NIGHT OF THE DEMON [1957 / 2018] [Limited Collector’s Edition] [Blu-ray] [UK Release]
Chosen . . . Singled Out To Die . . . Victim of his Imagination or a Victim of a Demon!
Based on M. R. James’ classic tale of terror, ‘Casting the Runes,’ and adapted for the screen by regular Hitchcock collaborator Charles Bennett, Jacques Tourneur’s (‘Cat People,’ ‘I Walked with a Zombie,’ and ‘Out of the Past’) and ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ is considered to be one of the seminal horror films of Twentieth-Century cinema. Released on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK, the film is presented here in four different versions, and is accompanied by an incredible array of new and archival special features. Also includes is a Limited Edition exclusive double-sided poster and an equally brilliant 80 page book. Narrated by Shay Gorman (uncredited).
FILM FACT: Screenwriter Charles Bennett owned the rights to the original story “Casting the Runes” and wrote a script loosely based on it and sold the script to independent producer and former child actor Hal E. Chester shortly before going to America. Charles Bennett regretted selling the script, because on arrival in America he was approached by RKO who wanted to purchase his script and allow him to direct the film. Actors Robert Taylor and Dick Powell had been in line for the leading roles if this production had taken place. Despite having acquired the project from Charles Bennett, Hal E. Chester decided the Charles Bennett screenplay was too tame, or as Tony Earnshaw described it, “too British,” so he hired blacklisted writer Cy Endfield to create the final screenplay. Despite his contribution, which Earnshaw said was “significant,” Cy Endfield was ultimately uncredited. Jacques Tourneur was brought in by Hal E. Chester on the recommendation of Ted Richmond, the producer of Jacques Tourneur’s previous film, ‘Nightfall’ [1957] However, Jacques and Hal E. Chester had serious disagreements during filming. One argument was about the wind scene; Jacques Tourneur tried to convince Hal E. Chester to replace two electric fans with two aeroplane engines. When Hal E. Chester hesitated, star Dana Andrews threatened to leave the picture if Hal E. Chester did not let "the director direct the picture." Locations for the film include Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire aka Lufford Hall, Stonehenge, Bricket Wood railway station in Hertfordshire and the Reading Room of the British Museum, located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Producer Hal E. Chester and his British co-producer, Frank Bevis, had decided to show the demon at the beginning and end of the film. Jacques Tourneur later said that he was against the addition: “The scenes where you see the demon was shot without me... the audience should never have been completely certain of having seen the demon.” Stop motion master Ray Harryhausen was requested by Columbia Pictures to create the demon for the production, but he was already committed to his “Dynamation” film ‘The 7th Voyage of Sinbad’ with producer Charles H. Schneer. Author Tony Earnshaw's book “Beating the Devil: The Making of Night of the Demon” argues that showing the demon was planned early on in the production and despite Jacques Tourneur's protests to the contrary, in order to heighten the tension in the film by letting the audience know the demonic powers were real. Charles Bennett, also extremely angry at the script changes, said “If Hal E. Chester walked up my driveway right now, I'd shoot him dead.” Jacques Tourneur never planned to show the monster, but to leave it instead to the audience's imagination. However, the studio insisted that the monster be shown, and added it in post-production, allegedly without Jacques Tourneur's consent, approval, or involvement. “The scenes where we really see the demon were shot without me. All except one: I shot the sequence in the woods where Dana Andrews is pursued by this sort of weird cloud.” Charles Bennett also said, “It should have been unveiled bit by bit without it ever really being shown.” [Cinefantsatique French Magazine Issue 73]. Dana Andrews was so impressed with director Jacques Tourneur that when he returned to the United States he had Jacques Tourneur direct his next film, ‘The Fearmakers’ [1958]. At the beginning, when the doomed Professor Harrington is driving to Dr. Karswell's place, the steering wheel is on the left, and the POV is from the shotgun seat, looking at the right side of his face. On his way back to his home, it's a mirror image of the original (flipped shot).
