This minimalist thriller is a one-of-a-kind film with an excellent pedigree; not only is it directed by Robert Fuest, who gave us a minor horror classic in THE ABOMINABLE DR PHIBES, it is also written by two top television writers of the time, Brian Clemens (THE AVENGERS) and Terry Nation (DR WHO). However unlike the various work of the contributors this isn't an effects-driven exercise in flashiness and action; instead barely anything happens in the movie.

The pacing is deliberately slow, and the film as a whole is largely an atmosphere-building exercise with the only action appearing at the very end of the film. The visceral horror aspects are mainly non-existent and instead the film strives hard to create and maintain high levels of suspense and foreboding. The forbidding setting of a rural French landscape is a clever touch and through static camera angles and creepy music we are led to believe that the landscape we see is both alien and dangerous.

Beautifully filmed and with a strong script - with little dialogue Clemens and Nation make sure that every word counts - AND SOON THE DARKNESS is an exercise in realism. As there are no special effects involved the film hasn't dated at all and could be taken for the present day if it wasn't for the minor trappings, i.e. the old fashioned vehicles and hairstyles. Again the realism is strengthened through the matter-of-fact storyline, with large periods of inaction adding to the experience.

The main emphasis is on the murder mystery aspect of the plot, most of the film acting as a whodunit and asking the viewer to guess firstly what happened and secondly who is responsible. The task isn't easy at first, with loads of red herrings and plot twists being thrown in our way, but gradually light will begin to dawn on those who have prior knowledge of these kinds of movies.

The cast is an extremely small one, consisting of only four or five major characters. This adds to the isolated nature of the movie, especially with the language barrier deeply affecting the situation of our leads. Pamela Franklin proves she has grown up a lot since THE INNOCENTS with her mature yet fragile nurse character and her subdued turn is generally spot on. In comparison, Michele Dotrice (SOME MOTHERS DO 'AVE 'EM) is flirty and attractive as her outgoing companion and also makes a favourable impression. Sandor Eles (COUNTESS Dracula) is given a chance to shine as the shifty Frenchman who gets caught up in the events and becomes a prime suspect.

Shots of unkempt farmers staring at Franklin over lonely open landscapes and cars soaring into the distance go a long way in adding to the increasing atmosphere. Despite the lack of violence, murder and bloodshed, horror fans should enjoy this movie through the sheer amount of suspense and atmosphere that it offers. Definitely a thought-provoking and at times gripping movie. A similar offering - but even rarer - followed three years later with DEADLY STRANGERS.

And Soon the Darkness is a foreboding eerie thriller written by Brian Clemens and Terry Nation. Two writers better known for their sci fi/fantasy output.

Two young pretty nurses are on a cycling holiday in the French countryside. Jane (Pamela Franklin) wants to keep on schedule. Cathy (Michele Dotrice) is more outgoing, provocatively dressed and wants to have a good time.

Cathy has caught the eye of a young man in a village cafe who they keep seeing. Jane leaves Cathy alone after an argument over their itinerary and Cathy thinks that Jane is being too pushy. At a cafe, Jane is warned by a woman that this area is dangerous. Later Jane finds out that Cathy has disappeared.

Jane gets help from the young man they saw earlier. Paul (Sandor Elès) claims to be a detective from Paris who is looking into a murder of a young woman that took place in the area several years ago. Jane finds him creepy and manages to get to a local police station.

The opening theme music is too jarring for this kind of thriller. It also tries too hard to portray Paul as the villain. When I first watched this many years ago, I found the reveal to be genuinely unsettling. I did think the film suffers by not being taut enough. It is a lot better than its 2010 remake.

If such evil occurs during the day, it's a good thing that the sun never goes down in this British horror film set in the French countryside where two college age girls (Pamela Franklin and Michele Dotrice) are on a bike riding trip. After a silly argument, Franklin leaves Dotrice alone, and Dotrice faces a horrific mysterious attack, quickly disappearing. Franklin, desperate to find her friend, questions everybody in the area, but the language barrier and rude interactions with the closed off locales leaves Franklin with little information. Only a British schoolteacher (Clare Kelly),the local law (John Nettleton) and a detective from Paris (Sandor Elès) seem to offer her any help, let alone compassion. It is also obvious that among those three that one of them could be behind it all, and this puts Franklin in great danger.

For a young girl, Ms. Franklin is very resourceful, utilizing her brains to get out of one scrape after another, and not allowing her fear to cloud her judgment. There are violent exchanges between unhappy country inn owners Hana Maria Pravda and Claude Bertrand who seems like he's always in the mood to kill. What could have been obvious and very clear as to who is behind the disappearance (and a previous murder) does become deliciously complex, and while it does become apparent who the person is quite early on, that only leads to a horrifying chase through the countryside between them and Franklin is which is actually more nightmarish than anything that happened in the great outdoors in the wretched "Friday the 13th" slasher film series. Franklin, coming off a great success as the trouble making student in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", is quite amazingly likable and strong, making you root for her the entire way.