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Night of the Demon is a black and white horror film from 1957, based on the story Casting the Runes by M.R. James and produced in Britain by American actor-producer Hal E. Chester. The screenplay was by Charles Bennett and the film was directed by Jacques Tourneur.
The film was cut slightly for its U.S. release, under the title Curse of the Demon with a shorter 83 minute running time, and distributed as the lower-half of a double-bill with Hammer Films Revenge of Frankenstein by Columbia Pictures. Ironically, Night of the Demon now enjoys the greater reputation of the two.
It was released on TV and video in the U.S. in the 1980s in its British form, but still under the Curse of the Demon title.
Plot
Skeptical American scientist John Holden arrives in England to take part in a conference on the supernatural and to investigate the activities of devil-cult leader Julian Karswell. He is contacted by the daughter of Professor Harrington, instigator of the investigation, who died just prior to Holden's arrival, apparently killed by an unknown animal; and by Karswell himself, who warns him off. Holden dismisses Karswell as a crank, but gradually comes to realise that Karswell may have more than natural powers and a sinister disposition. In fact, Karswell has placed a curse on him using runic inscriptions on a piece of parchment, just as he did Harrington, who in fact was killed by a demon. Holden finally realizes that he too will be killed by a demon unless he can first turn the curse back on the one who gave him the parchment - Karswell.
Critique
The film has enjoyed a substantial popularity among horror fans because of the suspenseful atmosphere developed via its photography and general plot development. A primary point of criticism and debate has been the showing of the demon off and on during the film, which was not part of Bennett's original script (which he had written two years' earlier, having purchased the rights to make a film of the story from James' estate), which was supported by Tourneur. Producer Chester appears to have been the moving force in having the monster as an actual physical presence, though it is generally seen at a distance, in a fog.
More recent criticism has also pointed out that the script does not provide the protagonists any motivation to be investigating Karswell or his followers (which makes them seem more along the line of busybodies who get in over their heads). Critics also point out the contradiction between the Karswell's desire to stay out of the limelight and his willingness to summon a giant demon whenever he feels threatened, which would surely attract the attention of the authorities and general public. The character of Holden also varies throughout the story between being a staunch skeptic of anything supernatural and a timorous weakling in the face of some event he can easily explain by natural causes. The film differs from the original story in that Karswell is publicly believed to be a harmless member of the local gentry, while in the story he is well-known as an incoherent tract-writer who has tenanted an abandoned monastery, desecrated it, and terrorized his neighbors. Some have offered the film as a prime example of how extensive stylistic attention can overcome plot and character-development deficiencies. Some also argue that an integral part of making the atmosphere work is that the audience, at least, knows from the opening reel that there is a demon which Karswell can summon, and that he indeed needs to be exposed and destroyed, even if the inhabitants of the film's world have no reason to suspect this.
Cast
- Dana Andrews .... Dr. John Holden
- Peggy Cummins .... Joanna Harrington
- Niall MacGinnis .... Dr. Julian Karswell
- Athene Seyler .... Mother Karswell
- Liam Redmond .... Professor Mark O'Brien
- Ewan Roberts .... Lloyd Williamson
- Peter Elliott .... Professor K.T. Kumar
- Reginald Beckwith .... Mr. Meek
- Rosamund Greenwood .... Mrs. Meek
- Maurice Denham .... Professor Henry Harrington
- Brian Wilde .... Rand Hobart
Trivia
The film has been referenced in at least two songs:
- Kate Bush's "The Hounds of Love" sampled the line "It's in the trees! It's coming!" from the film.
- It was also mentioned in the opening song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the line "Dana Andrews said prunes gave him the runes, but passing them used lots of skill".
"Night of the Demon"