Cast: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham, Athene Seyler, Liam Redmond, Reginald Beckwith, Ewan Roberts, Peter Elliott, Rosamund Greenwood, Brian Wilde, Richard Leech, Lloyd Lamble, Peter Hobbes, Charles Lloyd Pack, John Salew, Janet Barrow, Percy Herbert, Lynn Tracy, Clare Asher (uncredited), Michelle Aslanoff (uncredited), Ballard Berkeley (uncredited), Shay Gorman (uncredited), John Harvey (uncredited), Irene Hollis (uncredited), Walter Horsbrugh (uncredited), Yvette Hosler (uncredited), Robert Howell (uncredited), Anthony John (uncredited), Michael Peake (uncredited), Anthony Richmond (uncredited), Leonard Sharp (uncredited), Robert Brooks Turner (uncredited and The Blake Twins (uncredited)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Producers: Frank Bevis and Hal E. Chester
Screenplay: Charles Bennett, Hal E. Chester, Cy Endfield (uncredited) and Montague R. James (story "Casting the Runes")
Composer: Clifton Parker
Cinematography: Edward Scaife, B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Special Effects: Bryan Langley (uncredited), George Blackwell, Reg Johnson (uncredited) and Wally Veevers
Special Effects Photography: S.D. Onions, B.S.C,
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black-and-White)
Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1 and 1.66:1
Audio: English: 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English and English SDH
Running Time: 96 minutes and 95 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of Discs: 2
Studio: Columbia Pictures / Powerhouse Films
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [1957], or as it is known in America as ‘Curse of the Demon,’ is quite possibly one of the greatest British horror films ever made. Director Jacques Tourneur [‘Cat People’] is responsible for some of the finest horror films ever made and has crafted a near masterpiece in ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON.’ The viewer’s own imagination is relied upon a great deal in Jacques Tourneur’s films, the key element is not what you do see that’s frightening, and it is what you don’t see that sends chills down your spine. It’s the lost art of “less is more” style of filmmaking that really sets the tone for this film, and provides almost all of the chills. After all, a viewer’s own imagination can produce something infinitely more horrific than almost anything a filmmaker can put on screen.
I have loved ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ ever since I first watched it on a small black-and-white television a very long time ago, and yes, it may have been past my bedtime, so to have the thrill of staying up late to see it, meant I enjoyed it all the more. But ever since then, it’s been a firm favourite of mine. Looking back at it now with an adult eye, you can see that it’s a film that belongs on any decent foundation course in cinematic horror. Beautifully constructed and ingeniously fashioned by master film-craftsmen, it remains a haunting, chillingly plausible tale of witchcraft and the occult, and the conflict between rationality and superstition. But back when I was a young person, I was far more interested in the creepy demon of the title. That writhing, nasty-faced, woodcut-like creature and his arrival heralded by strange squealing strains, unsettling jangling noises, smoky footprints, and bizarre star-spangled puffs of smoke and captured my youthful imagination and I didn’t know it at the time, but the film was directed by a master of spooky, suspenseful, atmospheric cinema, the great Jacques Tourneur and I found out about him later on, as a fan of his genre film technique. Jacques Tourneur’s shadowy, moody films, which seemed to mix Gothic themes with “film noir” imagery, had that immediate appeal.
The film was adapted from Montague R. James’s short story “Casting the Runes” by Alfred Hitchcock collaborator Charles Bennett and it grips you from the very beginning. Dana Andrews, playing sceptical American psychologist Dr. John Holden, scoffs when he’s passed a cursed piece of parchment in the British Museum reading room by genial masterfully occultist Dr. Julian Karswell [Niall MacGinnis]. It means that he’s scheduled to die at the demon’s hand within four days. Dr. John Holden doesn’t believe it. And so Dr. John Holden is dragged ever further into a web of devilry, while perceptive Joanna Harrington [Peggy Cummins] races against time to convince him that it’s not all just flim-flam, a nonsensical or insincere talk and feel that is a confidence trick, but you can see why Dr. John Holden takes some convincing and Dr. Julian Karswell really is the possessor of strange evil powers.
In one exceptional splendid scene, set at the grand country house LUFFORD HALL in Warwickshire, merely to demonstrate his powers to the resolutely sceptical Dr. John Holden, Dr. Julian Karswell conjures up a whirlwind out of nowhere, and smiles smugly as terrified children whom he entertained, dressed as a clown, moments earlier and run screaming across the grounds of his stately pile. “A medieval witch’s speciality: a wind storm,” he gloats. He’s ruined their party. Shot in broad daylight, this eerie, darkly humorous scene demonstrates that good old Gothic horror film doesn’t need to take place at night, or even in a creepy castle; and that Jacques Tourneur is a master of mood, whatever the setting. And something tells me our old friend the director Alfred Hitchcock watched it very closely.
Despite the monster in the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ is a masterful chilling piece: where it chills viewers and intelligently slowly fills us all with an ominous sense of impending looming dread, with an inevitable disaster, leavened with darkness, and brings to mind a certain director Alfred Hitchcock. And what’s more, it makes witchcraft creepily contemporary, compared to Modern-day malevolence of this kind would be the centrepiece of numerous films that were released after this Gothic Horror film genre.
