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It’s been a stream of great movies with this AntiTrash Marathon. This week is no exception. Dalton easily talked us into the Charles Laughton thriller, Night of the Hunter. A quick Producer’s Note — Due to a bit of misplacement, we recorded this episode on an iPhone. So, apologies if the audio isn’t up to the normal standard.

Ep. 251 – Night of the Hunter Review and Analysis

In programming this year’s AntiTrash marathon, Dalton was very enthusiastic about Night of the Hunter, which he had watched a few weeks prior. Dustin and Arthur had no issue with this as the film certainly lands in their wheelhouse, and through the years it has become a classic.

Night of the Hunter is the directorial debut for Charles Laughton, and it would be the only film he’d direct. He passed away a few years later, and never took on another project as big as Night of the Hunter. For a first time film director, Laughton does wonders in unfolding the story. The film follows a preacher named Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) who is not on the up and up. Powell gets wind of a hidden treasure of sorts, and heads to an unnamed city to find it. There, he encounters the gate keeper of the treasure, a young boy named John.

Getting in to Night of the Hunter

As Dustin points out in the show, Night of the Hunter was named the 2nd best film of all time by Cahiers du Cinema. We examine its merits in our opening moments before playing our game. This week, in a bit of mean spiritedness, we talk about Director’s Who Peaked with Their First Film. We offer a couple of caveats and mention directors who COULD have stopped after their first film. Then, we get into analysis. Dalton talks at length about serial killers and how the film is a bit ahead of its time in its subject matter. We also talk about the films roots in gothicism and folklore, and the influence of fairy tales. The subject of the portrayal of women comes up as well.

Now, do you want to hear the story of right hand/left hand?

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