Customer Reviews

Beast Of Morocco (The Hand Of Night) (1968-England) [VHS]

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THE BEAST OF MOROCCO or THE HAND OF NIGHT is an interesting small-budgeted film that stars Brit actor William Sylvester (see 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and DEVIL DOLL) and a handful of capable supporting stars. This was a film that I caught on the late show one night many years ago in the US. The modest effects and the off-kilter plotting fascinated me, and when I saw it offered by Amazon, I had to view this work again.

The copy that I received from Amazon appears to have been directly video-taped from an old film print -- perhaps an obvious observation since the company releasing the DVD is VIDEO IMAGES. Halfway through the film is an on-screen notice asking us to be patient while reels are being changed. At times the colors are uneven, and the disk even froze in my Chinese-made DVD player; however, it played well in my MAC computer. Unless one is looking for a pristine DVD copy along the lines of a Blu-Ray version, this is adequate enough to fill the bill.

This a mystery tale of the first order, an odd take on the vampire myth. Particularly of interest is the haunted character portrayed by Mr. Sylvester. He is suffering from a severe guilt complex because he survived an auto accident that took the life of his wife and children back in England. He believes not only that he cannot be killed but is a harbinger of death -- one who is open to the dark side of his daily existence. As he says, he has cheated death. In Morocco, he meets a beautiful, seductive princess named Marisa and other denizens of the night that supposedly existed centuries ago and were destroyed in this old palace where they resided by a band of Gypsies.

Paul Carver (Sylvester) meets Omar the Gatekeeper who introduces him to the Court of the Servants of the Night. At the center of this court is Marisa, the ravishing beauty who bears a grudge against all mankind -- particularly males -- because her jealous husband in early medieval times entombed her alive. He encounters her in public places, but only he can see her before she becomes transformed into a lifeless statue. Marisa is particularly concerned about the shimmering ring that he has discovered and wears on his little finger. She removes it and flings it into the corner of the room where it continues to sparkle. Later he learns from Gunther, an archaeologist, that this ring offers him a modicum of protection. The question is. . . does he want protection since he cannot decide whether he wants to abide in the light or to become immersed in darkness, which is all that he feels he deserves? When Paul pines for lost love (like many of us who seek what we, perhaps, never really had), Marisa offers him love beyond living. He counters with his belief that love is a contradiction.

To say anything more about the plot would be to put spoilers into the review and turn this into a synopsis. However, perhaps it is not revealing too much to quote the archaeologist in the film who tells his female assistant, Chantal, clearly in love with Paul, that it was not Paul who has cheated death, as he claims, but that it is death that has cheated him. What this means exactly is intentionally unclear in the context of the film and in determining the fate of our hero, but it is these enigmatic touches that give this film its charm. The female assistant, played by Diane Claire (see PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES from Hammer Films), is the archetypal but rather plain representation of innocence trying to rescue the man she loves from the clutches of the sinister, dark-haired, beautiful (and equally archetypal) femme fatale. For other films that pit fair-haired innocence against a seductress with a dark heart, see OUT OF THE PAST, THE NATURAL, and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN.

If you are a lover of off-beat supernatural tales, you might enjoy THE BEAST OF MOROCCO. It is not offered at a cheap price, but if you enjoy being challenged instead of being handed a clear-cut ending, you will find viewing it at least once worthy of your time. I am glad that I found it and was able, once again, to immerse myself in its brooding atmosphere and colorful setting. It did open up the question about which is stronger -- our dark sides that beckon to us more often than we might admit or our yearning to remain in the goodness of the light. For me, viewing this little-known film again was like finding a lost film treasure, even if I might be tempted to label it a guilty pleasure.

The color is faded and scratchiness from beginning to end. Audio also fades at times. This is only a copy of a vhs print. A disappointment.

Unusual story, exotic location, and excellent cast(William Sylvester,Diane Clare, Edward Underdown)highlighted by the beautiful Aliza Gur(Miss Israel 1960). Important elements of BOM's plot were "borrowed" by the movies Nightmare(1973) and Jacob's Ladder(1989). Sooner than later this movie will get a decent release.

A tourist travelling through the desert comes at night upon a lavish Moorish castle wherein he is entertained by a mysterious wealthy woman. He departs and returns in the morning to find the place has vanished. His inquiries only bring fear and hostility from the local villagers. He gradually finds himself lured into a deadly and sinister mystery.