Director Jacques Tourneur was enraged when he found out that the producers had inserted shots of the demon at the beginning and ending scenes of the film, as the executives thought the audience needed to see a physical demon in order to make the Horror film much scarier, thus producing a bigger box office draw. Director Jacques Tourneur on the other hand wanted to leave everything up to the audience’s reaction. The inclusion of a physical demon, which was both a puppet and a man in a suit, in my opinion is still frightening enough to help this Gothic Horror film and I feel it works in every way towards the films favour. To this day, there is great debate over whether the inclusion of the Demon was a detriment to an otherwise gem of a film or if it helped to add an additional fear factor. There are many people who still today rage over this very topic at conventions and online. Some film fanatics agree the design of the onscreen Demon is surprisingly similar to old wood-carvings of a fire demon from ancient times and it adds authenticity to the film and so watch the film and let you decide it was a bonus to view the Devil?
Arguably, the real star of the picture is cinematographer Edward Scaife, B.S.C. who produces this brilliant atmospheric imagery and of course ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ would be nothing at all without his excellent technical lighting techniques. These transform even the benign luxury of Dr. Julian Karswell’s Lufford Hall into an eerie den of foreboding evil. Viewing the two alternate cuts of this cult Gothic Horror film side by side reveals how expert director Jacques Tourneur’s staging of the action is of course of the overall pace or narrative structure. ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ is a very remarkable film of its genre, with an exceptionally competent one with quite a few clever twists and turns peppered in for good measure. Again, director Jacques Tourneur had not wanted to show the audience the demon originally; but a decision was vetoed by producer, Hal E. Chester.
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Blu-ray Image Quality – This is a totally awesome beautiful master that has provided us with the brilliant and a wonderful 1080p Black-and-White transfer images, with two equally impressive 1.75:1 and 1.66:1 aspect ratios. The image is very stable and very precise, and respects the grain of the film. Detail is very important for a quality film of Jacques Tourneur, and the director is anxious to play with light and shadow; the contrasts are particularly very impressive, especially with deep blacks. The level of restoration is really good even a company as renowned as The Criterion Collection would be hard pressed to match it or even try to improve the image quality. The grain has been left intact with no artificial sharping or using the DNR [Digital Noise Reduction] tools. Simply put, the film has never looked so good. Both versions of ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ or ‘Curse of the Demon’ have undergone a considerable amount of restoration effort. The master restoration offers a breath-taking image presentation for both versions of the film. A great way to appreciate the scale of Edward Scaife aesthetic work on the light and reconnect with the fluidity particularly intriguing feature film. If some small traces persevere despite a careful restoration, contrasts them are perfectly cut, with powerful black and supported by an original grain perfectly rendered. So well done Columbia Pictures and Powerhouse Films for bringing us these ultimate image presentations.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – This brilliant Bu-ray disc has excellent audio experiences that are extremely very effective, playing on a lot of great surprises and fear with totally excellent audio clarity. A big effort was made to restore the sound atmosphere and dialogue, especially creating the sound quality of the film that was skilfully at recreating some totally brilliant distressing atmospheric moods and the results is that all of the audio tracks are first-rate and brilliantly complements the beautiful black-and-white imagery for this cult classic cult Horror film work thriller. The film is mostly driven by the visuals and aesthetics for creating suspense, but character interaction and conversations are, of course, important for establishing an emotional depth. Dialogue reproduction is excellent, providing clear, intelligible tonal inflections emitted by the actors. The spectacular audio presentation also delivers a surprisingly wide dynamic range with superb clarity detail and acoustics. Subtle atmospheric effects can be clearly heard throughout the film's runtime to give the audio mix an appreciable sense of space, ambience and presence. So all in all the ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ film will satisfy all fans of this cult Horror film, so top marks goes to Columbia Pictures and Powerhouse Films for their brilliant effort to really show off this wonderful spooky British film.
