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Dead of Night

Play trailer Poster for Dead of Night 1945 1h 44m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 48 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Architect Walter Craig (Mervyn Johns) goes to Pilgrim's Farm to see a potential client. When he arrives at the house, he gets the feeling that he has been there before. Once inside, he meets a group of people who seem oddly familiar. He tells them that he has dreamt about each one of them and begins to list events that occurred in the dream. Walter's revelations begin a conversation amongst the group, and each person admits to having experienced a strange, unexplainable event.
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Dead of Night

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Critics Consensus

With four accomplished directors contributing, Dead of Night is a classic horror anthology that remains highly influential.

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Critics Reviews

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TIME Staff TIME Magazine 10/13/2020
It offers the same sort of spine-cooling thrill you get from listening to a group of accomplished liars swapping ghost stories. Go to Full Review Erle Cox (The Chiel) The Age (Australia) 10/13/2020
The audience is worked up to thrilling point with one story when it breaks to pick up another... It ls like eating a dinner in which, while you are enjoying toe fish, the plate is snatched away and poultry or dessert is substituted. Go to Full Review Times (UK) Staff The Times (UK) 10/13/2020
There is much sound acting and directing in Dead of Night, but the handicaps inherent in the form this film chooses prove too much for its ingenuity. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Dec 26
4/4
The granddaddy of all horror anthology flicks also remains the best of such portmanteau pics, with much of the credit for its classic status given to one stupendous segment. Go to Full Review Frank J. Avella The Contending Dec 23
B+
...the most chilling involving a ventriloquist (Michael Redgrave) and his being driven mad by his dummy. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what terrible fate was awaiting these folks—a testament to the solid storytelling. Go to Full Review Jack Hawkins HeyUGuys Oct 31
3/5
The new 4K release upholds StudioCanal’s high standards, even if Dead of Night may appeal only as an artefact for some. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Leaburn O @RT35452347 Aug 4 This is an excellent psychological thriller/horror. It feels ahead of its time and the storytelling is simple but perfectly executed. Ealing Studios came up with a zinger following years of British comedy films. Very much worth seeing. Watched on DVD. See more Rio P @Ericraymond111 Apr 12 Great movie one of the best See more Farah R. @Farah Mar 16 Although I loved the concept of the horror anthology, not all segments were good. The first two were alright and kept me interested, but the rest were tedious and boring. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Mar 8 Successful horror movie in 1 hour and 44 minutes. See more Christopher H. @BananaCramps Feb 19 Pretty good for an oldie. First horror anthology I think. Definitely influenced the twilight zone. See more Mike P @RT09890132 05/12/2025 Good if over-rated horror anthology movie; one of the first; set in England, in an old haunted manor as guests there trade ghost stories...It's effective although it's not the **** masterpiece Leonard Maltin claims it is; let's put it that way. The ventriloquist segment at the end is the best. You can see where both The Twilight Zone "Dummy" segment and "Chucky" were kind of riffing on this, or ripping it off; although they both did it much better. Overall this is so-so if passable; it has its moments, but it's slow in spots. See more Read all reviews
Dead of Night

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Cast & Crew

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Alberto Cavalcanti

Director

Basil Dearden

Director

Robert Hamer

Director

Charles Crichton

Director

Mervyn Johns

Walter Craig

Michael Redgrave

Maxwell Frere

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Dead of Night

Dead of Night (1945) Dead of Night (1945) Dead of Night (1945) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Architect Walter Craig (Mervyn Johns) goes to Pilgrim's Farm to see a potential client. When he arrives at the house, he gets the feeling that he has been there before. Once inside, he meets a group of people who seem oddly familiar. He tells them that he has dreamt about each one of them and begins to list events that occurred in the dream. Walter's revelations begin a conversation amongst the group, and each person admits to having experienced a strange, unexplainable event.
Director
Alberto Cavalcanti, Basil Dearden, Robert Hamer, Charles Crichton
Producer
Michael Balcon
Screenwriter
John Baines, Angus MacPhail
Production Co
Ealing Studios
Genre
Horror
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 29, 2017
Runtime
1h 44m
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