Night Caller from Outer Space

1965 British film by John Gilling

Night Caller from Outer Space
Lobby card for US release
Directed by	John Gilling
Written by	Frank Crisp (novel) Jim O'Connolly (screenplay)
Produced by	Ronald Liles
Starring	John Saxon Maurice Denham Patricia Haines Alfred Burke Warren Mitchell
Cinematography	Stephen Dade
Edited by	Philip Barnikel
Music by	John Gregory (composed and directed by)
Production company	Armitage Film Productions Ltd.
Distributed by	Butcher's Film Service (UK)
Release date	1965
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Night Caller from Outer Space (also known as The Night Caller, and Blood Beast from Outer Space), is a British 1965 science fiction film directed by John Gilling and starring John Saxon, Maurice Denham and Patricia Haines.^[1] It is based on Frank Crisp's 1961 novel The Night Callers. A colourised version of the film was released in 2011.^{[citation needed]}

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.

Cast

John Saxon as Dr. Jack Costain
Maurice Denham as Dr. Morley
Patricia Haines as Ann Barlow
Alfred Burke as Detective Supt. Hartley
John Carson as the Major
Warren Mitchell as Reg Lilburn
Marianne Stone as Madge Lilburn
Stanley Meadows as Det. Tom Grant
Aubrey Morris as Thorburn
Ballard Berkeley as Cmdr. Savage
Geoffrey Lumsden as Colonel Davy
Tom Gill as Police Commissioner's secretary
Jack Watson as Sergeant Hawkins
Barbara French as Joyce Malone

Production

It was the first science fiction film featuring John Saxon.^[2]

Music

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.

Critical reception

In a contemporary review, Stuart Byron of Variety wrote 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."^[3] He noted that audiences at a 42nd Street screening showed their displeasure with the film "quite volubly".^[3]

Leonard Maltin called it a "well-done sci-fi thriller" and gave it two-and-a-half stars out of four.^[4]

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

TV Guide gave the movie 2 out of five stars, finding both the script and production values worthwhile.^[6]

Home release

Released on DVD in 22 December. 2011 ^[7]

References

^ "Night Caller from Outer Space". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
^ Vagg, Stephen (29 July 2020). "The Top Twelve Stages of Saxon". Filmink.
^ ^a ^b 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.
^ Maltin, Leonard (2008). Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. Penguin Group. p. 980. ISBN 978-0-452-28978-9.
^ Saxon, J. (2000) Creature Feature:3rd Edition. Berkley Boulevard
^ "Blood Beasts from Outer Space".
^ "Night Caller from Outer Space". Amazon. 22 December 2011.