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Blu-ray Disc No.1
‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [1957] [1080p] [1.66:1] [96:00] [Original UK full-length pre-release version]
‘Curse of the Demon’ [1957] [1080p] [1.66:1] [95:00] [US Version]
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Audio Commentary with Tony Earnshaw [Audio only] [2018] [1080p] [1.60:1] [95:04] With this featurette, we get to hear this audio commentary with Film Historian Tony Earnshaw, author of the 2005 novel “Beating the Devil: The Making of NIGHT OF THE DEMON,” and mentions that the film starts at the ancient stones of Stonehenge, and the opening narrations is provided the Irish actor Shay Gorman and in this British version of NIGHT OF THE DEMON,’ which runs slightly longer than the American version and the film has been described as the ‘Casablanca’ of horror films, and what initially seems like a routine project, managed to catch many a brilliant and skilled people at the time and place to work on the film, especially in their celebrated careers, who managed to create the ultimate and supreme classic of its genre. Tony Earnshaw comments that there was this highly versatile director, equally adept at westerns and thrillers, and especially making horror films, and of course that was Jacques Tourneur who wasn’t dealing with some sympathetic people and they were producers Frank Bevis and Hal E. Chester, because they informed the director that Val Luton said that children expect a monster to appear at the start of the film, as they would get bored waiting far too long like the monster appears in the actual film, and Jacques Tourneur stood his ground in the way he would direct the film. Here at the start of the film the first character is Henry Harrington played by the actor Maurice Denham coming to the mansion owned by Professor Julian Carswell played by Niall MacGinnis and the house is Lufford Hall, which is actually Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire on the rural side of Welwyn Garden City. The hall is Grade I listed due to its age and design, being built in the mid-1700’s on a site that has housed large properties since the 1200’s and is a 18th century house in its own extensive grounds and is now used as a conference centre. But what we actually get to see in the film of the inside of the house is an actually set built in the studio, and production design for the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ and was done by Ken Adam who later went onto to do designs for the Bond movies like ‘Goldfinger’ and also for the film ‘Dr. Strangelove’ for Stanley Kubrick and Ken Adam informed Tony Earnshaw for his book. By the way, there is a whole back story related to the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ I wanted in this featurette, but the limited space I am allowed, sadly I cannot do it for this audio commentary. Now the special effects team that worked on the ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ did so when the film was going to be entitled ‘The Haunted,’ which was the title of the film when it went into production on the 19th November, 1956, and coincidently on the same day as the Hammer Film Productions for the film ‘Curse of Frankenstein.’ Director Jacques Tourneur always claimed that the demon had been inserted into the film after he had finished his work on the film and against his wishes and he felt it had cheapened the film and the actor Dana Andrews did not get on with Hal E. Chester at all. Tony Earnshaw then goes into the history background project of the film, and the film began in 1954 when the film secured the rights by Charles Bennett with Montague R. James novel “Casting the Runes” and wrote a script entitled “The Bewitched” on spec, which was then picked up by independent producer Russell Hellman, who wanted to get an “A” certificate from the B.B.F.C. so to make the film to be seen by teenage audiences, but of course due to circumstances the film ended up with an “X” certificate. There was talk of getting Orson Wells to play the character Professor Julian Karswell, but of course as usual this never happen. The British Museum we see John Holden [Dana Andrews] entering is of course the famous iconic building in London and it is the building Tony Earnshaw wanted to use its vast library to write his 2005 novel “Beating the Devil: The Making of NIGHT OF THE DEMON,” and you do see Dana Andrews walking into the massive reading room the Kings Library and we are informed that they hold some very dangerous books, but is a persistent legend. Tony Earnshaw now talks about the brilliant Edward Scaife, B.S.C. (Director of Photography) who had a very long and distinct career and was born in 1912 and worked his way up the ranks of different departments in the film industry. Tony Earnshaw feels the actress Peggy Cummins as Joan Harrington tends to be overlooked in the film, but instead has a huge part in the film, which of course the film is mainly dominated by male actors, but Tony Earnshaw feels only Peggy Cummins and Rosamund Greenwood who plays the character Mrs. Meek equally stands out in the film. When John Holden and Joanna Harrington turn up for the spooky séance with Mr, Meek played Reginald Beckwith and we are pointed out that Joanna Harrington’s number plate on her car, has the numbers 666. Director Jacques Tourneur was always interested in the occult and spent many years in his boyhood running around all empty properties in the Los Angeles area, which had the reputation of being haunted and said he was not scared, but always very careful and he always took a friend and a very big Alsatian dog. As we get near to the end of the film, Tony Earnshaw sums up the film and says in terms of the films critical reception, it didn’t really have one, and there was almost no publicity towards the film, the Monthly Film Bulletin commented, “Director Jacques Tourneur film was above average” and describes the end sequence of the film, “It is a project of a child’s nightmare, rather than an adults imagination” and Tony Earnshaw says that is about accurate and perhaps an in verdant compliment and that is why the film endures for modern audiences today. But before the audio commentary ends, Tony Earnshaw says, as to the film itself, it was released in the UK as the full version and the USA version of the film was a much more edited version. With the films UK release, it was as a double bill the Ray Harryhauson release ’20 Million Miles From Earth’ and unfortunately did not do so well financially, but in the USA it was released as ‘Curse of the Demon’ and did seem to do much better with an American audiences. But to sum up, despite the poor reaction to the film in the UK, it is still a brilliant unique iconic horror film that has stood the test of time and for me personally, it is one of my all-time favourite iconic British horror film, as there is nothing like it and is also one of the best created film, with the collaboration of a brilliant professional team that truly created something truly sensational, extremely menacing and very spooky. So all of a sudden Tony Earnshaw informs us that he has been your host for this audio commentary and says it has been a privilege to provide this audio commentary on a film that remains one of his all-time favourites and would like to dedicate the film to the actress Peggy Cummins and thanks you for listening.
