Night of the Demon (1957)
Dr. John Holden ventures to London to attend a paranormal psychology symposium with the intention to expose devil cult leader... (imdb)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Jacques Tourneur
Written By: Charles Bennett, M.R. James, Hal E. Chester
Starring: Dana Andrews, Maurice Denham, Niall MacGinnis, Reginald Beckwith, Peggy Cummins, Athene Seyler, Liam Redmond, Richard Leech, Peter Elliott, Brian Wilde, Ewan Roberts, Rosamund Greenwood
AKA: Curse of the Demon
Country: UK
Where to Stream
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Night of the Demon belongs to 34 collections
1. Psychotronic Film and Video Guides (collaborative: moderated by Gregzilla - 40 stars)
2. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2008 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 39 stars)
3. Jonathan Rosenbaum's Top 1000 Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 38 stars)
4. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)
5. Passed the Bechdel Test (collaborative: moderated by geohawk - 29 stars)
6. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2014 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Jehan - 27 stars)
7. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2012 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 25 stars)
8. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)
9. They Shoot Pictures' Recommended Viewing (collaborative: moderated by Cinephile - 19 stars)
10. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2013 revision) (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 16 stars)
11. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 16 stars)
12. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2011 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 14 stars)
13. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)
14. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 13 stars)
15. TimeOut's 1000 films to change your life (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 11 stars)
16. Rue Morgue Magazine's 200 Alternative Horror Films You Need to See (public: jimmyjazz - 11 stars)
17. Occult (collaborative: moderated by mattburgess - 8 stars)
18. Folk Horror (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 8 stars)
19. Martin Scorsese's Top 11 Horror Movies of All Time (collaborative: moderated by Pickpocket - 7 stars)
20. Halloween Setting (collaborative: moderated by Vesey - 6 stars)
21. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2007 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 4 stars)
22. edkrak films to see (public: edkrak - 4 stars)
23. Cult Movies (Danny Peary) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 3 stars)
24. A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss (public: kylie - 3 stars)
25. cults + sects + secret societies (collaborative: moderated by livelove - 2 stars)
26. The Overlook Film Encyclopedia: Horror 1950s (collaborative: moderated by RoyalB - 1 star)
27. Cinetheque (public: allegreller - 1 star)
28. Versátil Home Video (collaborative: moderated by allegreller)
29. Wyndham, Kneale, Christopher, James and Their Descendants (collaborative: moderated by Fenius)
30. Available on Divicast (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)
31. us-tv McD 101 Horrors (public: timxyz)
32. Filmspotting Ratings Project: Week 2 (public: PeaceAnarchy)
33. Powerhouse Films Releases (public: kjones77)
34. A Spook-a-doodle October (public: Tarnop)
Browse the full list of collections
| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 6 |  |
BeeDub | 88 75th |
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Showing the demon at the beginning was a huge mistake, as it kills any tension as to whether it - or the curse - is real. I also would have liked more focus on the cult's activities and ultimate goals. Not a bad little thriller otherwise.
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| 5 |  |
joseywales | 74 69th |
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Without the monster it could have been a great psychological thriller, as it is it's another entertaining and well-shot Tourneur horror/mystery.
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| 5 |  |
Paxton | 79 85th |
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Here's your matches. "I don't smoke!" Here's your book. "I can't read!" Here's your ticket. "I don't need it. I'm getting off here!" Here's your jacket. "Oh, well, yes, I'm going to need that. Awww, damn it!"
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| 4 | Q31 | 93 70th |
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Wonderful, creepy, and atmospheric horror film that doesn't rely on gore to be scary. Some very beautiful, haunting scenes (my favorite is the freak wind storm).
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| 4 | moviesinhell | 100 97th |
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Val Lewton protege Tourneur helms an absolutely brilliant horror tale. Despite the demon's sporadic appearances -- a decision Tourneur had actively protested (though, truth to tell, the creature cameos work quite well) -- this ranks right up there with any of producer Lewton's '40s fright classics.
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| 3 |  |
Moribunny | 68 70th |
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After dabbling in other genres, Tourneur returns to form with this horror/mystery which very much resembles his Val Lewton produced ones from the 40's: It's stagey and contrived, but consistently compelling. It's always a notch above B-movie fare, and despite the wooden Dana Andrews and the uneven special effects, it's an effectively spooky and suspenseful movie for anyone willing to suspend a bit of disbelief.
