Captain Nathaniel Clegg, Pirate, Hanged at Rye, 1776. Captain Clegg (AKA: Night Creatures) is a Hammer-Major production in Eastman Color, it's directed by Peter Graham Scott with a screenplay written by John Elder. It stars Peter Cushing, Yvonne Romain, Patrick Allen, Oliver Reed, Michael Ripper and David Lodge. Music is by Don Banks and cinematography by Arthur Grant. "The Romney Marshes-Flat And Desolate-Was The Land Of A Proud And-Independent People. Their Shores Faced The Shores Of France-And Many Was The Shipload Of Wine And Brandy Smuggled Across The Sea In Defiance Of The King's Revenue Men. Many Legends Have Come From This Corner Of England-But None So Widely Believed Or Widely Feared-As The Legend Of The Marsh Phantoms-Who Rode The Land On Dark Misty Nights And Struck Fear Into The Hearts Of All Who Crossed Their Paths." Hammer's film is actually a remake of a little known 1937 film called Doctor Syn that starred George Arliss as the title character and featured Margaret Lockwood in support. For their take on the Captain Clegg/Marsh Phantoms story, Hammer craft a colourful Gothic like mystery/thriller that contains horror elements. It's certainly not overtly horror, something that has undoubtedly threw some horror seekers venturing into the film for the first time. This may explain why to a large extent it remains a largely unknown Hammer picture, which doesn't as yet have a DVD release in the country of its birth! The story is a very good one with smugglers, murders, romantic passions, ghostly apparitions and duplicitous characters. All given an excellent period production design by Bernard Robinson for the interiors, while the exteriors are nicely filmed out of the village of Denham in South Buckinghamshire. Pigeon Pie, Creepy Scarecrow and the Romney Marsh Phantoms. Of course none of the period flavourings and narrative intrigue would mean much if the acting wasn't up to scratch. Which on reflection is another reason why this is something of a criminally under seen Hammer picture. For not only does it have Cushing turning in one of his best performances (blending dandy fop with a crafty undercurrent), it also has a cast around him that are fully committed and effective in their roles. Which nicely includes Hammer stalwart Michael Ripper (as Mipps the undertaker) getting a more meatier role than usual. Patrick Allen (Dial M for Murder) is imposing as the officious Captain Collier, Martin Benson (The King and I) is suitably shifty as Rash and David Lodge (The Cockleshell Heroes) adds the muscle presence as Bosun. Standing out is Olly Reed as Harry, wonderfully dominating his scenes, he does a neat line in brooding, while Romain (The Curse of the Werewolf) is the classic Hammer wench type, pretty with a heaving bosom, she induces lusty lustations in Harry and Rash. There's some plot holes that the alert will not miss, and the big reveal is pretty much sign posted to us at the mid-point. But this is a little cracker that Hammer fans, Cushing fans and fans of period mysteries should definitely seek out. 8/10
**_Mysterious adventure at a marsh village on the coast of England in the late 1700s_** A group of naval militants are sent by the Royal Crown to investigate rumors of smuggling at a coastal town in 1792, where whisperings of spooky “marsh phantoms” abound. Patrick Allen plays the humorless commanding officer of the King’s men while Peter Cushing stars as the genial pastor of the village. “Night Creatures” (1962) is an obscure Hammer production originally called “Captain Clegg” based on the first book in Russell Thorndike's Doctor Syn series – “A Tale of Romney Marsh," which was published in 1915. The title “Night Creatures” is a misnomer while “Captain Clegg” doesn’t work for reason I can’t explain. The working title “The Curse of Captain Clegg” would’ve been more fitting. In any case, this is an 18th century costume melodrama with skullduggery and quite a bit of action, plus some spooky bits. The presence of Oliver Reed and Yvonne Romain naturally bring to mind “The Curse of the Werewolf” (1961) and this is cut from the same cloth, just minus the lycanthrope trappings. “Witchfinder General” (1968), aka “The Conqueror Worm,” is very comparable. “Black Death” (2010) was no doubt inspired by it, especially the mysterious marsh sequences. Reed was in his prime and the stunning Yvonne Romain has a more significant role than “Curse of the Werewolf.” Meanwhile Cushing was at the top of his game as the interesting protagonist. The movie runs 1 hour, 22 minutes, and was shot in Berkshire & Buckinghamshire, England, both just west of London. GRADE: B
Peter Cushing is super as "Dr. Blyss" in this period mystery as the erudite and charming vicar by day, but the leader of a gang of smugglers by night. "Captain Collier" Patrick Allen is sent to investigate these illegal goings on with a troop of soldiers, and they engage in a enjoyable cat-and-mouse game as Allen tries to discover the leader of the smugglers, and also to lay to rest the myth about "Captain Clegg" - a nefarious pirate reputedly hanged at Tyburn years earlier. It's got a cracking supporting cast - Michael Ripper, Oliver Reed, Martin Benson with Derek Francis ably playing the bumbling local squire and Yvonne Romain as the "serving wench"; with plenty of colour, humour and adventure - well worth a watch.
A neighborhood boy might have the solution to his problems, though. For two silver candlesticks, he promises to give Conrad a rare, vicious, growling and cunning animal with supernatural abilities, which supposedly was coveted in the past by Egyptian pharaohs, Borneo pirates and even Napoleon Bonaparte himself. Eventually the trade is made, Conrad gets the creature.
When notorious pirate Henry Morgan is made governor of Jamaica, he enlists the help of some of his former partners in ridding the Caribbean of buccaneers. When one of them apparently abducts the previous governor's pretty daughter and joins up with the rebels, things are set for a fight.
The pirates feel right at home in Sandborough, but the atmosphere cools right down when the ninjas come to live in the street. After all, pirates and ninjas are sworn enemies! While pirate captain Hector Blunderbuss struggles to get rid of his new neighbours, son Billy and ninja daughter Yuka become friends. The pirates challenge the ninjas to the ultimate battle at the village's annual hexathlon. Who will win the match? Ninjas are faster and more agile of course, but pirates are the best cheats in all of the seven seas...
Burt Lancaster plays a pirate with a taste for intrigue and acrobatics who involves himself in the goings on of a revolution in the Caribbean in the late 1700s. A light hearted adventure involving prison breaks, an oddball scientist, sailing ships, naval fights and tons of swordplay.
A young girl inhabits an isolated island with her scientist father and communicates with a reclusive author of the novel she's reading.
A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.
In the highlands of Scotland in the 1700s, Rob Roy tries to lead his small town to a better future, by borrowing money from the local nobility to buy cattle to herd to market. When the money is stolen, Rob is forced into a Robin Hood lifestyle to defend his family and honour.
Martin Sheen stars as an American newsman in Rome who begins to investigate the appearance of several corpses found throughout Europe with their hands cut off. He soon uncovers not only plots of plutonium theft, but also of nuclear arms deals and dark political schemes.
In a futuristic world where the polar ice caps have melted and made Earth a liquid planet, a beautiful barmaid rescues a mutant seafarer from a floating island prison. They escape, along with her young charge, Enola, and sail off aboard his ship. But the trio soon becomes the target of a menacing pirate who covets the map to 'Dryland'—which is tattooed on Enola's back.
The 21st successor to the role of Bengalla's resident superhero must travel to New York to prevent a rich madman from obtaining three magic skulls that would give him the secret to ultimate power.
The former wife of a criminal moves to a coastal town and takes over the running of a bar known as The Quiet Woman. She becomes outraged when she discovers the previous owner had allowed local smugglers to use it as a base. She soon has become romantically involved with one of the smugglers, which causes enormous problems when a customs officer turns up, followed closely by her former husband.