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Blu-ray Disc No.2
‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [1957] [1080p] [1.66:1] [82:00] [Original UK Theatrical Cut]
‘Curse of the Demon’ [1957] [1080p] [1.66:1] [81:00] [Original US Theatrical Cut]
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Speak of the Devil: The Making of ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [2007] [1080i] [1.78:1] [20:04] With this featurette, we get to view a documentary and it features Peggy Cummins and Production Designer Ken Adams. First up to talk about the making of the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ is Jonathan Rigby [Author of “English Gothic”] and talks about the original gothic story “Casting the Runes” by Author Montague R. James, which was one of his Christmas themed stories, which he told to his undergraduates in his study on the actual Christmas day, but in the evening and his story appeared in published form in 1911 and his second anthology was entitled “More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary” in 1911 and remains one of the most powerful tales. On top of all that, the screenplay for the film was of course written by Charles Bennett who did the scripts for director Alfred Hitchcock way back in the 1930’s and at the time was involved with a couple of borderline horror films entitled ‘The Secret of the Lock’ and was 1934 British film about the Loch Ness Monster and it was the first film made about the monster and Charles Bennett said the film was based on his original idea, and later admitted it was "terrible... but amusing” and was also involved with the 1935 film ‘The Clairvoyant’ (US title: ‘The Evil Mind’). On top of all that, Charles Bennett was involved with adapting the 1911 novel “Casting the Runes” and the main changes Charles Bennett made was in updating it for a modern cinema audiences, and to get financing for the film, they of course had to have an American actor as the protagonist, and in that period they frequently had an America actor for other British films, so to be able to show the film to American audiences. As for Hal E. Chester the producer, must of known his movies, as that is why he had Jacques Tourneur to direct the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ and that was because the director in the 1940’s had worked for the now venerated RKO Pictures producer Val Luton and especially a few remarkable films that was not the usual genre horror films at that period in time. Next up is Tony Earnshaw [Author of “Beating the Devil”] and says that Jacques Tourneur believed in the story and he wanted in the film supernatural elements, ghosts, witches and he knew someone he could rely on, and an American actor who was virile, strong and middle aged and an actor who could play the part and of course he knew the actor Dana Andrews and Jacques Tourneur telephoned the actor in America and said that he had a film he was directed and wanted him to appear in the film that would be so ideal for him and asked Dana Andrews that he was keen to have in the film and while waiting for his reply, Jacques Tourneur went out scouting for locations. Next up is actress Peggy Cummins who played the character Joanna Harrington and was very keen to be in the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON,’ despite it was not really a good part for a female actress, but also said that she had a great respect for Dana Andrews, and found it quite an interesting and enjoyable film and also really liked working with the director Jacques Tourneur who Peggy Cummins thought he was really good. We find out that the actor Dann Andrews did like his booze too much and when he arrived at the UK airport, while exiting the plane, fell down the stairs and so of course was not a very good entrance into the UK. Peggy Cummins was astounded how quick Dana Andrews was able to learn a couple of pages of the script overnight, and he was always on time on the set. Next up is Sir. Ken Adams [Production Designer] and talks about working on the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ and had several problems on how to show the demon, and wanted the audience not to see the monster too early on in the film, just the footprint of the demon, and fought for that concept, and Hal E. Chester wanted the monster to be seen early on in the film, as he felt it would cheat the audiences, so went and did a design of the demon to look like evil prince, but cannot remember how he came up with the design. Sir. Ken Adam found the actor Niall MacGinnis a really good professional actor and also thought the other actors were really special. We also get to hear from others who also praised the actor Niall MacGinnis who of course was Professor Julian Carswell and especially in the scene in the film where he is the children’s entertainer Dr. Bobo The Magnificent who was a sort of Black Magic magician and you believe he is a real person and also quite scary the power can release. It is also commented that ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ has so many set pieces and also the whole film has also lots of outstanding scenes, that is why it holds your attention a great deal, although there are some light comedy moments with the séance session. But one of the people interviewed thinks the sentinel fireball coming towards Dana Andrews is another outstanding scene. Another good scene in the film is the hospital patient being brought out of a catatonic state and Dana Andrews awakens that patient to reveal the horror witnessed in seeing the demon and the patient thinks Dana Andrews had put a hex on him. All the people in this featurette talk about whether the demon should not have been seen and it ends up with 50% yes and 50% no and they also feel you should decide whether the demon should have been shown or not being revealed, but the ones who were in favour of seeing the demon feel the people involved with the film made the right choice, especially the special effects of seeing the demon was done totally brilliantly for a 1950’s film. So all in all, this featurette is totally fascinating and especially hearing everyone’s comments on the brilliant horror film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON.’ This was a Flashpoint Media production.
