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And Soon The Darkness [DVD]

Pamela Franklin (Actor), Michele Dotrice (Actor), Robert Fuest (Director) Rated: Suitable for 15 years and over Format: DVD
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 361 ratings
IMDb6.6/10.0
£10.78
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And Soon the Darkness £3.49 £5.99
Format PAL
Contributor Clare Kelly, Pamela Franklin, Robert Fuest, Sandor Elès, Michele Dotrice, Hana-Maria Pravda, John Franklyn, John Nettleton See more
Runtime 1 hour and 34 minutes
Studio StudioCanal
Colour Colour

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Product description

Atmospheric thriller set in the French countryside. Two British nurses, Jane (Pamela Franklin) and Cathy (Michele Dotrice), take a cycling holiday through France, but end up quarrelling and taking separate routes. Racked with guilt, the more responsible of the two decides to return to the lonely stretch of road where they last saw each other. When there's no sign of her friend, she begins an increasingly desperate search for answers among the reluctant, elusive locals. With darkness falling, her fears for her friend, combined with a growing feeling of menace, threaten to overwhelm her.

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 16:9 - 1.85:1
  • Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19 x 13.6 x 1.4 cm; 80 g
  • Manufacturer reference ‏ : ‎ 5055201800039
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Robert Fuest
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ PAL
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 34 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ 28 Jan. 2008
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Pamela Franklin, Michele Dotrice, Sandor Elès, John Nettleton, Clare Kelly
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Studiocanal
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000N3T2NU
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 361 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
361 global ratings

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Stunningly beautiful and beautiful locations
5 out of 5 stars
Stunningly beautiful and beautiful locations
Excellent delivery.....fantastic film....speedy delivery....many thanks😊
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • John James
    5.0 out of 5 stars Kept me watching till the end.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 January 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A very entertaining film.
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  • Copnovelist
    5.0 out of 5 stars Up There With The Best Of Hitchcock
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I watched the first few minutes of this many years ago after video-taping it, stopped for whatever reason, didn't finish it off and taped over it accidentally. What a loss!!! It hasn't been shown since.

    I bought the DVD recently and watched it in full and I have to say it is BRILLIANT. A quick synopsis: Two young and naive British nurses on a cycling holiday in France one summer have a tiff and separate. One is left on her own by some woods, the other goes onto the next town for a while, but returns to find her friend has disappeared. Along the way they have been followed by a mysterious young man on a motorcycle. It soon transpires that this road is 'un route mauvais' according to the locals, and two years earlier the wood was the scene of a murder of a young Dutch tourist nearly identical in appearance to the blonde friend. The murderer was never caught. The young motorcyclist claims he is a detective, but not from the same locale. Is he all he says he is or is he a murderer?

    Written, directed and produced by the same people who made The Avengers, namely the director, Robert Fuest, the writers Brian Clemens and Terry Nation, the film gives nothing away until the final five minutes. The direction is clever and suspenseful. The photography is beautiful and the film has been very well edited. If you can remember The Avengers, it is in a very similar vein accept without the cheesey plot-line and camp performances.

    Each of the locals is mysterious. With the exception of an English woman and the young motorcyclist, the locals speak only in French with a smattering of English and the English girls barely speak a word of French so the communication problem only adds to the suspense, but it is also directed very cleverly indeed. The English girl played by Pamela Franklyn has to trust the French, but there is always an element of doubt. As the film progresses, one's suspicions are constantly being modified as the twists unfold, and the likely culprit varies back and forth so that one learns to trust nobody, right up until the shocking end.

    This is easily the match of Alfred Hitchcock at his best and in the mould of French new wave directors such as Claude Chabrol who idolised him. The people on here who have written negative reviews are really talking out of their backsides. Just look at the poor ratings of other users for their reviews, whilst the people who have written positive reviews get high approval ratings.

    The DVD itself has a very clean and unblemished print; it is very clear and sharp. Despite the sound being in mono, one would barely know it. The music is only upbeat at the beginning, but becomes mysterious and suspenseful thereafter. The soundtrack is by Laurie Johnson (also of the Avengers).

    This film is an overlooked classic and a must-buy, especially for those who have never seen it.
    43 people found this helpful
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  • Reginald Cooper
    4.0 out of 5 stars Came in time.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 June 2024
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    Came in time.
    No faults.
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  • david.hynes
    5.0 out of 5 stars good product
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 January 2025
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    vintage British crime thriller Entertainment
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  • MJB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Magnifique!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 March 2018
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    I cannot believe there are some reviewers – ostensibly sensible and erudite people – who have completely misunderstood this film. To award a niggardly one or two stars and complain about, well nothing as far as I can see. Inane comments such as “”... Frank Spencer's wife...”, “... thunderbird 2...” ???? and “...incoherent mess...” are almost beyond comprehension. Gentlemen – shame on you.