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| 3 |  |
terrymac | 80 84th |
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This was very good. I definitely have a soft spot for films with well-dressed academics battling evil; don't know why. The cast is decent, and the key elements of the M.R. James story are effectively brought to the screen. I really liked MacGinnis as Karswell; he was so calm and rational in his evil-dealing. Less effective is the appearance of the titular demon - it looks rubbish frankly. Otherwise, this is very nicely shot and composed, atmospheric, and most entertaining.
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| 3 |  |
Barthalen | 70 55th |
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An ok-ish horror movie that works best when there isn't anything horrific on screen (mostly because the titular demon looks goofy as hell). Nicely atmospheric. I enjoyed how casual the villain was about his unstoppable plan to kill the protagonist at a specific day, while still being gentlemanly to his future victim in the meantime.
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| 3 |  |
billkerwin | 88 78th |
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An atmospheric version of M.R. James' "Casting the Runes" featuring Tourneur's direction at its best. Worthy of the Val Lewton era, filled with shadows and suspense.
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| 3 |  |
afx237vi | 65 60th |
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It was slightly surprising to me that a protégé of Val Lewton would show the monster in the opening scene. I think it loses some of the psychological effect when we know the demon is real from the off, but even so, it's a still a fun horror. Dana Andrews is pretty stiff in the lead role, but Niall MacGinnis is good as the cult leader.
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| 3 | Bavafreak | 100 96th |
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One of the great horror films. Even the much debated final glimpse of the demon has a terrifying potency. Well acted, beautifully directed and loaded with great images.
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| 2 |  |
PeaceAnarchy | 84 77th |
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The titular demon is actually the weakest aspect, since despite it's great design it's very obviously fake. Luckily most of the film trades on mysterious tension and suspense and does so wonderfully. Dana Andrews is always enjoyable, if a little stiff, and Tourneur throws in some excellent photography.
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| 2 |  |
JooJoo | 5 80th |
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The Germans had better effects three decades earlier but [thankfully] it's used sparingly, and still delivers a great ending. Entirely recommendable, one of Tourneur's best. fun fact: this film perfects the 'cheap scare' tactic.
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| 1 |  |
pilgermann | 85 87th |
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Got to watch this at the theater and really enjoyed it. That brat in the Halloween mask will jolt the piss out of you on a big movie screen!
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| 1 |  |
Freder | 75 63rd |
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Flashy adaptation of classic short story "Casting the Runes." Although Dana Andrews makes a flat hero, everything else about the movie is strikingly effective, from the appearances of the demon to the subtle depiction of magic. Beware of the American cut; longer British version is much better.
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| 1 |  |
Icarus | 89 86th |
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Terrific psychological horror from Tourneur, Night would benefit from losing the first scene that reveals the demon. That said, the effect is little used, leaving the far majority of the film to focus on the subtle psychological transformation taking place in the lead character. This is done especially well, and the scenes that include the villain crackle with sinister tension. Tourneur is one of the great "unknown" auteurs.
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| 1 |  |
Trooth | 63 36th |
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It had an incredible beginning, and an incredible ending, but everything in between... Nothing spectacular. The thing that scared me the most was the prospect that the movie might have lost all its steam completely after the first 10 minutes.
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| 1 |  |
bof | 81 86th |
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Marvellously well-done for its age, owing more to Lewton and Hitchcock than to what the likes of Corman were churning out in the US at the time, and genuinely chilling.
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| 1 |  |
deep_green | 60 39th |
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Harking back to Cat People in a few different ways, but it's the frustration that I recall the most. Like that film, Night of the Demon is strongest in a few short and scattered sequences that are iconic, but drags for most of its running time. The cast are a bunch of forgettables, and it comes off like a highly competently executed B-picture, with a fraction of the charm that should entail. It is worth watching.
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| 1 |  |
MacSwell | 60 40th |
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Even though the story reaches its somewhat predictable conclusion a little slowly, it's an effective and suspenseful chiller nonetheless thanks to the excellent atmosphere created by Tourneur. The monster effects are fun but are ultimately a bit too silly to work, and take away from the film's otherwise effective ambiguity.
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| 1 |  |
Yiannos | 73 77th |
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Some iffy performances don't mar what is otherwise a richly atmospheric horror mystery with psychological undertones, which was Tournier's strength.It is stagy for sure, but somehow the 'stiffness' creates a heightened mood, lending a borderline surreal quality to this gothic noir exploring the line between reason and superstition; and while the monster looks silly, there is something ominous about the way it emerges from a fireball in the night sky only to vanish back into the crepuscular void.
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| Average Percentile 64.05% from 553 Ratings |  |