Search - Straight on Till Morning on DVD

A surprise from Hammer

Travis | Texas | 12/23/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For fans of Hammer, this film comes highly recommended.Set in modern London (1972), those familiar with the period Hammer pieces might expect a somewhat confused plot or hard to follow story. Whlie such Hammer films are still enjoyed by many, pleasingly, this is not the case here. This one should easily hold your attention from start to finish, and is truly a departure for Hammer, being a rather modern story, in a modern setting. For purposes of comparison, Fear In The Night comes closest, but Straight on Till Morning has a far better story to tell, is much clearer, and is therefore more rewarding. A genuinely enjoyable, substantial, and frightening thriller- you'll spend the length of the film trying to figure out the extent of madness to which Shane Briant's character has fallen into- not to mention wondering when, and if Rita Tushingham's character is about to be murdered by him. I was expecting a fairly average Hammer film with this one, but got much more.
Really interesting and unique piece for Hammer fans."

This Anemic Psycho-Sexual Horror From Hammer Provokes Little

J. B. Hoyos | Chesapeake, VA | 10/16/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"According to the liner notes provided by Anchor Bay for "Straight On Till Morning," Hammer House was in a financial slump in 1972. Hoping to correct the situation, Michael Carreras envisioned a double bill of psychological horror films made on a low budget. Both "Fear in the Night" and "Straight on Till Morning" involved women who are terrorized by killers. Released together under the heading of "Women In Terror," the movies fared poorly at the box office. Let's discuss "Straight on Till Morning."



This film has an excellent premise. Rita Tushingham stars as a homely, young woman who lives in a fantasy world. She writes children's stories about princesses being rescued by knights in shining armor. She travels to swinging London and meets Shane Briant. In her eyes, he is a prince. Unfortunately, we learn through a series of flashbacks that he seduces women and kills them for their money.



Shane Briant was excellent in "Demons of the Mind" because he looks anemic and sickly. He portrayed a young man who is kept locked in his bedroom. In "Straight on Till Morning," he still looks weak and pale faced and I can't imagine anyone but the loneliest being attracted to him. (A blind person could mistake the moles on his face for Braille.) One gorgeous young woman practically leaps into bed with him and is stabbed to death while still in his arms. How wimpy Briant was able to dispose of her body and quickly clean up the mess before Tushingham arrived home is unbelievable. A genuine Euro stud such as Jean Sorel, Fabio Testi, or George Hilton should've been cast in lieu of Briant.



Where was Briant hiding the bodies? Most all of the killing is implied or done off screen. There is virtually no gore. The lackluster ending had a lot of screaming that was more annoying than frightful.



"Straight on Till Morning" is too slow and anemic for modern audiences. Rita Tushingham's excellent performance is not enough to warrant watching this film. It is only recommended for Hammer Production completists. Please rent before paying a huge price for an out of print copy. It is so not worth it.

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