    This unrecognised classic, which could give Hitchcock, Lean, Spielberg or Bergman a run for their euros is one of Brian Clemens' (RIP 2015) finest efforts. Several reviewers have given the plot and background so I – as always – will confine myself to a spirited defence of this excellent little masterpiece utilising the 'usual' headings.

    Totty? An absolute bird-fest here. Where do I start? Michele Dotrice's obvious white-shorted and curvaceous figure is – of course – hypnotising, especially her sunbathing episode. To be fair, the lingering shots of Dotrice a la cycle are also spellbinding. No less the lady, Clare Kelly's mature and sensitive portrayal of the crypto-lesbian schoolteacher is tantalising whilst at the same time rather creepy. However, and forgive my faint drooling but I have to say, Pamela Franklin's demure-yet-sexy nurse Jane is absolutely stunning, with her stretched burgundy shorts and tight blue top. Every time I watch this atmospheric masterpiece I am spellbound by Franklin's beauty and erotic figure.

    Cars? A marvellous exposition of 1970s machinery. The scooter ridden by Sandor Elès sans crash helmet, leathers or indeed anything other than a rather natty 70s suit is très chic. (By the bye, I am saddened to hear of Sandor's passing in 2002 – he is much missed RIP). The schoolteacher's lovely Citroën Fourgonette, what a wonderful little Frog. And, at the finale – a DS ambulance with its evocative Gallic “ohehon, ohehon, ohehon...” siren racing along in the symbolic rainstorm.

    Minor delights? This film is crammed with them. The scenery, The buildings. The straight, tree-lined roads. The Gendarmes' reaction on seeing Jane cycling towards them (close ups and all) – how utterly French is that? The cafés – both the village one with the seedy waiter and one run by Madame Lassal and her frightening husband. Dotrice's woodland loss of underwear (very erotic). Franklin's regret at NOT having her bum pinched (in stark contract to the contrived, feminist and arrant PC nonsense of today).

    Taken as a whole, Clemens and Nation's script, brought to life by Fuest's superb direction is a treat for the eyes, intellect and soul. A superb exercise in suspense and style.