Special Feature: Cloven in Two [Audio only] [2018] [1080p] [1.66:1] [22:39] With this featurette, we get to view a new video piece exploring the different versions of the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ and was first viewed to be approved by the British Board of Film Classification [A Non-governmental Organisation founded by the British Film industry in 1912] on the 17th June, 1957 and that version at the time ran near on 96 minutes and there was a certain dialogue with the actor Brian Wilde they felt was not suitable for the viewing public, where he says, “Blasphemy and desecrate and in the joy of sin for mankind that will at last find itself,” and the B. B F. C. had a great deal of input during the screenplay process and had already eliminated or turned down elements that was problematic and insisted they remove any explicit references to Satanism was first on their list. The sexual implication of Rand Hobart description of the cult was an edge too far. The unique element held by the British Film Institute presents the just over the 96 minutes version with the requested cut applied, this seem to suggest that the film producers were willing to go ahead with a nearly intact 96 minute version that was released, but by the time of its British official release in the UK cinemas, several months later, it was approximately 14 minutes shorter, so what seems likely, is that substantial further shortening was required to get the film into a planned double billed screenings, and double billed screenings were the most financially the best way of screening genre films and even before the cameras rolled, producer Hal E. Chester and Frank Bevis had asked the B. B. F. C. on how the “X” certificate they were expecting, would impact the film if it was paired with another film. The B. B. F. C. secretary Arthur Watkins to Sabre Films said on the 17th September, 1956 “I must make it plain that a film based on this script would only be acceptable for the “X” certificate category, which would have the effect of excluding children under 16 years of age from viewing the whole of any programme in which it was shown.” Columbia Pictures double bill productions were mostly in the 70 to 80 minutes range, which included films like ‘The Night the World Exploded’ [1957], ‘Zombies of Mora Tau’ [1957] and ‘Escape from San Quentin’ [1957], so after the B. B. F. C. replied back, the film went to the editing room to trim the time length of ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ even more dramatic before being released six months later in December 1957 with the double of ‘20 Million Miles to Earth’[1957] which also ran for 83 minutes and the 83 minute cut of ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ represented at the time of its making, but was the final released version of the original films negative that it conformed yo. But what were the changes, well for the start of the films narration, which is totally different from the British UK release and especially the American release of ‘Curse of the Demon’ and Columbia Pictures film is slightly different, because ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ had slightly longer credits sequence, as is the cast listings, and the UK version of the film has the producer Frank Bevis shown. Then the commentator describing all the different cuts, then goes into great detail of the edits compared to the American version of the film, compared to the 96 minute UK version of the film, but in my own personal aspect of the different lengths of the different version of the film and what was edited out of the 86 minutes of the film, to be honest I could not care bloody less of this pompous persons opinions in describing the cuts to the American version of the film, and a totally pointless exercise in this particular featurette, which is far too long, and could have been done in a much shorter length of at least 15 minutes, because it is entirely up to the owner of this Blu-ray release to be able to choose which version they would prefer to watch, not some vacuous pompous idiot to dictate which version of the film is best to watch and this pompous idiot ought to get a life and this featurette should of ended on the cutting room floor. This was written, narrated and edited by Jon Robertson and should never have been allowed to do this featurette and Powerhouse Films should be thoroughly ashamed of allowing this featurette to be included on this Blu-ray release, I rest my case.
