The Devil Rides Out (1968)

Devil worshipers plan to convert two new victims.

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Richard Matheson (screenplay), Dennis Wheatley (novel)

Stars:

Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Nike Arrighi

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

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, who is the son of an old friend of them that had passed away but charged them the task of watching the youngster. Nicholas and Rex unexpectedly visit Simon that is receiving twelve mysterious friends. Sooner Nicholas, who is proficient in black magic, learns that the guests are member of a satanic cult and Simon and his friend Tanith Carlisle will be baptized by the powerful leader Mocata to serve the devil. The two friends abduct Simon and Tanith expecting to save their souls but Mocata summons the Angel of Death and the Goat of Mendes to help him in a battle between the good and the forces of evil.

---

Plot Keywords:

baphomet | satanic goat | damsel in distress | butler | kidnapping | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Horror

---

Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 July 1968 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Devil Rides Out

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British-Pathé, Hammer Films, Seven Arts Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film takes place from April 29 to May 2, 1929.

---

Goofs

During the opening credits, a symbol is shown that is not Satanic, and it is also incorporated into the symbol on the priestly robes during the film. Inscribed within a Star of David, there is a six-winged seraph with the faces of a man, lion, ox and eagle based on the vision of Ezechiel. In Christian tradition, the four faces become associated with the four gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

---

Quotes

Marie Eaton: [to her servant about Mocata] Show him out!
Mocata: I'm leaving.
[walks towards door and stands behind Marie]
Mocata: *I* shall not be back... but something will.
[pauses menacingly]
Mocata: Tonight! Something will come for Simon and the girl!
[leaves]

---

Alternate Versions

The 2012 UK Blu-ray Disc released by Studio Canal features digitally enhanced special effects. The makers of the Blu-ray claim to complete shots which had never been finished due to budget reasons:

• Matte shot of Simon's mansion with the Observatory dome has been replaced with a CGI background.
• During the ritual at the climax of the movie a lightning has been replaced with a new CGI lightning.
• Spider sequence: Shadow for the spider has been added, some matte shots enhanced, and digital smoke added when the spider is sprayed with holy water.
• The Angel of Death sequence: A light effect is illuminating the door to cover the poor original optical effect when the angel rides through the door. The close up of the Angel of Death has a new background with flames as the original intended shot was never finished.
• The matte shots of Charley Grey's death in the fire have been digitally corrected as there were optical errors in the layers of the matte shots.
• Several other matte shots have been improved by removing matte lines.

---

Connections

Referenced in Hammer Horror (2007)

User Reviews

But the age old law demands a life for a life, a soul for a soul.

The Devil Rides Out (AKA: The Devil's Bride) is produced out of Hammer Film Productions. It's based on the 1934 novel of the same name written by Dennis Wheatley, with Richard Matheson adapting the screenplay. Directed by Terence Fisher, it stars Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Nike Arrighi, Leon Greene, Patrick Mower, Sarah Lawson and Paul Eddington. Filmed in Technicolor with Arthur Grant the cinematographer and the music is scored by James Bernard.

1930's England and Duc de Ricleau (Lee) finds that his young friend Simon Aron has gotten himself involved with a Satanic cult led by the evil Mocata (Gray). As the Duc and his friends try to save Simon from the cult, Mocata and his followers summon the forces of evil to aid their cause.

It was meant to come out a bit earlier in the 60's, but Satanism, an always iffy subject, would have seen censorship strip Hammer's ideas for the film to the bone. So the studio waited a few more years and finally got the film out a couple of years shy of the 70's. It's a film that now, more than ever, is rightly viewed as not only one of the best film's to have come out of Hammer, but also as one of the best British horror movies ever released. There was much in the film's favour from the off, it had the studio's best director in the chair, the charismatic Christopher Lee in the lead and the talented Matheson (I Am Legend/The Shrinking Man/Hell House) writing the screenplay. The latter of which managing to streamline Wheatley's potent, but long, source material into a fast paced hour and a half movie. It's also, thanks to Wheatley, well researched, which when finding the story is set in more modern times, gives the film an authentic sheen as it rides on into the macabre.

On the surface the plot seems to be a standard good against evil battle, but it's not just a battle, this is a war on terror. Lee's determined, bastion of good, de Ricleau is not just fighting to save the soul of those he cares about, the film makes one feel that it's a battle he must win: for us all. Tho only blessed with the usual standard Hammer budget, the film has immense attention to detail, the power of black magic and the occult is painted vividly, with Fisher ensuring that nothing is hokey, this is serious stuff. The director, too, favouring atmospheric dread over short sharp shocks. What action there is is quality, sure the effects are hardly Oscar winning fare, but the impact is big. So too are the number of memorable scenes that puncture the story, the centrepiece of which is the night our "good" characters spend in floor drawn pentacle, fighting off the forces of darkness, some suggested trickery and terrifying manifestations testing their resolve, with the majestic Lee holding court with virtuous nobility.

The rest of the cast are uniformly excellent, with stand outs being Gray, excelling at silky villainy, even tho he's not on screen a great deal, and Eddington, who neatly plays it deadpan opposed to Lee's serious attempt to drive home the seriousness of what is going on. Noteworthy, too, that it's one of those rare occasions to see Lee playing the good guy. Grant (The Plague of the Zombies) makes wonderful use of the Technicolor, his lensing for the fire and brimstone finale is particularly memorable, and Bernard's score is eerie for the build up sequences and demonically boisterous for the critical moments: one of the best scores to accompany a Hammer film. It's not high cinematic art, and certainly not an overtly horrific film; in that you wouldn't recommend it to the boo-jump thrill seeker, but it's troublingly scary, adult and dripping with cold dread. A picture that closes in on you and challenges the myths and nightmares that lurk in the dark.

Up alongside The Wicker Man and Witchfinder General as one of the true greats of British horror. 9.5/10