Curse of the Demon

Original title: Night of the Demon

1957
G
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

14K

YOUR RATING

Dana Andrews and Peggy Cummins in Curse of the Demon (1957)

American professor John Holden arrives in London for a parapsychology conference, only to find himself investigating the mysterious actions of Devil-worshiper Julian Karswell.

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Fantasy Horror Mystery

American professor John Holden arrives in London for a parapsychology conference, only to find himself investigating the mysterious actions of Devil-worshiper Julian Karswell.American professor John Holden arrives in London for a parapsychology conference, only to find himself investigating the mysterious actions of Devil-worshiper Julian Karswell.American professor John Holden arrives in London for a parapsychology conference, only to find himself investigating the mysterious actions of Devil-worshiper Julian Karswell.

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IMDb RATING

7.4/10

14K

YOUR RATING

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Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 2:10

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Dana Andrews and Niall MacGinnis in Curse of the Demon (1957)

Dana Andrews and Maurice Denham in Curse of the Demon (1957)

Dana Andrews in Curse of the Demon (1957)

Niall MacGinnis in Curse of the Demon (1957)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Jacques Tourneur never planned to show the monster, but to leave it instead to the audience's imagination. However, the studio insisted that the monster be shown, and added it in post-production, allegedly without Tourneur's consent, approval, or involvement. "The scenes where we really see the demon were shot without me. All except one: I shot the sequence in the woods where Andrews is pursued by this sort of cloud." [Tourneur himself in Midi-Minuit Fantastique 5.65]. He also said, "It should have been unveiled bit by bit without it ever really being shown." [in Cinefantsatique; '73.]

Goofs
At the beginning, when the doomed Professor Harrington is driving to Dr. Karswell's place, the steering wheel is on the left, and the POV is from the shotgun seat, looking at the right side of his face. On his way back to his home, it's a mirror image of the original (flipped shot).

Quotes
Professor Henry Harrington: It's in the trees! It's coming!

Alternate versions
This film exists in three English language versions: (1) The original British release under the title "Night of the Demon," (2) Columbia's edited version for release in the U.S. under the title "Curse of the Demon" and, (3) over 20 years later, Columbia replaced their edited U.S. version with the original British version but with the title also changed to "Curse of the Demon." Columbia's DVD release contains both the edited and restored U.S. versions. Although the cover remains the same, Columbia's more recent copies of the their DVD release removes the U.S. version with the restored footage with a print of the original British release with the title "Night of the Demon."

Connections
Featured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: Curse of the Demon (1970)

Soundtracks
Plain Song
(uncredited)
Music by Fela Sowande
Chappell Recorded Music Library

User reviews258

Review

Featured review

10/10

One of the greatest horror/suspense movies ever made

Listen. Get yourself the biggest screen possible (preferably with a good front projection TV), turn out the lights, sit back with your popcorn and soda, and get ready for an evening of unrelenting suspense. Directed by Jacques Tournear, whose other classics include "The Leopard Man," Robert Mitchum's "Out of the Past," and "Cat People," one viewing of this film will readily illustrate to you why Hollywood's audiences are dwindling. This movie is what good movie making is all about; this movie knows what it's intention is and executes it beautifully. When you see this film, you will think to yourself, "Why can't they make them like this anymore?" If you thought "The Others" was a good movie (which I did) then you will like this one. "The Others," by the way, is one of the few exceptions to my negative criticism above.

I'm not going to reveal any of the plot. Watch it without knowing anything about the plot; let the story unfold on you as it does to Dana Andrews. You'll be glad you did.

The film is available on DVD in the USA and longer English versions. The only difference I saw in the two versions is that the USA version cuts out a few unnecessary words that add nothing to the story.

Anyway, give this movie a viewing. You'll be glad you did.

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