Beast of the Yellow Night

Beast of the Yellow Night is a 1971 horror film directed by Eddie Romero, with John Ashley starring and co-producing. It marked the fourth release from Roger Corman’s New World Pictures and was shown as a double feature alongside the West German horror film *Creature with the Blue Hand*.

After *Beast of Blood* found success in 1970, producer Kane W. Lynn of Hemisphere Pictures sought distribution rights for Ashley’s next horror project. Instead, Ashley and his company Four Associates Ltd. financed the film themselves in the Philippines and struck a deal with Corman’s fledgling New World Pictures, cutting Lynn out. Romero, Lynn’s former business partner, was brought on to direct and co-produce. Four Associates Ltd. later produced several more Philippine-set films—*The Twilight People*, *The Woman Hunt*, and *Ebony, Ivory & Jade*—before dissolving. Lynn invested in Sam Sherman’s 1971 sci-fi film *Brain of Blood*, which performed poorly, and died of cancer in 1975.

**Plot** Set near the end of World War II in the Philippines, the story follows murderer Joseph Langdon (John Ashley), saved from death by Satan (Vic Diaz) on the condition that he become the devil’s disciple. Over 25 years, Langdon inhabits various bodies, drawing out the evil in others. In the body of Phillip Rogers, he tries to assert free will but transforms into a hairy, murderous werewolf. His wife Julia (Mary Wilcox) and brother Earl (Ken Metcalfe) support him by day, but he finds strength to resist through a blind former bandit named Sabasas Nan (Andres Centenera). Inspector de Santos (Leopoldo Salcedo) identifies Rogers as Langdon and places him under house arrest. Rogers attempts intimacy with his wife but transforms again and escapes. As he and Nan try to leave the city, they face police and military; Rogers changes once more, fighting the combined forces. After Nan is gravely wounded and asks Rogers to pray for him, Rogers does so, is shot by Lt. Campos, dies, and reverts to his true age, his soul freed.

**Cast** John Ashley as Joseph Langdon/Philip Rogers; Mary Charlotte Wilcox as Julia Rogers; Leopoldo Salcedo as Inspector Santos; Eddie Garcia as Det. Lt. Campo; Ken Metcalfe as Earl Rogers; Vic Diaz as Satan; Andres Centenera as blind man; Ruben Rustia as hospital doctor; Don Lipman as U.S. military attaché; Jose Garcia; James Spencer; Carpi Asturias as Langdon’s jungle contact; Jose Roy Jr.; Criselda; Joonee Gamboa as Mateo; Peter Magurean; Nora Nuñez; Johnny Long.

**Production** Ashley said playing the monster “was a lot of fun to do. I used a double in the long shots but the scenes where the beast was talking…was me.” He later called the film among the better written of his Philippines projects, adding, “It certainly was the most cerebral, if you can call any of those pictures that.” The movie’s success led Corman to produce a series of films in the Philippines, including *The Big Doll House*.

**Release** *Beast of the Yellow Night* debuted in the U.S. in 1971. Romero later said, “We really tried for quality. I don’t think it did very well. They [the audience] prefer out and out gore.” *Diabolique* magazine wrote that “the film is a lot of fun, and Ashley’s performance is good… It was a financial success and launched Ashley as a producer, while confirming his status as a draw in horror movies.”

**Home video** The film was released on DVD by Ventura Distribution on August 21, 2001. It was reissued several times, often as part of multi-disc combo packs, and last appeared from VCI Video in a four-disc set.

**Reception** Reviews were mostly negative. Linda Gross of the *Los Angeles Times* called it “a confusing, implausible rather poorly made horror film,” though she noted “a nice twist” showing “two kinds of caring.” Graeme Clark of *The Spinning Image* rated it three out of ten, criticizing the talky, confusing script.

**Legacy** Ashley later produced *The A Team* television series and made a cameo in an episode as a backer of a horror film called *The Beast of the Yellow Night*. In 2014, Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett of RiffTrax riffed the film as part of their repertoire.