Special Feature: Appreciations: Here we get to view eight separate featurettes and they are as follows:
The Devil’s in the Detail: Christopher Frayling on ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [2018] [1080p] [1.78:1 / 1.66:1] [35:58] With this featurette Christopher Frayling discusses in-depth about the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ and compares it against the Montague R. James novel “Casting the Runes” compared to the horror film. We find out that Christopher Frayling has enthusiasm for the unloved movie – as in films not recognised for being more than they first appear – is at full throttle here. He speaks of production designer Ken Adam with great fondness and describes how ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ was a bridge from his designing ships of old to get to the worlds of James Bond and Director Stanley Kubrick. This is a very good featurette and edited and shot by Jon Robertson as are most of the extra featurettes. So well done Jon Robertson.
Horrors Unseen: Chris Fujiwara on Jacques Tourneur [2018] [1080p] [1.78:1 / 1.75:1] [27:06] With this featurette, we get to view an interview at the Edinburgh Film Festival with Chris Fujiwara, author of “Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall” novel and does an in-depth look at the life and times of the brilliant director Jacques Tourneur. We also get to view clips from the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ to illustrate Jacques Tourneur points of view on the film.
Sinister Signs: Kim Newman on ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [2018] [1080p] [1.75:1 / 1.78:1] [20:32] With this featurette, we get an in-depth analysis by Kim Newman, who is the author of “Nightmare Movies.” Kim Newman gives us his take on the context and the quality of this humble masterpiece. He states that the special effects (meaning the demon) stand up against the average Godzilla movie at the time. Kim Newman brings up a great point that while the script isn't quotable, it is, in context, beautifully written and also says that he prefers ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ to the other two classics of the era, ‘The Haunting’ and ‘The Innocents.’ All in all, Kim Newman gives a few original thoughts to the appreciation of the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON.’
Under the Spell: Ramsey Campbell on ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [2018] [1080p] [1.75:1 / 1.78:1] [18:21] With this featurette, we get to view a personal appreciation and enthusiasm and love for ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ by horror writer Ramsey Campbell and talks about getting “Casting The Runes” by M.R. James out of the local library (on his mother's card) and reminds us of a scene he says would be un-filmable –not sure about that. The hero reaches under his pillow and finds a mouth with teeth and surrounded by hair, not a human mouth... It's a real kick to hear about his youth and sneaking into cinemas. Near the end of the Ramsey Campbell interview, finished off by commentating with his observation "If you want to keep your kids quiet, hire a demon!"
The Devil Gets His Due: Scott MacQueen on ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ [2018] [1080p] [1.75:1 / 1.78:1] [22:51] With this featurette, Scott MacQueen details the history of the film’s release. This is an American perspective from Scott MacQueen and it's kind of endearing how mostly middle-aged men so fondly recall “Famous Monsters of Filmland,” a magazine cited by most US genre directors as an influence. Scott MacQueen describes how his enthusiasm led to the discovery of the longer version and Hal E. Chester the producer comes in for some veiled criticism. Scott MacQueen compares the difference in character Dr. Julian Karswell in the novel and the cinematic character Dr. Julian Karswell version so memorably played by Niall MacGinnis.
The Truth of Alchemy: Roger Clarke on “Casting the Runes” [2018] [1080p] [1.78:1 / 1.75:1] [22:45] With this featurette, we get an in-depth discussion of M. R. James and “Casting the Runes” by author Roger Clarke. Here you get know all you want to know about ghost story writer M.R. James and his rivalry with Oscar Browning (the suggested basis of Satanist Dr. Julian Karswell). Roger Clarke knows his stuff and reminds us that the lazy assumption that Dr. Julian Karswell is based on noted occultist Aleister Crowley doesn't hold water because of timing. Class, sexuality and academic achievement all point to Browning being the inspiration for Dr. Julian Karswell.
The Devil in Music: David Huckvale on Clifton Parker [2018] [1080p] [1.75:1 / 1.78:1] [10:53] With this featurette, David Huckvale takes an in-depth look at composer Clifton Parker. According to David Huckvale, Clifton Parker scored 50 movies, and yet he remains uncelebrated. I have so much respect for composers who are able to sit at a piano and dissect a score. David Huckvale knows his stuff and is able to give a tremendous breakdown of Clifton Parker's work. It's funny to hear David Huckvale talk about what was musically forbidden in the past, and the idea of certain composed film scores were being forbidden is fascinating to me.
