Review: 'Dead of Night' British horror classic starring Michael Redgrave on UHD and Blu-ray

It is almost thirty years since I last saw ‘Dead of Night'. I can date it precisely to my first year of university because it made such an impression on me at the time. I'm not sure I slept that night. Certainly, it was a revelation that a film from 1945 could unsettle me so much. Watching it again, three decades on, ‘Dead of Night' remains an effective horror film with chilling set-pieces and a sustained suspenseful atmosphere. A new 4K restoration has been released by Studiocanal as part of its Vintage Classics range. The film is a clever anthology, weaving several self-contained stories into an overarching bookend plot. It is produced by Ealing Studios that would go on to be synonymous with its many timeless comedies. There is craftsmanship throughout ‘Dead of Night', from the multiple directors who worked on the project to the familiar actors who appeared in it. Some, notably Michael Redgrave and Googie Withers, would have long and successful careers. Credit: Studiocanal Architect Walter Craig (Mervyn Johns) visits the country cottage of Elliot Foley (Roland Culver). On arriving, Craig realises that the cottage as well as Foley and his guests are familiar to him. He has seen them in his dreams, and he makes an unhappy premonition. In an effort to break the spell, the assembly at the cottage take it in turns to tell a tale about something strange, supernatural or unexplained that has happened to them. The most famous segment is told by the doctor, Frederick Valk. He recounts how he made a psychiatric examination of a man named Maxwell Frere – an unhinged ventriloquist. Enter Michael Redgrave (‘The Lady Vanishes', ‘The Importance of Being Earnest'), who is phenomenally good as the unhappy entertainer. At times drink-sodden and self-pitying, at other times anxious that his doll and the thought that he will break up the act, Redgrave is simultaneously sympathetic and terrifying. It is by far the most memorable and lauded sequence in the film, and the only part that I strongly remembered from viewing it as a teenager. ‘Dead of Night's final vignette is so effective because of Redgrave's measured, troubling performance which comes through strongly under the assured direction of Alberto Cavalcanti. The story has inspired many books and films, including Richard Attenborough's ‘Magic', in which Anthony Hopkins plays a ventriloquist with a split personality… Credit: Studiocanal The ventriloquist and his dummy segment comes towards the end of the film, but ‘Dead of Night' has a variety of other nerve-shredding tales to stimulate the imagination. There is the ghost story when, during an innocent game of hide and seek, young Sally Ann Howes (fifteen years old when making the film) realises she has put a ghost to bed in a deserted upstairs attic room. There's also Googie Withers' segment in which she gifts her unfortunate husband (a study in quiet neuroticism by Ralph Michael) a mirror that witnessed a murder-suicide. Slowly but surely, the tragic events of the past reveal themselves in the present. There is also a more light-hearted story with a humorous edge about a pair of friends who enjoy a round of golf. However, when they compete for a woman's affections, the victor finds himself haunted by the ghost of his former friend, who comes back from the dead on finding out that his rival only won by cheating. The segment features successful double act Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford. The overarching story resolves itself in a vivid sequence that uses editing techniques rarely seen in films of the era. It is directed by Basil Dearden, who was behind the camera for a string of iconic British films including ‘Khartoum', ‘The Man Who Haunted Himself' and the Dirk Bogarde features ‘Victim' and ‘The Blue Lamp'. Undoubtedly, it leaves a vivid impression on the viewer. This is not a film that pulls its punches. Credit: Studiocanal Surprisingly, considering Roger Hamer (behind the camera for the haunted mirror segment, as well as Ealing Studios' most iconic film ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets') and Charles Crichton (who shot the golfing story, as well as Ealing Studios' ‘The Lavender Hill Mob') also worked on the film, you may not necessarily notice that ‘Dead of Night' used multiple directors. Running to only just over 100 minutes, it wastes no time at all and packs plenty of twists and turns as well as shocks into a relatively short space of time. Credit: Studiocanal It's no surprise that ‘Dead of Night' has become an iconic British horror film. Its anthology storytelling technique later became a staple of studios that specialised in the genre, such as Hammer and Amicus. Well ahead of its time, ‘Dead of Night' continues to inspire storytellers and filmmakers. Eight decades after its original release, with no surviving cast members left to talk about it, ‘Dead of Night' lives on in the imaginations of audiences who still find it as captivating and unsettling as the immediately post-war world that spawned it. In UHD and Blu-ray, ‘Dead of Night' looks crisper than ever before. You notice details in the sets that lower definition releases would not have revealed. Although restored in 4K, the age and grade of the film stock means that there is some grain, but the upgrade presents ‘Dead of Night' at the best it has ever looked. Credit: Studiocanal Studiocanal's new release, celebrating the eightieth anniversary of ‘Dead of Night', is a must-have for collectors and horror enthusiasts. It makes the perfect gift for the lover of classic British movies in your life. The attention to detail is magnificent. Provided in both UHD and Blu-ray formats, the discs are held in a case with Michael Redgrave as Maxwell Frere, silencing his dummy on the cover, and Mervyn Johns being terrified by the phrase, “Just room for one inside, sir!” on the reverse. There is also a sixty-four-page booklet about the making of the film. The final page has a photograph of Michael Redgrave in the part of the film that gave me nightmares. There are also a couple of film posters that can be folded out to roughly 20 by 16 inches. One features original artwork and another with the stunning new artwork by Krishna Bala Shenoi that adorns the cover. The discs also hold a treasure trove of extra features for those who enjoy a deep dive into movie making. Film historian Alice Lowe gives her verdict in ‘Dead of Night: Dreams and Duality', while ‘Remembering Dead of Night' gathers the views of contemporary film critics. You can hear a full-length audio commentary by film historian Pamela Hutchinson, and much more besides. This welcome nostalgic trip lived up to the memories. ‘Dead of Night' is the kind of film, once seen, you never forget. Credit: Studiocanal Cast: Mervyn Johns, Roland Culver, Googie Withers, Naunton Wayne, Basil Radford, Peggy Bryan, Ralph Michael, Judy Kelly, Sally Ann Howes, Frederick Valk, Mary Merrall, Michael Redgrave Writers: John Baines, Angus MacPhail, TEB Clarke Directors: Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, Roger Hamer Running time: 103 mins Released by: Studiocanal Release date: 20th October 2025 Buy ‘Dead of Night' This article contains an affiliate link. Purchases through this link may result in us earning a commission.

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