Classic 50s Movie: “Night of the Demon”
May is Classic 50s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from David Hutchison.
Movie Title: Night of the Demon
Year: 1957
Writers: Screenplay by Charles Bennett, Hal E.Chester. Short story “The Casting of the Runes” by M.R. James
Lead Actors: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis
Director: Jacques Tournier
Plot Summary: Professor Harrington is about to expose occultist Dr Julian Karswell when he dies in a horrific “accident”. Dr John Holden, an American writer of paranormal psychology, travels to England, also hoping to expose Karswell as a fraud. He meets Harrington’s daughter Joanna on the plane.
Karswell secretly slips a parchment of rune markings to Holden which turns out to be a curse summoning a demon. Holden gradually realises that his whole life philosophy is wrong and that the demon coming for him is very real. The only way to cancel the curse is to return it to Karswell. With the help of Joanna he tries to outwit Karswell and save his soul.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 50s Movie
Director Jacques Tournier had previously made psychological horror classics such as Cat People, where the “monster” is unseen and just suggested. In the 50’s monster movies really took off so perhaps that was the reason that we actually see the monster (a fire demon in this case) several times in this film. It was released in the US (as Curse of the Demon) as a double bill with The Revenge of Frankenstein. The actual demon when close up wouldn’t be scary to a modern audience. It’s the haunting score by Clifton Parker and feeling of menace that’s the scary stuff.
Sam Raimi tried to do a remake of it but couldn’t get the rights but his Drag Me To Hell has some of the essential elements; the curse, a time limit.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie
Holden and Joanna visit Karswell at his country mansion. Karswell is dressed as a clown and is holding a party for the local children. This makes you feel that he can’t be that bad, look he’s nice to children! I’ve always found clowns scary so there is still that feeling of unease. Karswell shows the unbelieving Holden an example of his powers, but it’s the understated way he goes about starting it that stays in your mind. He just nods his head and says “there its done.“ The leaves start to rustle and a wind builds up quickly to a full thunderstorm. The children run screaming.
Another scene I really like is where Karswell’s mother ( wonderfully played by British actress Athene Seyler) invites Joanna and Holden to a séance. To get the spirits in the mood they sing daft songs “Cherry ripe, oh cherry ripe” and the old male medium’s channeling voice of a little girl is very funny. Of course there is a twist and Professor Harrington’s ominous voice comes through to warn Joanna.
Throughout the movie there’s this juxtaposition of normal versus supernatural that is very effective.
My Favorite Dialogue in the Movie
This is from near the start of the film. Professor Harrington is about to expose Karswell as a fraud but finds out too late that Karswell has real powers. Kate Bush was impressed enough to use it on her song “Hounds of Love.”
Professor Harrington: It’s in the trees! It’s coming!
Another favorite piece of dialogue from when Holden visits Karswell. This may be subtext that Karswell is homosexual which would have been considered risque in the 1950’s.
Dr. Julian Karswell: Ha ha, snakes and ladders. An English game, you wouldn’t know it. You see, if you land at the foot of the ladder you climb all the way to the top. But if you land on the head of the snake, you slide all the way down again. Funny thing, I always preferred sliding down the snakes to climbing up the ladders. You’re a doctor of psychology, you ought to know the answer to that.
Dr. John Holden: Maybe you’re a good loser.
Dr. Julian Karswell: I’m not, you know. Not a bit of it.
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie
It comes just after the scene in the British Library Reading Room after Karswell has surreptitiously passed the parchment with the rune markings to Holden. The symptoms of being cursed begin; Dr Holden starts to have a headache. He looks down the corridor. The corridor distorts and blurs. The feeling of foreboding is intense.
Another great scene is where Holden has just visited Karswell at night . He heads back to his car through the trees. A demon cloud chases him through the trees accompanied by weird music.
Best scene is at the end when Karswell has been passed the parchment. He has gotten off the train and is chasing the parchment down the railway track. The parchment seems to have a life of its own and keeps just out of his reach. Then the time allocated is used up and the parchment burns. Karwell looks in horror as the fire demon advances towards him.
Thanks, David! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
Twitter: @davidwhutchison.
We already have a set of classic 60s Movies, 70s movies, 80s Movies and 90s Movies. This month, we’re working on 50s movies.
Here is an updated list of 22 fine folks who have already volunteered [those who I put in bold have already sent me their posts]:
A Place in the Sun — Zach Jansen
A Star is Born — mkm28
All About Eve — Ricardo Bravo
American in Paris — stefani1601
File on Thelma Jordon, The — David Joyner
Harvey — Felicity Flesher
High Noon — Jeff Messerman
Invasion of the Body Snatchers — Rick Dyke
Kiss Me Deadly — John Henderson
Marty — jetwillie69
Night of the Demon — David Hutchison
Night of the Hunter — Mark Twain
On the Waterfront — Bilbo Poynter
Quiet Man, The — Traci Nell Peterson
Rear Window — Roy Gordon
Rebel Without a Cause — uncgym44
Searchers, The — mkm28
Seven Samurai, The — Paul Graunke
Some Like It Hot — Will King
Sunset Blvd. — Rick Dyke
Tokyo Story — Jeff Messerman
Vertigo — Jason Pates
I’m looking for 31 guest posts, one for each day of May. Why not pitch in to help add to this online resource to inspire writers to learn about and — most importantly — watch great movies.
If you have a classic 50s movies on which you’d like to do a writeup, please either post in comments or email me.
Thanks in advance!
For the original post explaining the series, go here.
For all of the 50s movies featured in the series, go here.