30 THEATRICAL TERRORS: The Devil Rides Out & Night of the Demon (Days 25 & 26)

Due to devilish deeds beyond the kin of mortal men,

we here at The Goods were unable to deliver

a frightful film for you last night,

so tonight we present a...

Demonic Double Feature!

The Devil Rides Out (known in America as The Devil’s Bride) is adapted from the 1934 Dennis Wheatley novel of the same name by Richard Matheson and directed by Terence Fisher in 1968 for Hammer.

The film stars Christopher Lee in his favorite role as Nicholas, Duc de Richleau, an aristocrat, adventurer and occultist who rescues the son of a friend and his girlfriend from a devil-worshipping cult taking refuge at the home of friends.

There, the cult leader pays a visit and forces them all to endure a night of black magic attacks designed to corrupt the souls and force the group to give up or give in to the power of the devil. All of which the Duke leads the group through with great effort and costing the life of one of the group.

What follows is much the same as before, a smart and well told morality play that has good triumph over evil. And it makes one sad that Lee was never able to take up the role of his lifetime again, considering there are eleven more novels featuring the Duke that were never adapted.

Regardless, here is a look at the picture itself:

The second part of our double feature is…

Adapted from the M. R. James story “Casting the Runes”, the 1957 British horror film Night of the Demon (known in America as Curse of the Demon) revolves around an American psychologist investigating a satanic cult’s involvement in murder.

In our first feature, we find skeptic Dr. John Holden (played by Dana Andrews) who intends to expose cult leader Julian Karswell (Niall MacGinnis) as a charlatan. Over the course of the film, however, Holden discovers the occult powers to be real and that a curse has been placed on himself.

Due to artistic differences, the production was fraught with conflict between the writer, Charles Bennett, and director, Jacques Tourneur, on one side and the producer, Hal E. Chester, on the other. The former had no plans to show the actual demon, leaving it up to the imagination of the viewer, but the producer inserted shots of it at the beginning and ending of the film anyway.

In any case, here is a look at the tale:

THE COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN: DAY 18

(Murderous Guide to Movies)

Since I totally forgot about Mr. Vincent Price's Thursday marathon this week, I think we should take this chance to really focus on the fine selection of films scheduled to show

on TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES over the next few days.

Tonight on TCM

Friday, October 18, 2013

First up is the story of a logical college professor and his wife who is a firm believer in the supernatural, specifically witchcraft, which she indulges in to gain her and her family an advantage in life.

So, imagine BEWITCHED gone dark as the forces of fate close in on this couple

and the sense of doom looms overhead like

the sword of Damocles!

The Goods Grade: B+

8PM -- BURN, WITCH, BURN

(aka Night of the Eagle & based on Fritz Leiber's novel CONJURE WIFE)

Based on the story by Edgar Allen Poe, Vincent Price is brilliant as Verden Fell, a widower who is obsessed with the idea that his late wife will return to him from the grave one day.  Nevertheless, he falls in love with a new bride, Lady Rowena, who looks remarkably similar to his dead wife, and attempts to live with her at his old abbey.  Old anxieties emerge and obsession returns... but will the Lady Ligeia?

The Goods Grade: B+

9:45PM -- THE TOMB OF LIGEIA

Mary Gibson must travel to New York City from her rural private school to look for her older sister who has gone missing.  Not really sure of what to do, she is led in a few different directions.  Eventually, she meets her sister's husband and a mysterious psychiatrist who claims to know where her sister has gone.  What she doesn't know is that her sister had become involved with some real shady characters who seem eager to make her disappear the same way her sister has.

Full of moody atmosphere and isolation and shot beautifully,

this is some of Producer Val Lewton's best work.

The Goods Grade: A-

11:15PM -- THE SEVENTH VICTIM

Dr. John Holden, a skeptic who takes it upon himself to expose frauds, takes it upon himself to take down brazen demon cult leader, Julian Karswell.  Holden agrees to stay at the estate of Karswell with the expressed intention of disproving the supernatural power that Karswell claims he uses

for his own purposes of power and success.  Joanna Harrington stays at the estate as well

and she and Holden develop a strong bond all the while she pokes holes in his skepticism.

Evidence of Karswell's power continues to pile up and the danger for Holden

and Harrington grows exponentially as the climax to this one grows

nearer.  A fine effort that builds nicely,

The Goods Grade: B+ 

12:30AM -- CURSE OF THE DEMON

(aka Night of the Demon)

Betsy Connell is a nurse hired to care for the wife of Paul Holland, a sugar plantation owner.  His wife, Jessica, seems to be suffering some form of malaise or depression or even hypnosis.  Having been told by the husband that every western treatment for his wife has been tried and failed, the nurse slowly comes to believe that the wife has been transformed into a zombie.

Another Val Lewton masterpiece.

The Goods Grade: A-

2:15AM -- I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE

The Goods Grade: NA

3:30AM -- THE LEOPARD MAN

Early Saturday, October 19, 2013

Joan Fontaine plays a teacher who, after a terrible encounter with a witch doctor destroyed her teaching mission in Africa, returns to England to a rural village where she intends to lead a nice quiet life of educating young children.  And it starts out as expected, until the wicked roots of the occult reveal themselves at the very heart of this village.  An underrated effort by the folks at HAMMER.

The Goods Grade: B+

10:30AM -- THE DEVIL'S OWN

(aka The Witches)

Hammer brings the island zombies to Great Britain in this twist on the classic tale of the dead being forced to labor long after they deserve their final reward.  A bit of a disjointed effort that does its best to bring that old gothic feel to the fore but doesn't quite make all the connections.

The Goods Grade: B-

12:15PM -- THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES

And don't forget to stay tuned Saturday night on TCM

as another host of horror films await your viewing pleasure!