# Dead Night

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{{Short description|2017 film directed by Bradford Baruh}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Dead Night
| image          = Dead_night.jpg
| alt            =
| caption        = Poster
| director       = Bradford Baruh
| producer       ={{Plainlist|
*Andy Meyers
*Bradford Baruh 
}}
| screenplay     = Irving Walker
| story          ={{Plainlist|
*Irving Walker
*Bradford Baruh
}}
| starring       ={{Plainlist|
*[Brea Grant](/source/Brea_Grant)
*[A.J. Bowen](/source/A.J._Bowen)
*Sophie Dalah
*Elise Luthman
*Joshua Hoffman
*[Daniel Roebuck](/source/Daniel_Roebuck)
*[Barbara Crampton](/source/Barbara_Crampton)
}}
| music          = [Joseph Bishara](/source/Joseph_Bishara)
| cinematography = Kenton Drew Johnson
| editing        = Meghan Leon
| studio         = M3 Alliance Limited
| distributor    = [Dark Sky Films](/source/Dark_Sky_Films)
| released       = {{Film date|2017|09|22|[Fantastic Fest](/source/Fantastic_Fest)|2018|07|27|United States}}
| language       = English
| country        = United States
| budget         =
| gross          =
}}

'''''Dead Night''''' is a 2017 [horror film](/source/horror_film) directed by Bradford Baruh, in his [directorial debut](/source/directorial_debut), working from a screenplay written by Irving Walker, based on a story by Walker and Baruh. It stars [Brea Grant](/source/Brea_Grant), [A.J. Bowen](/source/A.J._Bowen) and [Barbara Crampton](/source/Barbara_Crampton). The film premiered at [Fantastic Fest](/source/Fantastic_Fest) on September 22, 2017 before receiving a release date of July 27, 2018 in the United States from [Dark Sky Films](/source/Dark_Sky_Films).

==Premise==
Follows a dual storyline of two differing perspectives about a murdered family in the woods.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
*[Brea Grant](/source/Brea_Grant) as Casey Pollack
*[A.J. Bowen](/source/A.J._Bowen) as James Pollack
*[Barbara Crampton](/source/Barbara_Crampton) as Leslie Bison
*Sophie Dalah as Jessica Pollack
*Elise Luthman as Becky Lane
*Joshua Hoffman as Jason Pollack
*[Daniel Roebuck](/source/Daniel_Roebuck) as Jack Sterling
*[Joy Osmanski](/source/Joy_Osmanski) as Mika Shand
*Kay D'Arcy as Lily Lane
*Sky Soleil as Detective Walker
*Dianna Miranda as Dr. Cynthia Ramsey
*[Alison Haislip](/source/Alison_Haislip) as Jenni Whitmore
*Ryan Schwartzman as Karl Durant
*Shauan Case as Amanda Tate
*Joshua Hinson as Emmanuel "Manny" Rothwell
*Keana Marie as Kate Rothwell
*Gina Comparetto as 1960's Girl
*[Chase Williamson](/source/Chase_Williamson) as 1960's Guy
}}

==Production== 
In the original iteration of the script by Irving Walker and Bradford Baruh, the film was broken in two parts; one half was a "true crime" television show, depicting the events of the family's murder, and then the "*real* events". Baruh claimed this approached worked great on the page, but would not translate well on the screen.<ref>{{cite web|last=Donato|first=Matt|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/559900/dead-night-interview/|title=The Cast And Crew Of ''Dead Night'' On Their "True Crime" Demonic Possession Creature Feature [Interview]|date=July 27, 2018|website=/Film|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref> In April 2016, the film was announced under the title ''Applecart''. Baruh, a producer on ''[John Dies at the End](/source/John_Dies_at_the_End_(film))'', was slated to make his directorial debut with [Don Coscarelli](/source/Don_Coscarelli) serving as an executive producer, and [Brea Grant](/source/Brea_Grant), [A.J. Bowen](/source/A.J._Bowen), [Barbara Crampton](/source/Barbara_Crampton), Sophie Dalah, Elise Luthman, and Joshua Hoffman set to star.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Collis|first=Clark|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/04/07/barbara-crampton-aj-bowen-applecart/|title=''You're Next'' Stars Reunite for Horror-Thriller ''Applecart'' — Exclusive Images|date=April 8, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref> Crampton was pitched the film by Coscarelli at the [American Film Market](/source/American_Film_Market) while trying to generate interest for her film ''[Beyond the Gates](/source/Beyond_the_Gates_(2016_film))''.<ref>{{cite web|last=James|first=Jonathan|url=https://dailydead.com/interview-barbara-crampton-discusses-her-villainous-role-in-dead-night-and-the-upcoming-castle-freak-reboot/|title=Interview: Barbara Crampton Discusses Her Villainous Role in ''Dead Night'' and Gives an Update on the ''Castle Freak'' Reboot|date=July 27, 2018|website=DailyDead|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

Production began on location in [Lake Tahoe](/source/Lake_Tahoe%2C_California) and [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles%2C_California) by April 2016, as well as in Baruh's childhood home in [Hillsborough, California](/source/Hillsborough%2C_California).<ref>{{cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/images/3386151/mc-creatives-applecart-gives-homage-shining-exclusive/|title=M3 Creative's ''Applecart'' Gives Homage to ''The Shining'' (Exclusive)|date=April 7, 2016|website=Bloody Disgusting|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Hamman|first=Cody|url=https://www.joblo.com/coscarelli-crampton-bowen-and-grant-upset-the-applecart-185/|title=Coscarelli, Crampton, Bowen, and Grant Upset the Applecart|date=April 8, 2016|website=JoBlo|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=James|first=Jonathan|url=https://dailydead.com/interview-barbara-crampton-discusses-her-villainous-role-in-dead-night-and-the-upcoming-castle-freak-reboot/|title=Interview: Barbara Crampton Discusses Her Villainous Role in ''Dead Night'' and Gives an Update on the ''Castle Freak'' Reboot|date=July 27, 2018|website=DailyDead|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

