| Night of the Demon | |
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| Directed by | Jacques Tourneur |
| Produced by | Hal E. Chester |
| Written by | Story: M.R. James Screenplay: Charles Bennett Hal E. Chester |
| Starring | Dana Andrews Peggy Cummins Niall MacGinnis Athene Seyler |
| Music by | Clifton Parker |
| Cinematography | Edward Scaife |
| Editing by | Michael Gordon |
| Distributed by | Columbia |
| Release date(s) | UK December 15, 1957 USA July, 1958 |
| Running time | 95 min. Jacques Tourneur ( November 12, 1904 &ndash December 19, 1977) was a French - American Film director. American Film producer and former child Actor, Hal E "Hally" Chester (born March 6 1921 in Brooklyn New York Montague Rhodes James, OM, MA, ( August 1, 1862 – June 12, 1936) who used the publication name M Charles Bennett ( 2 August 1899 - 15 June 1995) was an English Playwright and Screenwriter, probably best known American Film producer and former child Actor, Hal E "Hally" Chester (born March 6 1921 in Brooklyn New York Dana Andrews ( January 1 1909 - December 17 1992) was an American film actor Peggy Cummins (born December 18 1925) is a British actress best known for her role in Joseph H Niall MacGinnis was an Irish Actor who made 80 screen appearances Athene Seyler CBE ( May 31, 1889 &ndash September 12, 1990) was an English actress. Clifton Parker (1905 - 1989 was an English composer particularly noted for his film scores Michael Gordon may refer to Michael Gordon (rugby league, Australian rugby league player for Penrith Panthers Michael Gordon (film director }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Night of the Demon is a 1957 British horror film adaptation of M. R. James' Casting the Runes (1911). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The year 1957 in film involved some significant events Events October 21 - The movie Jailhouse Rock The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Montague Rhodes James, OM, MA, ( August 1, 1862 – June 12, 1936) who used the publication name M Directed by filmmaker Jacques Tourneur, the film stars Dana Andrews as John Holden, Peggy Cummins as Joanna Harrington and Niall MacGinnis as Dr. Jacques Tourneur ( November 12, 1904 &ndash December 19, 1977) was a French - American Film director. Dana Andrews ( January 1 1909 - December 17 1992) was an American film actor Peggy Cummins (born December 18 1925) is a British actress best known for her role in Joseph H Niall MacGinnis was an Irish Actor who made 80 screen appearances Julian Karswell. The plot revolves around the American Professor John Holden investigating a Satanic cult active in England. With evidence suggesting the cult being responsible for more than one death in recent months with evidence pointing towards the group's leader, Dr. Julian Karswell. When Holden comes too close to Karswell for comfort, he slips a ancient parchment into Andrews' research folder. The document carries a curse that will mean death in three days for whoever possesses it.
Night of the Demon's production was turbulent by clashing ideas between producer Hal E. Chester against Jacques Tourneur and writer Charles Bennett. American Film producer and former child Actor, Hal E "Hally" Chester (born March 6 1921 in Brooklyn New York Jacques Tourneur ( November 12, 1904 &ndash December 19, 1977) was a French - American Film director. Charles Bennett ( 2 August 1899 - 15 June 1995) was an English Playwright and Screenwriter, probably best known Against Bennett's and Tourneur's wishes of leaving the supernatural demon's existence up to the audience, Chester demanded to make the demon have a highly visible presence on-camera. The film was also edited further in America in its 1958 debut under the title of The Curse of the Demon as the second half of a double feature to accompany the film The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958). The double feature, also known as a double bill, was a Motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatre managers would exhibit two films for the price of one The Revenge of Frankenstein is a 1958 British Horror film made by Hammer Film Productions.
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Plot
Sceptical American psychologist John Holden flies to England to take part in a conference on the supernatural and lead an investigation into the activities of an obscure British devil-cult leader Julian Karswell. Niall MacGinnis was an Irish Actor who made 80 screen appearances Dana Andrews ( January 1 1909 - December 17 1992) was an American film actor The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events The Devil is the This article does not discuss "cult" in the original sense of "veneration" or "religious practice" for that usage see Cult (religious practice On arrival, he is stunned to learn British Professor Henry Harrington — instigator of the investigation — has died just prior to his arrival, apparently killed by an unknown animal. After the visiting the funeral home, where he meets Harrington's pretty, young schoolteacher-niece, Holden is contacted by Karswell by phone, who warns him off continuing the investigation with a loosely-veiled death threat. Holden dismisses Karswell as a crank, but gradually comes to realise that Karswell may have more than natural powers and a sinister disposition. In fact, Karswell has placed a curse on him using runic inscriptions on a piece of parchment, just as he did to Harrington, who in fact was killed by a demon in the film's opening scene. A curse (also called execration) is any manner of Adversity thought to be inflicted by any supernatural power (such as a spell, a Prayer, an Parchment is a thin material made from Calfskin, Sheepskin or goatskin. Holden finally realizes that he too will be killed by a demon unless he can first turn the curse back on the one who gave him the parchment—Karswell.
The curse can only be transferred by passing the parchment to the recipient without the recipient knowing it at that moment. After several failed attempts, Holden finally succeeds in passing the parchment to Karswell, who discovers it immediately afterwards. The wind then carries it out of his hand and onto a train track, where it burns spontaneously. The terrified Karswell can see the gigantic demon (invisible to everyone else) coming after him, and is powerless to stop it and unable to run away from it. Karswell meets a gruesome end, as the demon picks him up and claws him to death.
