The Devil Rides Out (1968)
Directed by Terence Fisher

Film Review

Hammer Films breathed new life (and plenty of death) into the fantasy horror genre, resurrecting such classic horror icons as Dracula, Frankenstein and the Mummy, with a quaint British take on the Grand Guignol tradition of gory melodrama. One of the highpoints of Hammer's output was a compelling and highly atmospheric adaptation of the classic Dennis Wheatley novel, The Devil Rides Out.  Although this features none of the familiar horror icons and lacks the cosy Gothic trappings, it is undoubtedly one of the most unsettling and most effective horror films that Hammer made.  It is also rated the best adaptation of a Dennis Wheatley novel, and the only one of which the author approved.

So what is it that makes The Devil Rides Out so good?   It certainly isn't the special effects which, even by the standards of the day, are pretty ropy.  Nor is it the grand set pieces, which tread a thin line between the mildly ridiculous and the frankly ludicrous.  It is hard not to laugh at some of the manifestations of evil the film offers - a cheap Halloween party skull for the Angel of Death and a sad wretch with two plastic horns stuck on his forehead for the Devil.   None of this is likely to give you nightmares.

What makes the film so effective, so absorbing and so utterly frightening is the sense of authenticity it conveys, through the writing, performances and photography, which more than compensate for the dodgy B-movie production values.    Initially, the spectator shares Rex's scepticism about the demonic art and power of darkness, and the character Richleau immediately strikes us as a madman or charlatan.  Gradually, however, the perspective shifts and what first appeared absurd and fanciful soon becomes horrifyingly plausible - to the extent that the imperfect attempts to depict the evil on the screen are easily forgiven.

The main strength of The Devil Rides Out is Richard Matheson's carefully constructed screenplay.   Matheson was one of America's leading writers of fantasy fiction, his novels including such classics as The Shrinking Man, I Am Legend and Hell House, all of which have been adapted for cinema.  All too often, Hammer made use of inferior writers who had limited talent for plot construction and realistic dialogue.   When the studio did engage writers of the calibre of Matheson, the outcome was almost invariably highly impressive.   Matheson's great talent is an ability to make the fantastic seem eminently believable, mainly through the psychological depth he brings to his characterisation.

If Richard Matheson's script provides the film with its solid skeleton, the ample flesh comes from the stunning performances of its two leads - Christopher Lee and Charles Gray.  For once, Lee gets to play the good guy and, clearly relishing the opportunity, gives it everything he has, without going too far over the top.  The sense of absolute certainty and conviction that Lee conveys is of a kind that you only ever find in mad religious zealots, war-mongering politicians and inexperienced weather forecast presenters.  Gray is equally impressive as the villainous Devil-worshipper Mocata.  Effortlessly, he manages to convey pure, unsullied evil that makes his character not only terrifying but also seemingly invincible, bringing a genuine frisson of fear to the film's most spine-chilling sequences.  Gray makes a superb baddie and would go on to play one of the best Bond villains in Diamonds Are Forever (1971).

Christopher Lee has often stated that, of all the films he appeared in, The Devil Rides Out is one of his personal favourites, and that he would love to reprise the role of Richelieu in an updated remake. It was Lee, an ardent fan of Dennis Wheatley, who persuaded Hammer to make the film, although there was a four year hiatus before the film went into production, arising from concerns over censorship.  The actor was dismayed when he learned that the film was re-titled The Devil's Bride for its release in America, presumably because it may have been mistaken for a western if it had gone out under its original British title.

Although it is highly regarded today and has acquired something of a cult following, The Devil Rides Out was not a commercial success when it was first released.  Plans to make a further two films featuring Lee in the role of Duc de Richelieu were immediately dropped.   Hammer would make two further adaptations of Dennis Whealey novels - The Lost Continent (1968), which the author loathed, and To the Devil a Daughter (1976), which was to be the studio's swansong.

Film Synopsis

When his protégé, Simon Aron, fails to turn up for a reunion, the wealthy Duc de Richleau decides to visit him at his home.  Accompanied by his friend, Rex Van Ryn, Richleau finds Simon is hosting a meeting of an astrological society.  Suspecting that all is not what it appears, Richleau visits Simon's observatory and is surprised to find occult symbols on the walls and floor.  Realising that Simon's mortal soul is in peril, Richleau abducts his young protégé and takes him back to his home.  A short while later, Simon mysteriously disappears.  Whilst Richleau undertakes some research into the occult, Rex sets about looking for a young woman named Tanith, who was at Simon's party and may reveal his present whereabouts.   Richleau is convinced that unless they can find Simon within 24 hours, he will be lost forever.  Unfortunately, he is up against a formidable adversary, the Satanist Mocata, who has at his command all the forces of darkness...