Following criticisms at its debut at [Fantastic Fest](/source/Fantastic_Fest) in September 2017, the filmmakers re-edited the film and retitled the film to ''Dead Night'' by February 2018.<ref>{{cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3483419/applecart-heads-efm-new-title-dead-night/|title=''Applecart'' Heads to EFM Under New Title: ''Dead Night''|date=February 15, 2018|website=Bloody Disgusting|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

==Release==
The film, then known as ''Applecart'', premiered at [Fantastic Fest](/source/Fantastic_Fest) on September 22, 2017. After a retooling, now ''Dead Night'', the film was purchased by [Dark Sky Films](/source/Dark_Sky_Films) at the [European Film Market](/source/European_Film_Market).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://culturecrypt.com/movie-reviews/dead-night-2017|title=''Dead Night'' (2017) - CultureCrypt|date=August 13, 2018|website=CultureCrypt|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref> The new cut of the film was first shown at Cinepocalypse.<ref>{{cite web|last=Farrow|first=Kevan|url=https://www.screamhorrormag.com/applecart-gets-new-title-dead-night-ahead-efm/|title=''Applecart'' Gets New Title ''Dead Night'' Ahead of EFM|date=February 21, 2018|website=ScreamHorrorMag|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

===Home media===
''Dead Night'' was released on [DVD](/source/DVD) on September 11, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|last=Halen|first=Adrian|url=https://horrornews.net/135408/dark-sky-films-announces-release-dead-night-dvd/|title=Dark Sky Films Announces the Release of ''Dead Night'' on DVD|date=August 31, 2018|website=HorrorNews|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

==Reception==
On [review aggregator](/source/review_aggregator) [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes), ''Dead Night'' holds an approval rating of 63% based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 5.60/10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dead_night|title=''Applecart'' (2017)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

===Initial Fantastic Fest reviews===
For ''[Birth.Movies.Death](/source/Birth.Movies.Death)'', Jacob Knight criticized the "faux true crime show" segments with [Daniel Roebuck](/source/Daniel_Roebuck), regarding them as "hokey" and tonally confusing.<ref>{{cite web|last=Knight|first=Jacob|url=https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/09/24/fantastic-fest-review-applecart-is-rotten-to-its-core|title=Fantastic Fest Review: ''Applecart'' Is Rotten To Its Core|date=September 24, 2017|website=Birth.Movies.Death|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref> Kalyn Corrigan of ''[Bloody Disgusting](/source/Bloody_Disgusting)'' wrote "it barely even manages to serve as a fun slasher".<ref>{{cite web|last=Corrigan|first=Kalyn|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3461620/fantastic-fest-review-barbara-crampton-deserves-better-applecart/|title=[Fantastic Fest Review] Barbara Crampton Deserves Better Than ''Applecart''|date=September 28, 2017|website=Bloody Disgusting|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref> Trey Hilburn III of ''iHorror'' praised the film's [meta](/source/metacinema) aspects, acknowledging it as "a bit jarring" but it "ultimately allows the film to find its own fun and self-aware footing".<ref>{{cite web|last=Hilburn III|first=Trey|url=https://ihorror.com/fantastic-fest-review-applecart/|title=Fantastic Fest Review: ''Applecart''|date=October 5, 2017|website=iHorror|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

===Re-edit reviews===
For ''HeyUGuys'', Ben Robins called the film " a full-on adrenaline shot of pure madness that makes little-to-no sense at all".<ref>{{cite web|last=Robins|first=Ben|url=https://www.heyuguys.com/dead-night-review/|title=''Dead Night'' Review – FrightFest 2018|date=August 25, 2018|website=HeyUGuys|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref> Cheryl Eddy, writing for [Gizmodo](/source/Gizmodo), highlighted Crampton's performance and said "though the mystical elements of Dead Night are rather vaguely explained, some delightfully gross creature effects do most of the talking on that front".<ref>{{cite web|last=Eddy|first=Cheryl|url=https://gizmodo.com/a-horror-icon-elevates-the-quirky-killer-in-the-woods-t-1827980606|title=A Horror Icon Elevates the Quirky Killer-in-the-Woods Thriller Dead Night|date=August 3, 2018|website=Gizmodo|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

Abbey Bender, of ''[Village Voice](/source/Village_Voice)'', wrote "''Dead Night'' ends up being muddled, never committing to either solemn supernatural horror or its elements of camp."<ref>{{cite web|last=Bender|first=Abbey|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2018/07/25/clever-structure-and-a-good-villain-cant-save-the-generic-horror-flick-dead-night/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725175716/https://www.villagevoice.com/2018/07/25/clever-structure-and-a-good-villain-cant-save-the-generic-horror-flick-dead-night/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2018|title=Clever Structure and a Good Villain Can't Save the Generic Horror Flick ''Dead Night''|date=July 25, 2018|website=Village Voice|access-date=December 11, 2021}}</ref> ''[RogerEbert.com](/source/RogerEbert.com)'''s Peter Sobczynski said "It has a couple of interesting ideas, a certain degree of style and one impressive performance but never manages to pull them together into a cohesive or satisfying whole."<ref>{{cite web|last=Sobczynski|first=Peter|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dead-night-2018|title=''Dead Night'' - RogerEbert.com|date=July 27, 2018|website=RogerEbert.com|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

Category:2017 films
Category:2017 horror films
Category:American supernatural horror films
Category:2017 English-language films
Category:2017 American films
Category:English-language horror films

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dead Night](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Night) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Night?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.