"Night of the Demon" - Discussion between Karswell and Holden
Production
Screenwriter Charles Bennett owned the rights to the original story The Casting of the Runes and wrote a script based around it under the title The Haunted. Charles Bennett ( 2 August 1899 - 15 June 1995) was an English Playwright and Screenwriter, probably best known Barnett sold the script to independent producer and former child actor Hal E. Chester shortly before going to America. American Film producer and former child Actor, Hal E "Hally" Chester (born March 6 1921 in Brooklyn New York Bennett regretted selling the as script on arrival to America, he was informed that RKO had approached him the purchase of his script with Barnett as his own director. Actors Robert Taylor and Dick Powell were in line for these leading role if this production were to take place. Robert Taylor (August 5 1911 &ndash June 8 1969 was an American Actor. Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell ( November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American Singer, Actor, [1][2][3]
Director Jacques Tourneur was brought in to direct under recommendation to Chester from the producer Ted Richmond; the producer of Tourneur's previous film Nightfall (1957). Jacques Tourneur ( November 12, 1904 &ndash December 19, 1977) was a French - American Film director. Nightfall ( 1957) is a Black-and-white Film noir directed by Jacques Tourneur. [2]. Arguments occurred during filming between Chester and Tourneur. One event was during the filming of the wind scene, Tourneur tried to convince that he needed to upgrade his two electric fans to two airplane engines. When Chester hesitated, Tourneur's friend and leading actor Dana Andrews threatened to leave the picture if Chester wouldn't let "the director direct the picture. Dana Andrews ( January 1 1909 - December 17 1992) was an American film actor "[2]
After completion of the principal shooting, Chester changed two factors of the film. The greatest change was to show the titular demon at the beginning and end of the film. Tourneur was against the addition of showing the demon, stating "The scenes where you see the demon were shot without me. . . the audience should never have been been completely certain of having seen the demon. " Barnett, also angry at the script changes said "If [Chester] walked up my driveway right now, I'd shoot him dead. "[3] Secondly, Chester cut thirteen minutes of the film for the American film release under the title of Curse of the Demon, but these scenes have been restored to all home video versions of the film. [2] Cut scenes included a visit to the Hobart family farm, a visit to Stonehenge, and snippets of the seance scenes and conversations between Karswell and his mother. Stonehenge is a Prehistoric Monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury [4]
Cast
- Dana Andrews . Dana Andrews ( January 1 1909 - December 17 1992) was an American film actor . . . Dr. John Holden
- Peggy Cummins . Peggy Cummins (born December 18 1925) is a British actress best known for her role in Joseph H . . . Joanna Harrington
- Niall MacGinnis . Niall MacGinnis was an Irish Actor who made 80 screen appearances . . . Dr. Julian Karswell
- Athene Seyler . Athene Seyler CBE ( May 31, 1889 &ndash September 12, 1990) was an English actress. . . . Mother Karswell
- Liam Redmond . . . . Professor Mark O'Brien
- Ewan Roberts . . . . Lloyd Williamson
- Peter Elliott . Peter Elliott is a well known New Zealand actor He has appeared in numerous television shows including Shortland Street, Gloss and Homeward Bound . . . Professor K. T. Kumar
- Reginald Beckwith . Reginald Beckwith was an English Actor born on 2 November 1908 in York. . . . Mr. Meek
- Rosamund Greenwood . Rosamund Greenwood (1907 - 1997 was a British actress who was active on screen from 1935 until 1990 . . . Mrs. Meek
- Maurice Denham . Maurice Denham OBE (born as William Maurice Denham on December 23 1909 at Beckenham, Kent; died July 24 2002 . . . Professor Henry Harrington
- Brian Wilde . Brian George Wilde ( 13 June 1927 &ndash 20 March 2008) was an English Actor, best known for his roles in television comedy . . . Rand Hobart
DVD releases
Night of the Demon was released on a Region 1 DVD which also contains the shorter Curse of the Demon. A Region 2 "50th Anniversary Special" DVD was due to be released by DD Home Entertainment on September 17, 2007 but due to financial problems with the parent company this is now 'on hold' awaiting a new release date. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A television adaptation of "Casting the Runes" was released in August by Network DVD. '. [5]
Notes
- ^ Perry, 1984
- ^ a b c d Fujiwara 1998, p. 242-246
- ^ a b Jeff Stafford. "Curse of the Demon (1958) Articles" tcm. com. Retrieved: May 7, 2008. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ Bansak 1995, p. 434-440
- ^ Mondo Esoterica
Bibliography
- Perry, Danny. Cult Movies. Dell, 1984. ISBN 0440516315.
- Fujiwara, Chris. Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall. McFarland, 1998. ISBN 0786404914.
- Bansak, Edward G. Fearing the Dark: The Val Lewton Career. McFarland, 1995. ISBN 0786417099.
External links
- Night of the Demon at Allmovie
- Night of the Demon at the Internet Movie Database
- Curse of the Demon at Allmovie
- Curse of the Demon at Rotten Tomatoes
- Curse of the Demon at the TCM Movie Database
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