I’m taking a look at one of Powerhouse Films blu-ray releases from last year. It’s a mystery / thriller based on Endless Night by Agatha Christie. The cast isn’t too bad either, starring Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett and Britt Ekland. There are two questions to answer, is the film any good and is this a worthy blu-ray release. This is my Endless Night blu-ray review.
- Endless Night (1972)
- Genre: Mystery / Thriller
- Directed by Sidney Gilliat
- UK Rating 15
- Discs: 1
- Released By Indicator aka Powerhouse Films
- Blu-ray Released: 24th February 2020
Plot
Aspiring photographer Michael Rogers (Hywel Bennett) has a passion for fine arts. The only problem being he’s unable to afford it as he works as a chauffeur.
He becomes obsessed a plot of land, Gypsy’s Acre, in which he dreams of purchasing and building his perfect house.
Its whilst he is taking photos at Gypsy’s Acre that he meets a young American, Ellie Thomsen who is visiting England. The two soon become close and Ellie later reveals she is a wealthy heiress.
Whilst they are at Gypsy’s Acre an old woman Miss Townsend tells Michael that Gypsy’s Acre is for sale, but that the land is also cursed.
Style / Direction
Endless Night is a film directed by Sidney Gilliat with Harry Waxman handling the cinematography. I have to say it’s a well made film that has a nice flow to it.
Music / Audio Effects
The film’s score comes from Bernard Herrmann.
Acting / Characters
The acting of all three main actors is very good with Hywel Bennett giving that slightly odd feel to his performance. It works brilliantly and has you unsure what will occur next.
Cast
- Hayley Mills as Fenella ‘Ellie’ Thomsen
- Hywel Bennett as Michael Rogers
- Britt Ekland as Greta
- Per Oscarsson as Santonix
- George Sanders as Andrew Lippincott
- David Bauer as Uncle Frank
- Peter Bowles as Reuben Brown
- Patience Collier as Miss Townsend
- Windsor Davies as Sergeant Reene
- Mischa de la Motte as Maynard
- Helen Horton as Aunt Beth
- Lois Maxwell as Cora Walker-Brown
- Aubrey Richards as Dr. Philpott
- Ann Way as Mrs. Philpott
- Paul Boross as Young Michael
- Leo Genn as Psychiatrist
Conclusion: Endless Night (1972) Film Review
I thoroughly enjoyed Endless Night and having not read the Agatha Christie novel I was not familiar with the plot. It’s a well told story that has you guessing right up until the end.
I highly recommend giving this film a look I was pleasantly surprised with just how good it was.
If you’ve enjoyed my Endless Night blu-ray review so far you may want to check out the following films:
Conclusion: Endless Night Blu-ray Review
Overall the image quality is pretty good however I did notice several time lines on the left hand side of the screen which really should have been removed. Other than that there are a few really noisy grainy shots from time to time.
In short it’s not bad but could have and probably should have been better.
On the extras side Powerhouse Films include quite a lot of features.
Extras
- The BEHP Interview with Sidney Gilliat
- The John Player Lecture with Bernard Herrmann
- Hayley Mills: A Full House
- Howard Blake: Endless Notes
- Neil Sinyard: Emotional Turbulence
- Theatrical Trailer
- Image Gallery
Endless Night (1972) blu-ray is available now via Amazon or Powerhouse Films.
The Amazon links on this page are affiliate / associate links. By buying through the links we may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price you pay.
Popcorn Cinema Rating: Endless Night (1972)
MOVIE RATING: VERY GOOD
BLU-RAY RATING: GOOD
POPCORN CINEMA: RECOMMENDED
Endless Night (1972) Film Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…
Clip NOT representative of the blu-ray version
That concludes my Endless Night blu-ray review let me know what you thought of this film over on our Facebook page. I’m aiming to review more thrillers soon. What’s next? Check back soon…
Summary: Endless Night (1972) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: Endless Night (1972)
Movie description: Based on Endless Night by Agatha Christie.
Duration: 95 mins
Director(s): Sidney Gilliat
Actor(s): Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, Britt Ekland, Per Oscarsson, George Sanders, David Bauer, Peter Bowle, Patience Collier, Windsor Davies
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Rating
Summary
Agatha Christie novel expertly brought to the big screen
Pros
- Well Acted
- Compelling Story
- Lots of Extra Features
Cons
- Picture Quality Could Be Better
