DEVIL RIDES OUT, THE (1968, UK, 95m, 15) ***½
Horror
dist. Warner-Pathé Distributors (UK), Twentieth Century Fox (USA); pr co. Associated British-Pathé / Hammer Film Productions; d. Terence Fisher; w. Richard Matheson (based on the novel by Dennis Wheatley); pr. Anthony Nelson Keys; ph. Arthur Grant (Technicolor | 1.66:1); m. James Bernard; ed. Spencer Reeve; ad. Bernard Robinson.
cast: Christopher Lee (Duc de Richleau), Charles Gray (Mocata), Nike Arrighi (Tanith Carlisle), Leon Greene (Rex Van Ryn), Patrick Mower (Simon Aron), Gwen Ffrangcon Davies (Countess), Sarah Lawson (Marie Eaton), Paul Eddington (Richard Eaton), Rosalyn Landor (Peggy Eaton), Russell Waters (Malin).
Stylish production of Dennis Wheatley’s novel in which when the Duc de Richleau (Lee) and Rex Van Ryn (Greene) arrive at a fashionable party thrown by de Richleau’s protégé, Simon Aron (Patrick Mower), they soon realize that the party is in fact a gathering of a Satanic cult, led by the high priest Mocata (Gray), that plans to initiate the beautiful Tanith (Arrighi) that night. It’s up to de Richleau and Van Ryn to defeat the devil-worshipping Mocata and save innocent young Tanith and the others from a terrible fate. Directed with a sure hand by horror veteran Fisher and performed with authority by Lee and Gray. The supporting cast is good, although Arrighi is too wooden. Bernard’s score adds to the unsettling atmosphere and the film is sumptuously shot by Grant, making colourful use of the English countryside locations. US title: THE DEVIL’S BRIDE.
