Charles Laughton's 'The Night of the Hunter' (1955)
Her Head in FilmsMay 21, 202401:55:08

Charles Laughton's 'The Night of the Hunter' (1955)

In this episode, I talk about Charles Laughton's 1955 film "The Night of the Hunter." It's about two young children--John and Pearl--who are pursued by a dangerous man on the hunt for the money their father stole and gave to them. This is a classic film and a masterpiece and one of the most terrifying films I've ever seen. I provide some information about the making of the film and explore how it looks at evil, male violence, religion, and much more. There are spoilers in this episode. 


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Full Show Notes:

• Use the code "CINEMA" for your first month free at Ovid.tv (https://www.ovid.tv/)
• My favorite films on Ovid (https://www.ovid.tv/her-head-in-films)
• Birth of a Movement (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6516480/)
• My episode on Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-108-terrence-malicks-the-tree-of-life-2011)
• My episode on Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-107-terrence-malicks-days-of-heaven-1978)
• Jack Cardiff (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002153/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)
• Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1626811/?ref_=vp_vi_tt)
• Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043899/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5)
• Black Narcissus (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039192/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)
• My episode on Barbara Loden's Wanda (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/9b97e5ea)
• My episode on Kathleen Collins's Losing Ground (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/985a4706)
• My episode on Theo Angelopoulos's Landscape in the Mist (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-111-theo-angelopouloss-landscape-in-the-mist-1988)
• My episode on The Enchanted Cottage (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/0f080a75)
• The Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath (https://www.faber.co.uk/9780571118380-collected-poems.html)
• "Pursuit" by Sylvia Plath (https://neuroticpoets.com/plath/poem/pursuit/)
• Green Eyes by Marguerite Duras (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/69969.Green_Eyes)

My Sources:

• Criterion Collection DVD (https://www.criterion.com/films/27525-the-night-of-the-hunter)
• Terrence Rafferty - "The Night of the Hunter: Holy Terror" (https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1657-the-night-of-the-hunter-holy-terror) (Criterion)