Curse of the Demon (1957) Night of the Demon (original title)

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writers:

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

Release Date:

July 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

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 | Demon | Witchcraft | Clown Magician

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)
John Salew	...	Librarian
Janet Barrow	...	Mrs. Hobart (deleted from US print)
Percy Herbert	...	Farmer (deleted from US print)
Lynn Tracy	...	Air Hostess (deleted from US print)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Clare Asher	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Michelle Aslanoff	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ballard Berkeley	...	1st Reporter (uncredited)
Shay Gorman	...	Narrator (uncredited) (voice)
John Harvey	...	Hobart's Brother (uncredited)
Irene Hollis	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Walter Horsbrugh	...	Bates the Butler (uncredited)
Yvette Hosler	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Robert Howell	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Michael Peake	...	2nd Reporter (uncredited)
Anthony Richmond	...	Urchin (uncredited)
Leonard Sharp	...	Ticket Collector (uncredited)
The Blake Twins	...	Minor Roles (uncredited)

Directed by
Jacques Tourneur

Writing credits
M.R. James		(story "Casting the Runes") (as Montague R. James)
Charles Bennett		(screenplay) and
Hal E. Chester		(screenplay)
Cy Endfield		uncredited

Produced by
Frank Bevis	....	producer
Hal E. Chester	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Clifton Parker

Cinematography by
Edward Scaife		(director of photography) (as Ted Scaife)

Film Editing by
Michael Gordon

Casting by
Robert Lennard

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Makeup Department
Betty Lee	....	hair stylist

Production Management
R.L.M. Davidson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Basil Keys	....	assistant director

Art Department
Peter Glazier	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Arthur Bradburn	....	sound recordist
Charles Crafford	....	dubbing editor
Ellis Burman	....	sound restoration engineer (restored version) (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Blackwell	....	special effects
S.D. Onions	....	special effects photography
Wally Veevers	....	special effects
Bryan Langley	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	unit driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Pamela Gayler	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Sabre Film Production
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1957) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia International Films (1958) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• GoodTimes Home Video (video)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

"Night of the Demon" - UK (original title)

Runtime:

95 min

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) | Netherlands:18 | 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:

Peggy Cummins's convertible sports car is a Sunbeam Alpine Mark I - manufactured by the Rootes Group in Ryton and Park Royal, London, England from 1953 to 1955, license plate NLJ 666.

Goofs:

Continuity: On the railway car, Karswell has his arms crossed across his chest. On several shots he has his left hand tucked inside and a few shots of his left hand on his right elbow. This is quite noticeable in the shots when Holden is trying to hand Karswell a piece of paper just after Joanna comes out of her trance.

Quotes:

Dr. John Holden:Well, what do you expect me to do? Nobody's free from fear. I have an imagination like anyone else. It's easy to see a demon in every dark corner. But I refuse to let this thing take possession of my good senses. If this world is ruled by demons and monsters we may as well give up right now.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "British Film Forever: Magic, Murder and Monsters: The Story of British Horror and Fantasy (#1.5)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Plain Song

It's not what you see, it's what you imagine.

"Curse of the Demon" might just be the best horror film I've ever seen. When I saw it for the first time as a teenager in the mid-sixties on television one night, it really frightened me. And even now, at my age, it still gives me goosebumps.

Dana Andrews plays the skeptical American psychologist investigating a devil worship cult in England led by Dr. Karswell, played by Niall MacGinnis. The acting is pretty weak once you get past the two main characters, but it's the craftsmanship of the director that really matters.

Jacques Tourneur manipulates light and shadow to create fear of the unknown in this tale of modern science colliding with ancient sorcery. The monster is pretty tame as far as it goes, but that's not the point. It's not what you see, it's what you imagine that gets to you.

Long, dark corridors ..... dancing shadows ..... strange sounds contrasted with eerie silences ..... the impending sense of doom and apprehension. This film touches our primal fears, like a child waking up during a thunder storm. Is nature an ordered world or can it be manipulated by evil forces?