
Rest in Peace
The Entity Force (UK) (video title)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:18 (1987 video release) | Australia:M | Norway:18 | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

2nd Street Tunnel, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Picture Company, The

Trivia:

Allan was named after Edgar Allan Poe, who's work initially inspired the film.

Quotes:

Kitty: Let's book up!
Leslie: What's the big rush?
Carol: I wanna get there before it closes, nerdle brain!
Leslie: Nerdle brain; very nice.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth (2000) (V)

Throw back old school horror film that; depending on your taste, is good and very hard to find.

Like others who have commented on this movie, I saw One Dark Night at the movie theater when I was a youngster. For a reason I can't seem to put my finger on, this film captured me and has stayed with me through the years. From time to time I love to "go back in time" and view this film over and over again. Right of the bat, I will say that some people may not care for this movie due to it's old school feel and cinematography; but for me it's a movie that I've always cherished and will always hold a special place in my heart.

This movie has a certain bizarre and eerie feel to it that will give you the creeps, and as a matter of fact One Dark Nights oddity and unorthodox flavor is one of the reasons I'm so taken in by it. I'm certainly old school, and I feel like current horror movies have lost the feel and authenticity that some older films seem to have. One Dark Night certainly brings that "certain" flavor.

One Dark Night is the type of movie that would be perfect to watch on a rainy late evening or on Halloween night. I guess you could say it's a cinematic example of what Halloween is all about. It's has lots of spooky elements you look for in horror films: The atmospheric dark Mausoleum, Telekinesis, Gothic funeral procession, sad and thought provoking letters left by children of the dead, spooky graveyard and coroner scenes, a very odd and eerie scene of crime where 6 dead girls are found with a chilling open eyed gaze. It's just good old school horror, they just don't make them like this any more. I also have to give kudos to the background music or the score that's used throughout the film, it's helps the viewers experience. Much more so than I think people realize, the score is a compelling and powerful component that richly adds to the movies effectiveness and brings forth mood which is essential to any good horror film.

The casting in this film also came off(sort of in a unexpected way) very well. Adam West, who played Batman in the original series in the 60's adds to this films folklore. Meg Tilly plays her part very well and has a "look" about herself that seems tailored for a horror movie. The 3 prankish teen girls who were in the High School Sorority clique called "The Sisters "were perfectly casted; including one Sister who always gnawed and chewed on a toothbrush, even up to the point of her demise.....gimmicky indeed. It's finer elements like these that seem to endure me to the film.

Scenes at the end where Raymar tortures members of "The Sisters" in the Mausoleum with corpses could be viewed as silly but still some how manages to come over as okay and tolerable. The movie One Dark Night is currently out of print and could be considered rare. Although some may not agree, I consider the film to be a classic example of the genre. If you are a horror buff like myself, I would recommend this movie, you just may find it to be a keeper, and like it for its odd,creepy terror.