Curse of the Demon (1957)

Tonight’s offering features a wonderfully creepy and suspenseful film with the American title of Curse of the Demon. The original British title is Night of the Demon. This film is in my top ten of greatest horror films of all-time! It is based on the novel by M.R. James entitled “Casting the Runes.” It is masterfully directed by the great Jacques Tourneur, who previously brought us the films Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, The Leopard Man and other great films.

Tourneur skillfully directed the film showing as little as possible of the aforementioned demon, instead relying on the audiences minds to build up all the suspense, which he believed was infinitely more frightening than anything he could put on the screen. In fact, the appearance of the demon on screen at the beginning and end of the film was put there at the behest of the studio and not Tourneur. He didn’t want to show the demon at all but lost that battle with the studio.

The cast is incredible, led by the always great Dana Andrews and Niall MacGinnis. If I only turn you on to one film this Halloween season that you haven’t seen, let it be Curse of the Demon, you won’t regret it!

Curse of the Demon is written by Charles Bennett, Hal E. Chester and M.R. James based on his story. It is directed by Jacques Tourneur and stars Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham, Athene Seyler, Liam Redmond, Reginald Beckwith and Ewan Roberts.

Plot Synopsis

Dr. John Holden ventures to London to attend a paranormal psychology symposium with the intention to expose devil cult leader, Julian Karswell. Holden is a skeptic and does not believe in Karswell’s power. Nonetheless, he accepts an invitation to stay at Karswell’s estate, along with Joanna Harrington, niece of Holden’s confidant who was electrocuted in a bizarre automobile accident. Karswell secretly slips a parchment into Holden’s papers that might possibly be a death curse. Recurring strange events finally strike fear into Holden, who believes that his only hope is to pass the parchment back to Karswell to break the demonic curse.

Watch the trailer here,