Night Caller from Outer Space
Directed byJohn Gilling
Written byFrank Crisp (novel)
Jim O'Connolly (screenplay)
Produced byRonald Liles
StarringJohn Saxon
Maurice Denham
Patricia Haines
Alfred Burke
Warren Mitchell
CinematographyStephen Dade
Edited byPhilip Barnikel
Music byJohn Gregory (composed and directed by)
Production
company
Armitage Film Productions Ltd.
Distributed byButcher's Film Service (UK)
Release date
1965
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Night Caller from Outer Space, also known as simply The Night Caller or Blood Beast from Outer Space, is a British 1965 science fiction film directed by John Gilling.[1] It is based on Frank Crisp's novel The Night Callers. A colourised version of the film was released in 2011.

Plot

Scientist Dr Morley and his American associate Jack Costain detect a meteorite heading to Earth. After determining where the meteorite has crashed, they and their aides investigate a meteorite in the British countryside, discovering that it is an alien device from Ganymede, a moon of Jupiter. The device is in the shape of a small sphere.

While working nights at the lab, secretary Ann Barlow sees something moving in the lab. Dr Morley attempts to communicate with the creature, but he is killed. The creature escapes the lab. Costain begins to track the creature.

Shortly thereafter, teenage girls begin to go missing after answering an advertisement in 'Bikini Girl' magazine. It turns out the alien wants to use women from Earth for breeding purposes.[2][3][4]

Cast

Production

It was the first science fiction film featuring John Saxon.[5] Directed by John Gilling. UK prints of the film feature Alan Haven's version of the hit instrumental "Image" as the theme played over the opening credits. Export prints feature a lounge number titled "The Night Caller" written by Albert Hague and sung by Mark Richardson.

Reception

In a contemporary review, Stuart Byron of Variety declared that "it is simply too well-made for its own commercial good" and that it was "far above average of its kind, but it eschews a standard action-adventure climax in favor of a "philosophical" one."[6] He noted that audiences at a 42nd Street screening showed their displeasure with the film "quite volubly".[6]

Leonard Maltin called it a "well-done sci-fi thriller" and gave it two-and-a-half stars out of four.[7]

Moira found the first of half of the movie to be well done, but that the film fails in the second half.[4]

Creature Feature gave the movie 2 out of 5 stars, liking the direction.[8]

TV Guide gave the movie 2 out of five stars, finding both the script and production values worthwhile.[9]

Home release

Released on DVD in 22 December. 2011 [10]

References

  1. ↑ "The Night Caller | BFI | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  2. ↑ Puchalski, Steven (2002). Slimetime: a guide to sleazy, mindless movies (2nd ed.). Headpress/Critical Vision. p. 207. ISBN 1-900486-21-0.
  3. ↑ Deming, Mark (2010). "Blood Beast From Outer Space (1966)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  4. 1 2 "The Night Caller (1965)". 21 June 2016.
  5. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (29 July 2020). "The Top Twelve Stages of Saxon". Filmink.
  6. 1 2 Variety's Film Reviews 1964–1967. Vol. 11. R. R. Bowker. 1983. There are no page numbers in this book. This entry is found under the header "November 8, 1967". ISBN 0-8352-2790-1.
  7. ↑ Maltin, Leonard (2008). Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. Penguin Group. p. 980. ISBN 978-0-452-28978-9.
  8. ↑ Saxon, J. (2000) Creature Feature:3rd Edition. Berkley Boulevard
  9. ↑ "Blood Beasts from Outer Space".
  10. ↑ "Night Caller from Outer Space". Amazon. 22 December 2011.
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