Night of the Demon (1957)

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writers:

M.R. James (story)
Charles Bennett (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

July 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Who will be the next in line to defy the curse?

Plot:

Dr. John Holden ventures to London to attend a paranormal psychology symposium with the intention to expose devil cult leader...

Plot Keywords:

Cult | Curse | Witchcraft | Demon | Deep Focus

Cast

Dana Andrews	...	Dr. John Holden
Peggy Cummins	...	Joanna Harrington
Niall MacGinnis	...	Dr. Julian Karswell
Maurice Denham	...	Professor Henry Harrington
Athene Seyler	...	Mrs. Karswell
Liam Redmond	...	Professor Mark O'Brien
Reginald Beckwith	...	Mr. Meek
Ewan Roberts	...	Lloyd Williamson
Peter Elliott	...	Professor K.T. Kumar
Rosamund Greenwood	...	Mrs. Meek
Brian Wilde	...	Rand Hobart
Richard Leech	...	Inspector Mottrarn
Lloyd Lamble	...	Detective Simmons
Peter Hobbes	...	Superintendent
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	Chemist (as Charles Lloyd-Pack)

Also Known As:

Curse of the Demon (USA) (recut version)
Haunted

Runtime:

95 min | USA:83 min (cut)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:PG | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #18459)

Filming Locations:

Associated British Picture Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Sabre Film Production

Trivia:

Released in the U.S. as the lower half of a double bill with Hammer's The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the opening shot, when Professor Harrington asks to see Karswell, he demands "I must see Dr. Karswell at once". When Bates, the butler replies, he refers to Karswell as "Mister", and nowhere else in the movie is Karswell addressed as "doctor". One would assume that Harrington of all people, having headed an investigation into Karswell and his cult, would know his title.

Quotes:

Joanna Harrington: You could learn a lot from children. They believe in things in the dark, although we tell them it's not so. Maybe we've been fooling them.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Small Soldiers (1998)

underappreciated gem

"Curse of the Demon" aka "Night of the Demon" is a wonderful set-piece study of the macabre, skillfully acted by Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, and the delightfully malevolent Niall MacGinnis, and masterfully directed by Jacques Tournier, a director who can turn even the warmest smile into something sinister. Andrews plays a psychiatrist determined to debunk the world of the occult, but instead nearly falls victim to a monstrous demon summoned by MacGinnis. At one point in the film MacGinnis, dressed in a clown suit, takes on an aura of pure demonic power under Tournier's direction, and it's a joy to watch. The effects, including the demon itself, are simple but surprisingly effective, and serve to highlight, rather than overpower, the actors and the storyline. Based on the story "Casting the Runes", this mostly-forgotten film is a masterpiece of scripting, editing, acting, and direction, and shouldn't be missed. We thoroughly recommend it for anyone who likes a nice, quiet little horror story played with an almost Hitchcockian subtlety that's rare nowadays.