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IMDbPro

Dead of Night

  • 1974
  • PG
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
Dead of Night (1974)
A young soldier killed in Vietnam inexplicably shows up to his family home one night.
Play trailer3:49
1 Video
54 Photos
DramaHorrorThriller

A young soldier killed in the Vietnam War inexplicably shows up at his family home on the night of his death.A young soldier killed in the Vietnam War inexplicably shows up at his family home on the night of his death.A young soldier killed in the Vietnam War inexplicably shows up at his family home on the night of his death.

  • Director
    • Bob Clark
  • Writer
    • Alan Ormsby
  • Stars
    • John Marley
    • Lynn Carlin
    • Richard Backus
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    5.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Bob Clark
    • Writer
      • Alan Ormsby
    • Stars
      • John Marley
      • Lynn Carlin
      • Richard Backus
    • 110User reviews
    • 75Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 3:49
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos54

    Dead of Night (1974)
    Dead of Night (1974)
    Dead of Night (1974)
    Anya Ormsby in Dead of Night (1974)
    Jane Daly in Dead of Night (1974)
    Arthur Bradley, Lynn Carlin, and John Marley in Dead of Night (1974)
    David Gawlikowski in Dead of Night (1974)
    Bud Hoey in Dead of Night (1974)
    Robert R. Cannon in Dead of Night (1974)
    Arthur Anderson in Dead of Night (1974)
    Jeff Gillen in Dead of Night (1974)
    Henderson Forsythe in Dead of Night (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Marley
    John Marley
    • Charles Brooks
    Lynn Carlin
    Lynn Carlin
    • Christine Brooks
    Richard Backus
    Richard Backus
    • 'Andy'…
    Henderson Forsythe
    • Doc Allman
    Anya Ormsby
    Anya Ormsby
    • Cathy Brooks
    Jane Daly
    Jane Daly
    • Joanne
    Michael Mazes
    • Bob
    Arthur Anderson
    Arthur Anderson
    • Postman
    Arthur Bradley
    • Army Captain
    David Gawlikowski
    • Truck Driver
    Virginia Cortez
    • Rosalie
    Bud Hoey
    • Ed
    Robert R. Cannon
    • Drunk
    • (as Robert Cannon)
    Raymond Michel
    • Policeman in Diner
    Jeff Becker
    • Young Boy
    Scott Becker
    • Young Boy
    Greg Wells
    • Young Boy
    Kevin Schweizer
    • Young Boy
    • Director
      • Bob Clark
    • Writer
      • Alan Ormsby
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The first film featuring Tom Savini as a make-up artist.
    • Goofs
      The sign over the cemetery gate is misspelled as "Brooksville Cemetary."
    • Quotes

      'Andy': I died for you, Doc. Why shouldn't you return the favor?

    • Alternate versions
      SPOILER: The version of the film released under the original working title "The Night Andy Came Home" contains an additional piece of dialogue during the final scene in Brooksville Cemetery. After Andy buries himself and dies, his mother, kneeling over his makeshift grave, can be heard saying to the policemen who have arrived there "Andy's home. Some boys never come home." In the later Gorgon Video VHS release under the title "Deathdream", this piece of dialogue was intentionally muted out so as not to reference the original working title.
    • Connections
      Featured in Elvira's Movie Macabre: Deathdream (1982)
    • Soundtracks
      Camptown Races
      (uncredited)

      By Stephen Foster

      Whistled by Arthur Anderson

    User reviews110

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    The Atmosphere Really Sells the Story
    Dead of Night (1974)

    *** (out of 4)

    Bob Clark's somber horror tale about parents Charles and Christine Brooks (John Marley, Lynn Carlin) who learn that their son Andy (Richard Backus) was killed in Vietnam. A short time later they are shocked to see that Andy has returned home. The mother accepts her son but the father seems to think that there's something not quite right.

    Clark's DEAD OF NIGHT, also known as DEATHDREAM, is one of the more unique horror films from this era because not only does it work as a horror movie but it's also quite effective as a drama. Obviously being 1974, the Vietnam war was still a hot topic and the film's screenplay by Alan Ormsby perfectly borrows from The Monkey's Paw story while also throwing in a few twists and of course there's the updating of the setting.

    I think Clark deserves a lot of credit for the visual style and atmosphere that he created for the film. The film really does a great job at capturing this small town and I really loved the dark look that he gave it. Obviously this is a fairly sad story about a dead soldier returning home to his parents and Clark's direction is right on the mark. The story is told in a rather slow fashion but this too really helps build up the atmopshere and the overall look of the film.

    Another thing that really works well is the drama. Seeing how this dream come true of having their son return to them turn into a nightmare as it slowly rips the family apart is perfect drama and every bit of it works. Even better is the fact that we're treated to some really fine performances including both Carlin and Backus as the mother and son. The real standout is Marley who is simply wonderful as the father who knows that the person living with them isn't really his son.

    DEAD OF NIGHT certainly has some flaws as it's not the perfect movie but, considering the budget, Clark was really able to build a rather dark and twisted tale.
    helpful•6
    1
    • Michael_Elliott
    • Dec 18, 2017

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 29, 1974 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Deathdream
    • Filming locations
      • 41 Drive-In, Brooksville, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • Dead Walk Company
      • Impact Films
      • Quadrant Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $235,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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