The Midnight Terror

The Midnight Terror (Persian: Faryad-e Nimeh Shab, فریاد نیمه‌شب) is a 1961 Iranian feature film. It was written and directed by Samuel Khachikian, one of the leading figures of Iranian popular cinema, and produced by Mehdi Misaghiye. Classified as a crime film with noir stylings, it combines elements of horror, thriller and drama.

The picture stars Arman and Mohammad-Ali Fardin, with Parvin Ghaffari also taking a principal role; the supporting ensemble includes Akbar Khajavi, Garshasb Raoufi and Mansour Sepehrnia. The film is additionally remembered as the very first screen appearance of Reza Beyk Imanverdi, who would go on to become a familiar face of Iranian commercial cinema. Shot in Persian, it stands as a notable early example of genre filmmaking in the Iranian film industry of its era.