Night Creatures (a.k.a.
Captain Clegg) -
It should be common knowledge that Peter Cushing was much more than Moff Tarkin from
Star Wars. While he mainly worked in horror, he wore many other hats, and in this case in the same movie. His work as a liquor smuggler who moonlights as a pastor, Doctor Blyss, is the finest I've seen from him yet. He has a worthy rival in Captain Collier (Patrick Allen), who oozes company man sleaze as he tries to catch Blyss and his cohorts who populate their seaside town, which includes a young Oliver Reed, in the act. This is not just an acting showcase, though: it's all about the cat and mouse chase, which never ceases to thrill or surprise. If it's not the smugglers' refuge having trapdoors upon trapdoors - think
Housebound on steroids - usurpers must contend with a roving band of skeletal horsemen haunting the marshes who would put the Nazgul on edge. At this point, you might be thinking "smuggling is a crime, so why should I root for Blyss?" The movie is thankfully not content to just tell a "good guys vs. bad guys" story. Besides, while trying to reveal Blyss's operation, Collier and company hardly behave like saints.
Again, despite the setup, this is not just about good and evil, and in the case of Blyss, it will make you wonder about the accuracy and use of such labels long after the movie ends. Speaking of labels, this is more clarification than criticism, but I am not sure if this is actually a horror movie. Even though there are skeletal horsemen, I can only assume that the definition of horror was different than it is now because it's not particularly scary. Calling this an adventure or thriller makes more sense. The important thing is that it's always fun and that it will make you want to see everything else featuring Peter Cushing. Just try not to pay too much attention to his hairpiece.