The Hand of Night

The Hand of Night, directed by Frederic Goode, is a cryptic and haunting British horror classic from 1968 featuring the talents of William Sylvester, Diane Clare and Aliza Gur. Sometimes known by its alternate title, Beast of Morocco, the film reaches into the most sinister corners of the supernatural to tell a tale of fatal attraction, manipulation, and ulterior evils. This film invades the heart of ancient Moroccan folklore, intertwining reality and illusion, and keeping the audience on the edge of their seat with suspense.

William Sylvester takes the lead role as Paul Carver, a bereaved and broken man who has recently lost his wife and child in a tragic accident. He is travelling through the haunting landscape of Morocco in an attempt to escape his past and recover from his deep-seated trauma, finding himself spiraling deeper into the vortex of despair and loneliness.

As his journey unfolds, Carver finds himself eerily drawn to a strikingly strange but fascinatingly beautiful woman named Marisa, played by Aliza Gur. She is an enigmatic creature of the night with a past shrouded in mystery, who carries with her an aura of intrigue and fearfulness. As Carver becomes more and more intertwined with Marisa, he fails to realize the dangerous nature of their relationship and the dark secrets she harbors.

Diane Clare plays the role of another woman, a down-to-earth and kind-hearted individual who crosses paths with Carver. Her character acts as a counter to Marisa's enigmatic persona, offering Carver potential salvation from the dangerous path on which he finds himself. But can he break free from the almost hypnotic allure of Marisa’s darkness, or will he be dragged irretrievably into a world of horror beyond his darkest nightmares?

As the narrative unravels, the film's director Frederic Goode delivers a well-crafted and atmospheric horror, exploiting the desolate landscapes of Morocco with breathtaking cinematography. The contrasting moods of trepidation and ecstasy, reality and illusion, despair, and hope are all beautifully captured to create a horror flick that is as visually enticing as it is dramatically intense. The performances by the lead actors offer plenty of depth to their respective roles that resonate strongly with the viewers and render a bone-chilling effect that lingers even after the movie has ended.

The remarkable aspect of The Hand of Night is the manner in which it artfully mixes elements of traditional British horror with exotic Arabic mythology. This clever combination, paired with the atmospheric and eerie surroundings of desert and architecture, contributes to the overall captivating and unsettling aura of the movie.

The script, written by Ronald Duncan and Frederic Goode, is rich with plot twists and gradually peels layers to reveal the disturbing backstory and chilling future awaiting the main characters. As the suspense builds, the movie effortlessly traps its viewers into a world where the supernatural is terrifyingly real and from which there seems no escape.

On the whole, The Hand of Night showcases a different ilk of horror cinema- one that creates dread and fear without relying heavily on visual gore. The atmosphere, suspense, excellent cast performances and the unusual meld of cultural backgrounds against the vast Moroccan settings are what makes this movie a memorable and spine-tingling experience.

Whether you are a dedicated horror movie fan who enjoys the suspense and thrills of the genre, or simply a cinema-lover who appreciates atmospheric classics, The Hand of Night promises you an enthralling viewing experience that teeters precariously on the edge of the macabre and the inexplicable. It takes you on a chilling journey into the heart of darkness that simultaneously terrifies and fascinates, leaving a lasting impression of the haunting power of the genre.