"The Night Brings Charlie" is a 1990 American horror movie directed by Tom Logan and written by Bruce Carson. In 2017, a sequel to the movie was announced. The sequel will be written and directed by Bruce Carson.
Plot
In the small town of Pakoe, Shannon Davis is killed by a man wearing swimming goggles and a burlap sack. Sheriff Carl Carson and mortician Walt Parker investigate this murder and a previous one. As more people are killed and the killer sends messages to the police, suspicion grows around Charlie Puckett, a gardener with facial injuries who wears a mask similar to the killer’s.
Charlie is questioned but refuses to speak. Sheriff Carson asks Walt for help, as Walt served with Charlie during the Vietnam War. Walt persuades Charlie to confess, but Carson doubts Charlie’s guilt. Carson then sets a trap that reveals the real killer—Walt. Carson explains that he discovered Walt had once cut up a civilian in Vietnam, though the charges were dropped. When Carson mentions that Charlie was released from jail, Walt becomes nervous and admits that Charlie helped him kill a Vietnamese girl years ago. Charlie later murdered all the victims in Pakoe after Shannon Davis.
Carson leaves to find Charlie, while Walt is allowed to call home. Walt’s daughter, Tanya, tells him that his stepdaughter, Jenny, has gone to explore an abandoned barn where Charlie was living. Worried about Jenny, Walt escapes from custody. Charlie arrives at the barn (after killing several people and injuring Carson) and corners Jenny. Tanya saves Jenny, and the sisters escape. They accidentally shoot Walt with Carson’s gun, but Walt saves his daughters by setting Charlie on fire.
The next day, Carson and his officers search the lake where Charlie ran into, but the district attorney ends the search and declares the case closed, claiming Walt was responsible for all the murders. As Carson expresses sadness that the case is not truly over, Charlie is seen picking up a female hitchhiker near the town.
Cast
- Chuck Whiting plays the role of Charlie Puckett
- Kerry Knight plays the role of Sheriff Carl Carson
- Joe Fishback plays the role of Walt Parker
- Aimee Tenalia plays the role of Jenny Parker
- Monica Simmons plays the role of Tanya Parker
- David Carr plays the role of Deputy Jack
- Al Arasim plays the role of Eddie
- Robin Krasny plays the role of Debbie Del Vecchio
- Dina Lynn Gross plays the role of Katie
- Jim O'Donnell plays the role of Bobby Snyder /think
Release
The film was released on VHS in 1990. As of 2020, the film has not been released on DVD or Blu-ray.
Justin Kerswell of Hysteria Lives! gave the film a score of two out of five. He wrote, "Unfortunately, even though there are some fun or over-the-top elements, the film is not very exciting (which is a big problem for any slasher film). It is not a terrible film, but even though it is not common, it is not one that people really need to look for."
Sequel
On January 27, 2017, the film's original writer, Bruce Carson, announced that he would be directing a sequel to the film. As of 2026, there have been no new updates provided.