Review: Night of the Demon

Cynical American psychologist Dana Andrews arrives in London to meet a colleague (Maurice Denham in an excellent cameo), only to find that the man has died. Andrews scoffs at the suggestion that Denham’s run-ins with a Satanic cult resulted in him being cursed. He then meets the cult’s leader (played by Niall MacGinnis) and that’s when all manner of eerie things start to occur. Pretty sure the unflappable shrink doesn’t know what to think. Peggy Cummins plays Denham’s niece, who assists Andrews in his investigation.

 

Director Jacques Tourneur (“Cat People”, “The Comedy of Terrors”) had moved away from RKO and producer Val Lewton by the time of this popular 1957 cult horror film. Based on a Montague R. James short story and scripted by  Charles Bennett (“The 39 Steps”, “Foreign Correspondent”) & Hal E. Chester (“School for Scoundrels”), it’s more plot and character driven than the Lewton ‘chillers’. In fact, for much of its length it plays more like an occult mystery or investigation film. Nonetheless, while it may be a touch overrated there’s still some very unsettling moments and a terrific performance by Niall MacGinnis stealing the show (and sporting a Mephistophelean beard to be reckoned with). There’s also some fun work by Reginald Beckwith as a medium conducting an oddball séance.

 

Although the impact is a bit lessened the more you get a look at it, the first appearance of the titular demon is genuinely unsettling (as are a set of footprints later on). There’s also a terrific bit with a giant gust of wind that you’re not entirely convinced that MacGinnis didn’t conjure himself. The B&W cinematography by Edward Scaife (“Beautiful Stranger”, “The Dirty Dozen”) has some really nice, eerie shots too and an excellent use of shadow. I do think Dana Andrews (well-cast as he is) lays on the scepticism a touch too thick, and Athene Seyler is a bit wasted as MacGinnis’ mother. Other than those barely even flaws, this one’s pretty good.

 

Perhaps a bit overrated but with some genuinely unsettling moments and good performances nonetheless. I bet it scared the piss out of people in 1957. Clever ending, too.

 

Rating: B-

 

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