by A.J.
This is my favorite time of year, second only to Christmas. Autumn has arrived, the weather is cooling down, and October becomes the month-long celebration of scary movies called Shocktober. So, in the days leading up Halloween I’ll be posting some horror movie recommendations to help you celebrate Shocktober.
Night 1: Classic Horror Night
“I know the value of the cold light of reason, but I also
know the deep shadows that light can cast.”
Curse of the Demon is not among the most well-known classic
horror films, and it’s from the late 50’s, well past the golden age horror of
the 1930’s and 40’s, but it is definitely deserving of “classic” status. Based on the story Casting the
Runes by M.R. James, this British production was written by Charles Bennett, who also wrote the Alfred Hitchcock films The Man Who Knew Too Much
(1934) and The 39 Steps, and directed by Jacques Tourneur, who directed
the low-key horror films Cat People and I Walked with a Zombie
for producer Val Lewton and RKO studios. The leads are Dana Andrews, from the mystery
classic Laura, and Peggy Cummins, co-star of the Noir cult classic Gun Crazy. So, all together this film has impressive credentials. Despite creative differences between Bennett, Tourneur, and
producer Hal E. Chester over the titular demon, the result is a memorable and
eerie film that successfully combines psychological horror with more overt horror elements.
Dana Andrews plays Dr. Holden, an American psychologist in
England investigating a satanic cult and its sophisticated but nefarious
leader, Dr. Karswell. Joanna (Cummins) believes that the mysterious death of
her uncle, a psychologist who was also investigating the satanic cult, is not only
linked to the Karswell but caused by dark supernatural forces. Dr. Holden
is skeptical, even about the death curse Karswell put on him, but then he begins
having strange experiences. As the calendar counts down his demise, Joanna
and Holden search for a way to reverse the curse.
It is not a spoiler to reveal that Karswell is in fact
summoning a demon to do away with his enemies since this is made clear in the
opening scenes. In fact, this is the creative choice that divided Bennett and Tourneur
against producer Hal E. Chester. Both Bennett and Tourneur believed that less
was more when it came to horror. They believed that suspense, ambiguity, and the power of
suggestion allowed the audience to scare themselves more than any monster or special effects. Chester had the opposite perspective. I can understand both points of view.
Relying on atmosphere, suspense, and tricks that only suggest a monster are
what make Tourneur’s films Cat People and I Walked with a Zombie
so great. A Hitchcock film like The 39 Steps relies on well-established characters
in tense situations instead of effects. On the other hand, Curse of the
Demon still has plenty of eerie atmosphere thanks to Tourneur’s style and
smart characters thanks to Bennett’s screenplay, and it is still suspenseful
but in a different way. Instead of being unsure about black magic like Holden,
we know that the curse and demon are real. The longer it takes for Holden to
accept this, the less time he has to figure out how to stop Karswell.
The demon is pretty impressive. It is big, has a scary
monster face, and appears in eerie light and fog. The movie would
have a different tone if the demon was only suggested, but its
inclusion does not undercut any of the low-key elements. The demon is
only used twice, each time to great effect. Seeing it at the beginning establishes a high level of danger for the characters and its appearance at the end is a satisfying payoff. If
there’s a monster that threatens to undercut the movie it’s the housecat that
turns into a panther (big stuffed animal) that Dana Andrews has to wrestle. It
doesn’t ruin the movie but it is the only moment where the seams show. Brief as
it is, this moment is up there with Christopher Lee fighting a stuffed dog in The
Hound of the Baskervilles (1959). The creepiest and most impressive special
effect is the glowing ball of fog that chases Andrews through a forest at night.
Dana Andrews does a good job playing a skeptical
psychologist, so you don’t become frustrated with how long it takes him to
believe in the supernatural. Peggy Cummins also gives a good performance and
her character helps to drive the plot instead of just being the woman along
for the ride. There are some nice touches of humor like when we first meet Dr.
Holden on a plane trying to sleep. He covers his face with a newspaper that has
a story about him. The séance that Joanna takes Dr. Holden to begins with two
women singing a song about cherry pie and the medium goes through a few
different accents before finding the right spirit guide. The final
confrontation between Dr. Holden and Karswell is excellently written and acted. Each character is
trying to outsmart the other without letting on that he knows what the other is
doing. Just when you think one character has the upper hand, the scene
continues.
Though it is only in two scenes, you’ll find the demon’s
face on the movie poster, DVD art, and streaming service thumbnail images. That
image combined with a sensational title like Curse of the Demon might
make you expect a schlock B-movie, but this a well-done, creepy horror film
that relies on suspense, atmosphere, convincing characters, and clever
writing more than special effects, though the effects are well-done too. When
he collaborated with producer Val Lewton on horror movies, Jacques Tourneur
also created films that surpassed their sensational (or silly) titles and
frightened audiences in unexpected ways. He did the same again with Curse of
the Demon.
There are two versions of this film. It was released first in the
U.K. as Night of the Demon in 1957. A year later it was released in the U.S. as
Curse of the Demon because Columbia studio executives were afraid
audiences would get it confused with the John Huston film Night of the
Iguana and 13 minutes were cut so it could play as
a double feature. No matter which version you watch, you’re in for a spooky and satisfying night.
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