Afflicted with amnesia, Elizabeth doesn’t easily trust people. She is uneasy when a man and a woman identifying themselves as Dr. Francis (Bernard Papineau) and Solange (Rachel Mhas) insist on taking her to a clinic called The Black Tower. She backs out before they get into the car, but Dr. Francis taunts her: “You can go back to the apartment…where was it again?” Once they get there, Elizabeth meets her roommate Catherine (Catherine Greiner), who suffers from not only amnesia, but also a muscular disorder that leaves her with limited muscle control. They meet the other patients, including a woman who is desperately trying to remember her daughter. Elizabeth also meets Véronique (Dominique Journet), a woman who was actually on the run with Elizabeth when she first ran into Robert. The two women realize they were once important in each other’s lives, which gives them something to hold on to.
Soon, the two women team up again to try and escape from the hospital, afraid that the doctor in charge will murder them if they stay. If things weren’t complicated enough, there’s a deranged man roaming the hospital killing people (seemingly at random). Also, because this is a Jean Rollin film, several employees are having sex with patients. Alas, while Rollin has set up an interesting gothic mystery, don’t expect any resolution. The use of the Black Tower is a great idea, but it doesn’t really develop into anything, except as a setting for furtive action. Things just seem a bit undercooked.
Night of the Hunted is an example of how Rollin films often emphasized atmosphere over story. Rollin’s films were usually written quickly—Rollin says in a special feature include on this disc that he wrote Night of the Hunted in one night—and cheaply for producers looking for low budget pictures. Here, the result is a high concept premise that offers almost nothing in the way of drama.
Transferred to 1080p from the original 35mm negative, the film is shown in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Night of the Hunted has a nice filmic appearance, with above average color saturation an no noticeable compression issues. Black levels are a tad on the heavy side, with some detail obscured by shadow. It’s clear that the negative had its issues, with various print issues—scratches, specks, and dust—popping up throughout.
The French LPCM 2.0 track effectively delivers the eerie score and dialogue, although there’s a slight of buzzing during the ambient moments. On the whole, though, this is a low-key film, and this track handles it well. English subtitles are provided.
The following special features are available:
- Introduction by Jean Rollin (HD, 1:24) Rollin discusses how he wrote Night of the Hunted in one night.
- Filmmaker Interview Excerpt (HD, 2:25) Rollin talks with Joshua T. Gravel about writing the film in one night, and how the idea for the film came about.
- Deleted Sex Scenes (HD, 2:31 and 5:34) Always thinking, Rollin shot these two extended scenes in case he needed to turn the film into a softcore porn movie to turn a profit.
- Theatrical Trailer (HD, 3:25)
- Jean Rollin Trailers (HD): Includes trailers for The Grapes of Death, Fascination, Zombie Lake, The Living Dead Girl, and Two Orphan Vampires.
- Booklet: A fourteen-page booklet with an essay on Night of the Hunted and The Grapes of Death by Video Watchdog editor Tim Lucas.
