Night of the Big Heat
Short description
A small British island called Fara is gripped by a heatwave in the middle of winter, while the rest of the country shivers. Temperatures keep climbing, and the handful of residents and visitors, along with the men at the local meteorological station, have no explanation for the strange weather. The island's pub becomes the centre of village life, mainly because it still serves cold drinks. Among the quietest patrons is Godfrey Hanson, a visiting scientist who keeps to his room and avoids company.
As the heat intensifies, islanders begin to disappear, and the strain on the electrical system causes phones and appliances to fail. Hanson eventually reveals what he believes is behind the phenomenon: extraterrestrial beings who depend on intense heat to survive. Patrick Allen plays Jeff Callum, with Peter Cushing as Dr. Vernon Stone, Jane Merrow, Sarah Lawson and William Lucas among the residents caught up in the crisis.
Terence Fisher directed this British production, the fourteenth of the sixteen films he directed in chronological order, arriving between Frankenstein Created Woman and The Devil Rides Out, with a screenplay by Ronald Liles and Tom Blakeley producing. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, both familiar faces in Fisher's work, head the cast. On IMDb the film holds a moderate 5.6 from around 2,800 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 5.3 from a much smaller sample of viewers.
What's left behind the scenes
- According to Christopher Lee (1922-2015), the film, which is about unprecedented heat, was filmed in the middle of winter. Actors and actresses had to be coated in glycerin to simulate sweat from the unbearable heat, and they had to freeze in light clothing due to the sub-zero temperatures.
- The original script was rejected at the very last moment when it was decided that filming it was not feasible.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
