Customer Reviews

Night Terror [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Carol (Valerie Harper) is on a truly "hapless" and "unluckly" journey across the desert from Phoenix to Denver which she must continue with at all costs because her little boy is hospitalized in Denver. While traveling forward Carol (Valerie Harper) both interupts a rountine traffic stop and is also THE witness to and also the "unintentional cause and effect" of a police-officer-murder by the stopped driver who becomes the future nemesis of Carol (Valerie Harper). This other main character who in the Movie is a man that the audience only ever knows as "soldier" (Richard Romanus) also whom we, the viewers, never seem to learn much more about, beyond his muderous nature, his bad temperment and his seemingly unlimited capacity for drama. Although it is vaguely implicit as (Richard Romanus) moves across the desert that his true "raison'd'etre" French for "reason for living" is that he obviously a freelance hit-man on a heck of a ride which leads to a relentless pursuit and a open ended story of mortal combat (mostly a battle of the minds) but climaxing in a physical battle at the end (don't worry Valerie Harper uses a stand-in for all the physical stuff in this film).What makes this movie so realistic is that in those days there were no cellular phones, and things did indeed close at midnight and Pay Telephones had no dial tone until the caller inserted a coin and a lot of rural households had no telephone. That what gives this movie is suspense. In those days it COULD have happened. This movie has excellent cinematography considering its low budget. You will have a front row seat to just the right balance of panorama, paranoia and suspense.

First of all, I'm drawing upon memories of almost thirty years ago, but the fact that I have them at all says something.

Back in the seventies there was a spate of made-for-TV movies that had what I can only call "that certain feel" to them. Viewers from that time period will know what I mean. The best of these are fondly remembered as remnants of an era that has passed. "Night Terror" may not rank among 'the best', but I would give it the thumbs-up.

What I remember most vividly about this film is the effective buildup of suspense and fear, as Valerie Harper (who turns in a good acting performance) makes her desperate way along a mountainous highway in the night -- pursued by . . . I won't spoil it for you! On a personal note, I recognized the road in many of the scenes (I'm a Colorado boy, and I'm sure they must've shot much of it there). Drivers in such places know that a winding passage through the high country on a very dark night coupled with adverse weather conditions can really have you clutching the steering wheel (even w/o any other menace!).

For a return to the kind of fun-scary TV movie they used to make a long time ago (but don't anymore), catch this one if you can.

scary and entertaining.wish there were more movies like this.