The Devil Rides Out (1968)

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Richard Matheson (writer)
Dennis Wheatley (novel)

Release Date:

20 July 1968 (UK)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The beauty of woman . . . the demon of darkness . . . the unholy union of "The Devil's Bride"

Plot:

In the countryside of England, the Duc de Richleau a.k.a Nicholas welcomes his old friend Rex Van Ryn that has flown to meet him and Simon Aron...

Plot Keywords:

Sacrifice | Car Chase | Black Magic | Blood | Giant Spider

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Duc de Richleau
Charles Gray	...	Mocata
Nike Arrighi	...	Tanith Carlisle (as Niké Arrighi)
Leon Greene	...	Rex Van Ryn
Patrick Mower	...	Simon Aron
Gwen Ffrangcon Davies	...	Countess
Sarah Lawson	...	Marie Eaton
Paul Eddington	...	Richard Eaton
Rosalyn Landor	...	Peggy Eaton
Russell Waters	...	Malin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Yemi Ajibade	...	African (uncredited)
Patrick Allen	...	Rex (voice) (uncredited)
Liane Aukin	...	Satanist (uncredited)
John Bown	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
John Brown	...	(uncredited)
John Falconer	...	Satanist (uncredited)
Anne Godley	...	Satanist (uncredited)
Richard Huggett	...	(uncredited)
Ahmed Khalil	...	Indian (uncredited)
Willie Payne	...	Servant (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	...	The Goat of Mendes (uncredited)
Keith Pyott	...	Max (uncredited)
Richard Scott	...	Satanist (uncredited)
Mohan Singh	...	Mocata's Servant (uncredited)
Zoe Starr	...	Indian Girl (uncredited)
Peter Swanwick	...	Satanist (uncredited)
Bert Vivian	...	Satanist (uncredited)

Directed by
Terence Fisher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Matheson		writer
Dennis Wheatley		novel "The Devil Rides Out"

Produced by
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	producer

Original Music by
James Bernard

Cinematography by
Arthur Grant

Film Editing by
Spencer Reeve

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Makeup Department
Eddie Knight	....	makeup artist
Patricia McDermott	....	hair stylist
Roy Ashton	....	special makeup artist: Baphomet in Black Mass (uncredited)

Production Management
Ian Lewis	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bert Batt	....	assistant director
Christopher Neame	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Michael Finlay	....	painter

Sound Department
Arthur Cox	....	sound editor
A.W. Lumkin	....	supervising sound recordist
Ken Rawkins	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Michael Staiver-Hutchins	....	special effects

Stunts
Mike Reid	....	stunt driver
Eddie Powell	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Jack Silk	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Birtles	....	gaffer
Moray Grant	....	camera operator
Bob Jordan	....	focus puller

Casting Department
Irene Lamb	....	casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe supervisor
Janet Lucas	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Moray Grant	....	assistant editor
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
June Randall	....	continuity
David Toguri	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Associated British-Pathé
• Hammer Film Productions
• Seven Arts Productions

Distributors

• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1968) (UK) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Luminous Film & Video Works (video)
• Studio Canal (2010) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Elstree Film & Television Studios  movie studio

Also Known As:

"The Devil's Bride" - USA

Runtime:

Spain:96 min | USA:95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:15 | Finland:K-16 | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Black Park Country Park, Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Associated British-Pathé

Trivia:

Hammer first wanted actor Gert Fröbe in the role of Mocata.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Rex arrives at the forest to witness the Black Mass, it is almost totally dark. Later in the evening when he phones de Richleau, however, the view outside de Richleau's window shows it is broad daylight.

Quotes:

Duc de Richleau:[fearfully] Do you realise what today's date is Rex?
Rex Van Ryn:April the, er, 29th, why?
Duc de Richleau:Mocata isn't going to miss the chance of giving Simon his Devil's baptism at the Grand Sabbat of the year!
Rex Van Ryn:[puzzled] What are you talking about?
Duc de Richleau:Tomorrow night! It's the eve of May Day. Within 24 hours, Simon could be lost to us forever.
Rex Van Ryn:What can we do?
Duc de Richleau:[referring to Tanith] We find the girl!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Mind Blowers (1969)

A very enjoyable and entertaining blend of action thriller and Satanic shocker.

'The Devil Rides Out' is easily one of the most entertaining of Terence Fisher's Hammer movies. While best known for his Dracula and Frankenstein movies, this fascinating blend of adventure thriller and Satanic shocker is not to be overlooked. While technically a horror movie with strong supernatural elements, the movie's use of old fashioned thrills and Lee's dashing heroic character Duc de Richleau, gentleman and occult expert, give this one quite a unique flavour unlike most of the other Hammer classics. Lee is brilliant throughout, as is his nemesis the evil magician Mocata played by Charles Gray (Blofeld in 'Diamonds Are Forever'). The rest of the cast are also very effective. Leon Greene as Richleau's loyal friend Rex, Nike Arrighi as Tanith the mysterious girl rex becomes besotted with, and Patrick Mower as Simon, Richleau and Rex's young friend who foolishly dabbles with Satanism and soon finds himself under the control of Mocasta. The film is consistently interesting, with lots of excitement and some unpredictable plot twists. The Satanism is treated more seriously and realistically than many 1960s horror movies (and wait til you see "The Goat Of Mendes"!) , and this is a credit to Richard Matheson who adapted Dennis Wheatley's original novel. I am becoming increasingly aware of just how many movies I admire that Matheson had a hand in writing - many of Roger Corman's Poe series, 'The Legend Of Hell House' and 'The Last Man On Earth' to name a few. Matheson is one of the most talented and imaginative horror writers to ever work in Hollywood, and rarely gets the credit he deserves. 'The Devil Rides Out' is yet another fantastic movie from the Hammer studio, and highly recommended.