    Greatly recommended.
    50 people found this helpful
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  • Avid reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 October 2024
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    Will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
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  • the dilettante
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not a classic, but well worth a revisit
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 October 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Hadn't seen this since the 70s. It's obviously been made for ninepence, but it has a quaint charm derived from being set in a more innocent and much quieter time. Set in rural France, which is beautiful and empty of development, it centres on the mishaps of two young women on a cycling holiday. They're cycling around in the heat, stopping off at roadside cafes, giving hunky French men the glad eye and bickering continually. When everything goes Tonto, you're not altogether surprised. The film struggles to stir up much tension as everything is so light and sunny and the characters so pantomime that it's hard to take the (really quite nasty) central event that seriously.
    Nonetheless, I enjoyed it - possibly because I'm an old fossil from the 70s myself. It may not be very scary, but it's fascinating to see a European setting pre-everything technological, peopled by characters sans 21st century essentials such as bleached teeth. And the mystery at the heart of it is resolved in a satisfying way.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Uncle Frank
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome film, great bluray, fast shipping!
    Reviewed in Canada on 21 January 2022
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    fast shipping!
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  • Ingmar Cassavetes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Film Noir in gleißender Sonne
    Reviewed in Germany on 18 November 2024
    Verified Purchase
    And Soon The Darkness ist der Titel eines britischen Thrillers von 1970. Zwei Freundinnen aus Nottingham, befinden sich auf einer Radtour, während ihres Sommerurlaubs in der nordfranzösischen Provinz. Die charakterlich, sehr unterschiedlichen, jungen Frauen, trennen sich nach einem Streit. Cathy, eine extrovertierte, kokette Draufgängerin, bleibt am Waldrand zurück. Jane, eher introvertiert und intellektuell, radelt weiter bis zum nächsten Wirtshaus. Als sie später umkehrt, um Cathy zu holen, ist diese verschwunden. Nun beginnt die verzweifelte Suche, denn Jane ahnt, dass etwas schreckliches passiert ist.
    Soviel zur Ausgangslage. Dem Film gelingt es eine unheilvolle Atmosphäre hinaufzubeschwören. Besonders die ruhige Kameraführung, welche oft zwischen Nahaufnahmen der Gesichter der Akteure, und Totalen der Landschaft und Gebäude, wechselt, baut eine unbehagliche, Spannung auf. Auch der Schnittrythmus ist genau passend. Die musikalische Untermalung, ist angenehm zurückhaltend. Nach einleitendem Easy Listening-Gedudels, kommt es nur in einigen Suspense-Momenten zu düsteren, bedrohlichen Klängen. Mehrere Szenen erzielen, ohne Musikbegleitung, erst recht, die richtige Stimmung. Es werden viele verdächtige Figuren eingeführt, wie bei einem klassischen Whodunit, hier wäre der Begriff, Whodunwhat angebrachter. Sowohl die Protagonistin, als auch der Zuschauer, wird auf mehrere falsche Fährten geführt. Toll, beispielsweise, die offenbar, lesbische Lehrerin. Alles geschieht, fast, in Echtzeit, an einem Nachmittag, (Spoiler!) vor Anbruch der Dunkelheit. Tatsächlich, die größte Stärke des Films ist, dass er, wie kaum ein anderer Thriller, ein örtliches, räumliches und zeitliches Gefühl entstehen läßt, als wäre man selber dabei. Auch die Kommunikationsprobleme, zwischen der englischsprachigen Touristin und den Einheimischen, trägt zur gewollten Verwirrung, und der damit einhergehenden Identifikation, bei. Zumindest, wenn man, wie ich, der französischen Sprache, nicht mächtig ist. Pamela Franklin spielt die Hauptrolle sehr natürlich. Sandor Eles, als mysteriöser Fremder, läßt bis zum Schluß, an seinen Intensionen zweifeln. Und zwar, so sehr, dass ich beim zweiten Ansehen, nach etwa 4 Jahren, nicht mehr sicher wahr, wie alles endet. Die erneute Sichtung, erfolgte in Vorbereitung, auf das gleichnamige US-Remake aus dem Jahr 2010. Dieses hatte ich mir erst kürzlich, zugelegt und ist auch sehenswert. Im direkten Vergleich, gewinnt jedoch das Original. Das Remake ist rasanter und brutaler, aber dadurch nicht spannender. Positiv muß man anmerken, dass die Story stark variiert, und nicht einfach kopiert wird.
    Zur vorliegenden Veröffentlichung, durch Camera Obscura, läßt sich feststellen, dass diesem Label, mal wieder, eine exzellente Edition gelungen ist.
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  • Angela
    5.0 out of 5 stars Film
    Reviewed in Italy on 28 December 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Filmda non perdere con fantastica colonna sonora
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  • IDontKnow
    5.0 out of 5 stars And Soon The Darkness
    Reviewed in the United States on 9 March 2010
    Verified Purchase
    While this British Horror entry certainly takes its time in establishing its characters and crafting its tension, the patient viewer will be paid off with a beautifully shot and entirely suspenseful thriller! Two English girls are making a biking tour of France when they decide to separate for a few hours. When one returns to find the other, she finds their resting place deserted. She is then approached by a charming Frenchman who stops to see if he can help, but she soon discovers that he knows more than he is letting on to. What follows is a brilliant murder mystery where everyone in a small village is found suspect. It is all the more alarming that none of the French characters are subtitled, since it is impossible to tell if they are friend or foe. The story structure keeps the audience guessing at every turn, throwing a new curve just when the viewer thinks they have found the killer. On top of the keen visuals, a sinister score heightens the suspense, striking an ominous chord even in the more mild scenes. Themes of rape and murder are handled with the utmost subtlety, since the acts are only alluded two while showing nothing on screen. This allowed the film to achieve all of the gut-wrenching terror above will earning itself a PG rating! The film is sure to have influenced Dutch director George Sluizer in many ways, as DARKNESS also shares a great deal of similarities in character and tone to SPOORLOOS. Though this one is difficult to get your hands on, it is well worth seeking out and comes highly recommended!

    -Carl Manes
    I Like Horror Movies
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  • Clym
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning restoration of a film that rivals Hitchcock
    Reviewed in the United States on 10 December 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Stunning restoration work of a film that rivals Hitchcock. And Soon the Darkness (from 1970) is a slow-burn suspense thriller, unique in that the open spaces of the French countryside are as menacing as anything set in a gloomy, spooky house at night. The sunshine is not the comforting presence you expect it to be.
    Lots of effective red herrings, fine performances (particularly Pamela Franklin and Michele Doltrice), inventive cinematography and expert direction by Robert Fuest all contribute to the success of the film. Laurie Johnson’s jaunty theme music for the opening credits seems out-of-place initially until you realize it, too is a red herring. Soon the music grows ominous as the suspense is ratcheted up.
    Includes two commentary tracks (I prefer the one with the writer and director). Ultimately, And Soon the Darkness shows how vastly superior a leisurely, deliberately paced approach is to creating a mood of unease and dread. Far better than the jump cuts and cheap thrills of many of today’s horror/suspense movies.
    Also recommended: See No Evil, also written by Brian Clemens, who penned this film with Terry Nation.
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