Is It Worth Heading … Into the Night?

Welcome to my column dedicated to the appreciation of physical media supplements called: Feature Presentations. The goal of this column is not to say whether a film is good or bad and worth picking up or not—I would like to highlight the discs that go the extra mile and provide film fans with enough tasty tidbits to satisfy even the hungriest of cinephiles. With all that out of the way, today’s article will focus on the Shout Select Collector’s Edition of Into the Night from Shout! Factory.

When it comes to the films of John Landis, most people think of his classics like Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London, and other entries early into his filmography. After the unfortunate accident that came upon his watch during his segment, “Time Out,” of Twilight Zone: The Movie, Landis’ career was never the same. Sometimes there are directors whose careers couldn’t reach previous heights, while others watched the history of film evolve as they passed their prime. John Landis and the tragedy on the Twilight Zone: The Movie set adversely affected the trajectory of Landis’ career while in his prime.

How does one handle such tragedy and scrutiny? Can a career continue and, if so, in what condition? After two years away from Hollywood, John Landis returned with 1985’s Into the Night.

Into the Night follows insomniac and unhappily married man Ed Okin (Jeff Goldblum) as he gets caught up in a web of action, comedy, and intrigue after meeting Diana (Michelle Pfeiffer) by happenstance. The two pair up to help Diana elude evil-doers intent on murdering her over the course of two nights in Los Angeles. For those who haven’t seen the film, plot details are minimum to prevent spoilers.

Before purchasing the disc, I had seen it for sale elsewhere but had never gotten around to picking it up for my collection. The cast is top-notch, and the plot was intriguing, but the price at the time was enough to give me pause on a film on purchasing the movie. I decided to keep my physical media urges in check until the right time came about. Eventually, I came upon a sale, the price was right, and I added Into the Night to my collection.

Thankfully, keeping my urges in check was the right call as the film didn’t live up to my expectations. John Landis works to mash genres together, but instead of a genre-bending film, we get a hodgepodge that does not coalesce into an entertaining movie. When creators think outside the box and try new things, I’m a happy guy, but the flip side to that coin is the final product can be a mess. And that’s what we have. Not entertaining, just a lump of film that sits there—trying to entertain, but instead left me anxiously awaiting the end credits. It might be for you, and that’s great! Me? I’m glad I saved the money.

For the bonus features, Shout! Factory went the route of quality versus quantity. The disc comes with two interviews, one with director John Landis and the other with Jeff Goldblum, and a documentary on B.B. King.

The first interview, “Back Into the Night,” features a newly-recorded interview with the director. John Landis has always been exceptional at discussing film and filmmaking techniques, and this interview is no exception. Landis speaks about the film’s production, casting, music, and other aspects of Into the Night. Listening to Landis and envisioning a moment where Jack Nicholson and Jamie Lee Curtis were to headline Into the Night allows the audience a chance to glean a “what-if” scenario. There is a frankness and honesty that John Landis speaks with that is missing from most film interviews. The hardships of making a film, warts and all, are on display.

Next up, Jeff Goldblum sits down for a semi-recently-recorded interview titled “Requiem for an Insomniac.” The Goldblum is on full display as he runs through his acting career, time on set, and any-and-all “isms” one might expect from a chat with Jeff Goldblum. There’s plenty of insight to be gained from this interview, both about the film’s production and the man himself. Your mileage may vary from how much Goldblum you can handle in one sitting, but it made for an entertaining watch.

Next, we come to the documentary “B.B. King: Into the Night,” a 27-minute short film about the blues singer’s involvement with Into the Night. Combining interview footage with B.B. King, John Landis, and others, plus film clips and music video shoots that feature the likes of Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, and Eddie Murphy(!), the documentary is short but entertaining about the larger than life blues musician. If you’re looking for a comprehensive documentary on B.B. King, this will not satisfy that craving, but it is a welcome addition nonetheless. If you’re a fan of blues music, like myself, watching B.B. King talk strum and harmonize was a great way to finish off the disc. 

Rounding out the supplements is the film’s theatrical trailer; always a welcome sight, even if it’s non-essential.

And there you have it! Into the Night is not a film for everyone, myself included, but I appreciate what John Landis and the creative team attempted. Mixing comedy, thriller, film noir, and every other genre was ambitious, even if, in my eyes, it failed. Everyone should watch Into the Night at least once to gauge the ambition on display. If you’re going to give it a watch, there’s no better version than the Shout Select Blu-ray release. With two entertaining interviews and a welcomed mini-documentary on B.B. King, you will not find a better release for Into the Night than the Shout! Factory Collector’s Edition disc.