The Black Sleep

Name: The Black Sleep
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
Released: 1956-06-15
Duration: 1 h 22 min
Rating: 6.2
Cast: Basil Rathbone, Herbert Rudley, Patricia Blair, Akim Tamiroff, Phyllis Stanley

1956·Movie·NR·82 min·★ 6.2(45)

Horror Science Fiction More English titles

“The Terror Drug That Wakes the Dead!”

In 19th century England, a noted brain surgeon rescues a former student from being hanged on a false conviction for murder, and spirits him away to an ancient, repurposed abbey far in the countryside. There, he connives his pupil into assisting him in mapping the functions of the various parts of the human brain, using living subjects who are under a terrible animation-suspending drug called "black sleep". Subsequently, the student, along with the daughter of one of the subjects, discover that most of these subjects have survived but are being kept in a dungeon-like cellar, in various stages of physical and mental derangement...

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Click a service to open The Black Sleep there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.

Where is The Black Sleep streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Cultpix, ScreenPix Apple TV Channel	Amazon Video
India	Cultpix	—
United Kingdom	Amazon Prime Video, Cultpix, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Tubi TV	Amazon Video
Canada	Amazon Prime Video, Cultpix, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hoopla	—
Australia	Amazon Prime Video, Cultpix, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Tubi TV	Amazon Video
Germany	Cultpix	—
France	Cultpix	—
Spain	Cultpix	—
Brazil	Cultpix	—
Japan	Cultpix	—

About The Black Sleep

The Black Sleep is a 1956 English-language horror and science fiction film directed by Reginald Le Borg. The cast is led by Basil Rathbone, Herbert Rudley, Patricia Blair. It has a runtime of 1h 22m. In United States, it is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Cultpix.

The Black Sleep was produced by Bel-Air Productions and United Artists and made in United States of America. It was released on June 15, 1956, and carries a NR certification.

Director: Reginald Le Borg
Writers: John C. Higgins, Gerald Drayson Adams
Release date: June 15, 1956
Original language: English
Age rating: NR
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $0 million
Production: Bel-Air Productions, United Artists

#experiment#england#mad doctor#brain surgeon#suspended animation

The Black Sleep cast & crew

The Black Sleep was directed by Reginald Le Borg and written by John C. Higgins and Gerald Drayson Adams.

The cast features Basil Rathbone as Sir Joel Cadman, Herbert Rudley as Dr. Gordon Ramsay, Patricia Blair as Laurie Munroe, Akim Tamiroff as Odo the Gypsy, Phyllis Stanley as Daphne, and Lon Chaney Jr. as Dr. Munroe, aka Mungo.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Les Baxter, cinematography is by Gordon Avil, and it was produced by Howard W. Koch and Aubrey Schenck.

Is The Black Sleep worth watching?

At 1h 22m, it's an easy, time-light watch.

If you enjoy horror and science fiction, The Black Sleep is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch The Black Sleep

In United States, you can stream The Black Sleep on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Cultpix, ScreenPix Apple TV Channel, and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.