Night of the Dark Full Moon

"The mansion… the madness… the maniac… no escape."

1972 1h 25m EN

😐

5.0

MID

★5.0TMDB · 105

ThrillerHorrorMystery

Synopsis

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A man investigates the grisly crimes that occurred in a former insane asylum, unsettling the locals who all seem to have something to hide.

“The mansion… the madness… the maniac… no escape.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Patrick O'Neal
John Carter
James Patterson
Jeffrey Butler
Mary Woronov
Diane Adams
Astrid Heeren
Ingrid
John Carradine
Charlie Towman
Walter Abel
Mayor Adams
Fran Stevens
Tess Howard
Walter Klavun
Sheriff Bill Mason

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Theodore Gershuny
Writers: Jeffrey Konvitz, Ira Teller, Ira Teller
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

85 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

54 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Silent Night, Bloody Night Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Theodore Gershuny, shot by Adam Giffard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Gershon Kingsley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tom Kennedy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Patrick O'Neal and James Patterson and Mary Woronov carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The mansion… the madness… the maniac… no escape.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Theodore Gershuny directs. Adam Giffard behind the camera. Gershon Kingsley scores. Tom Kennedy cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

185 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
254 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Silent Night, Bloody Night Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Theodore Gershuny, shot by Adam Giffard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Gershon Kingsley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Tom Kennedy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Patrick O'Neal and James Patterson and Mary Woronov carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "The mansion… the madness… the maniac… no escape.".
9IMDB entry: tt0070694 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Adam Giffard
Original score: Gershon Kingsley
Editing: Tom Kennedy
Makeup / hair: Neil Barbella
Runtime: 85 min · 1h 25m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Night of the Dark Full Moon (1972)

Part of

Silent Night, Bloody Night Collection

Also by

Theodore Gershuny

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2022-04-14
★ 7/10
Moody horror that influenced many films to come A mysterious man from California (James Patterson) inherits a manor in a Northeast town at Christmastime, but someone has escaped the local asylum and key citizens feel increasingly threatened, especially after some creepy phone calls. Patrick O'Neal, Astrid Heeren, John Carradine and Walter Abel are on hand. "Silent Night, Bloody Night" was made in December-March, 1970-71, on a modest budget ($295,000), but not released until 1972. This is an atmospheric horror flick that originated tropes that became staples of the oncoming slasher craze, such as the (possible) killer escaping from an asylum, sexual immorality results in death, disturbing phone calls and naming horror films after a holiday or significant date, à la “Black Christmas” (1974) “Halloween” (1978), “Friday the 13th” (1980), “April Fool's Day” (1986/2008), “Valentine” (2001) and “My Bloody Valentine” (1981/2009). Unlike the later “Silent Night, Deadly Night” (1984), this is less of a one-dimensional slasher flick and more artistic horror. Don’t expect Santa Claus stalking victims with an ax. It shares an effective plot element introduced in “Psycho” and “The City of the Dead” (both from 1960). Interestingly, several of the cast members were iconic of Warhol's arty retinue in the 60s, including star Mary Woronov, who married director Theodore Gershuny the same year this movie was made (a marriage that lasted till 1973). Others play either asylum inmates or “guests”: Ondine, Kristen Steen, Tally Brown, Lewis Love, filmmaker Jack Smith, artist Susan Rothenberg and Candy Darling. Speaking of Candy, this was her last movie as she died of lymphoma in 1974 at the too-young age of 29. She expressed before her passing, “I am just so bored by everything. You might say bored to death.” Julie Newmar read her eulogy. It was also the last film of costar James Patterson (who was dubbed); he would be dead of cancer three months before the film’s debut. While some critics call bits of the story a “mess,” practically everything is explained if you put the pieces of the puzzle together (although how someone can walk around for very long with hands literally cut off is a great mystery). The movie is succinct at 1 hour, 21 minutes, and was shot at Mill Neck & nearby Oyster Bay in northwestern Long Island, NY, straight across the sound from the Connecticut panhandle. GRADE: B-/B

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