BloodTheTelepathicDog This Euro-horror is very fun to watch but for those fans who like a guessing game, the climax is ruined in the opening scene. You don't even have to be an astute film watcher to catch the casual unveiling of the twist ending when Serge reads Martine's letter. The screenwriter gave too much away which is why I believe they introduced the almost needless "Needle Killer" as a subplot.Night of Death! follows sweet-as-pie Martine (Isabelle Goguey) who after eight months of unemployment lands a job at a retirement home. The headmaster, Betty Buckels, is a bit on the stern side but Martine has known hardship all her life as an orphan so she can handle it. However, her first night there the other nurse on duty disappears and Martine is informed that she quit--we know otherwise but poor Martine doesn't. The fun of the film is watching Martine piece things together before the 28th of the month, which all the geriatrics have marked on their calendar as some sort of great event.STORY: $$ (Far too much is revealed in the first scene of the film which diminishes the shock value of the climax. If you don't see it coming than you have really got to be from another planet. Also, there is a lack of follow through on the tension part. Martine is well-liked and becomes close with Jules and Pascal--two old men at the home--but their friendship, which could have made for some inner turmoil, is forgotten once the 28th rolls around. Jules' fascination with revolutions was great, though!) ACTING: $$$ (Isabelle Goguey was terrific in the lead role. Her work as Martine makes the character easy to like and thus easy to root for. Too many horror films made nowadays just don't have likable leads so they are strictly body count flicks with little value, but this is different. Betty Buckels does a fine job as the headmaster and the wiry ol' fellow that played Jules was great).NUDITY: $$$ (Isabelle Goguey, who easily fits into the buxom bracket, has a brief topless scene while the group of oldtimers stare at her through a window. Her fellow nurse is stripped naked and eaten in a graphic cannibalism scene).

Michael_Elliott Night of Death! (1980) ** 1/2 (out of 4)French horror film has a woman (Isabelle Goguey) getting a job at Deadlock House, a home for the elderly where she is given orders by the strict owner (Betty Beckers) to look after the clients, cook and other basic chores. The day after her arrival the nurse who was on duty mysteriously leaves and as time goes on she is going to learn the truth and that's that the elderly here are extremely old and killing and eating the young to stay alive. As far as horror films go, this one here really doesn't offer anything new or original but there are some very good moments scattered around that make it worth viewing if you're a fan of the genre. The highlight of the film is without question its music score by Laurent Petitgirard who actually makes the film quite chilling in a few scenes. The music score has a very eerie tone to it and it's one I could find myself listening to often and enjoying it every step of the way. This mixes in well with the atmosphere created by the director, which is very thick at times and so much so that you can smell the death inside this old house. Another major plus is the performance of Goguey who manages to be very believable in her role but she's also good enough to make us care about her, which isn't something that usually comes along in a Euro horror flick. The supporting players are also quite good as they certainly deliver in their roles and give it their all. The gore in the film is extremely cheap as we see a body get sliced down the middle and for the rest of the movie we see our elderly folks pull stuff out of it and eat. The body is extremely fake looking but this doesn't hurt the film too much. We also get a little bit of nudity throughout the film. What really kills the movie is that the screenplay really doesn't offer too much because after we realize that the elderly people are cannibals, it takes way too long to reach the ending that we know is coming. We know they're eventually going to want to eat the new nurse but it takes forever to get there. With that said, fans of the genre will still want to check this forgotten film out as there's still enough here to make it worth watching.

udar55 Martine (Isabelle Goguey) begins working as a nurse at a convalescent home and quickly discovers some strange things afoot. Her co-worker has mysteriously disappeared, the residents are all a bit nutty and a murderer nicknamed "The Golden Needle Killer" is terrorizing the town. To say any more would give away too much for this fun little French horror film. If you have any interest in it, I would suggest staying away from any reviews or discussions. While the director gives some major things away early, there are still a few nicely done twists later on. The film has a few graphic gore scenes and some great dark comedy moments. One of the best things about the film is the great location and house. The Synapse DVD is crystal clear, as if the film were just shot last week, and presents the film in French with English subtitles.

HumanoidOfFlesh After several years of unemployment Martine finally finds a job as a nurse in an old people's home.On her arrival she is greeted by a worrying and mysterious guard who presents her to cold and dominating director Miss Helene.Soon the nurse in station Nicole vanishes without a trace.In fact she is butchered by old French people,who feast on her naked flesh.Her cannibalized body is hidden somewhere in the building.Martine tries to solve the gruesome mystery of rural retirement home...Raphael Delpard's "La Nuit de la Mort" mixes black humour with suspense and stomach-churning gore.There are two pretty graphic scenes of cannibalism,hand cutting and hysterical climax.The score is quite eerie and old men and women with the taste for human flesh are creepy enough.Unfortunately not much happens during most of the film.Overall, "La Nuit de la Mort" reminded me a little bit S.F Brownrigg's "Don't Look in the Basement" with its bizarre aura of insanity.7 out of 10.