A Note of Fear: Scott MacQueen on the score [2018] [1080p] [1.75:1 / 1.78:1] [9:58] With this featurette, Scott MacQueen discusses aspects of the film’s composed music score. This featurette is very similar in context to the previous one. This is another examination of Clifton Parker's score for the film. With simple piano examples of the main themes, Scott McQueen explains the perceived origins of the so-called “folk” Irish music that rattles around Dana Andrews’ head.
Special Feature: Archival Material: Here we get to view four separate featurettes and they are as follows:
Special Feature: Hal E. Chester at the 7th Festival of Fantastic Films [1996] [480i] [1.37:1] [51:04] With this featurette, we get to view a rare archival video interview with the producer Hal E. Chester. This is the man responsible for the inclusion of the demon against his director's wishes and by all accounts his production penny-pinching would shame Ebenezer. Shot on what looks like NTSC VHS at the 1996 7th Festival of Fantastic Films in Manchester, Hal E. Chester has to put up with what sounds like another event going on behind him. Hal E. Chester gives the impression that money is clearly very important to Mr. Chester as he mentions it a lot and his storytelling could do with some fine-tuning. There's a great story about Dana Andrew's sober promise and subsequent drunken behaviour. Apparently the first thing he did on landing in the UK, dead drunk, was to fall down the stairs at the airport. It's also a nice titbit that drunken Dana Andrews got the film's last line wrong but both Hal E. Chester and Jacques Tourneur just shrugged and left it as it was. Dana Andrews died at 83 so there's some hope for us yet.
Dana Andrews Interview on 'NIGHT OF THE DEMON' [Audio only] [1972] [1080p] [1.78:1] [9:28] With this featurette, we get to hear a rare audio interview with the actor Dana Andrews and his wife Mary Todd and was conducted by film historian and preservationist Scott MacQueen on the 28th August, 1972 backstage at The Candlewood Theater in New Fairfield, Connecticut, where in this excerpt, Dana Andrews discusses his memories of working on the film 'NIGHT OF THE DEMON.' Unfortunately, the sound is very bad, as you have to crank up the sound to hear what they are talking about. Despite this, the candid conversation will be fascinating for fans.
“Casting the Runes” by M. R. James read by Michael Horden [Audio only] [1984] [1080p] [1.78:1] [52:54] With this featurette, we get to hear a rare audio recording of Michael Hordern reading M. R. James’s original story “More Ghost Stories” that was published in 1984 on Argo Spoken Word. After hearing the story, I could see how the original may have really appealed to Jacques Tourneur, a director more in love with the suggestion of the shadows rather than the nuts and bolts physicality of your actual demons and cat creatures. The only negative aspect of this featurette is that the whole of the audio presentation is a complete blank screen.
Special Feature: Escape: “Casting the Runes” [Audio only] [1947] [1080p] [1.78:1] [29:35] With this featurette, we get to hear another rare radio adaptation of the story of the Mr. R. James original novel “Casting the Runes” and was originally broadcast on the 18th November, 1947 with the CBS Columbia Broadcasting System. The acting is solid if a tad on the overly dramatic; the music and sound effects are extremely effective except for the running footsteps of a frightened man, an effect that sounds like someone with a thimble on two fingers being tapped on a wooden tray. But it's fun, all the same. The only negative aspect of this featurette is that the whole of the audio presentation is a complete blank screen.
Isolated Music and Effects Track [Audio only] [1967] [1080p] [1.75:1] [81:43] With this featurette, and if you are a fan of this type of featurette, then you get to hear the wonderful composed film score by Clifton Parker that was conducted by Muir Mathieson and also amazing is the sound effects that was produced by Charles Crafford. The film you are viewing is the American release of ‘Curse Of The Demon.’ By the way, I guess if you want the whole thing with effects, then this is it, in all its late fifties’ recorded and restored audio glory.
Special Feature: 'NIGHT OF THE DEMON' Super 8 version [1957] [480i] [1.37:1] [6:48] With this featurette, we get to view a rare original cut-down home cinema presentation. In the days before home video formats, you get to watch cut-down versions of popular films were produced for audiences to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes. The following Super 8 presentation is of the US film release ‘Curse of the Demon’ and is completely silent. Unfortunately, the quality of the video presentation is absolutely atrocious.
Theatrical Trailer [1957] [489i] [1.37:1] [2:19] With this featurette, we get to view the Original Theatrical Trailer for the Curse of the Demon' US film. An obviously abandoned early effects shot of the demon looking more bat-like shows its scary head but so too are shots from scenes cut from the US film release. So this one is sure a curiosity, for sure.
Special Feature: Image Gallery: With this featurette, we get to view 65 on-set and promotional photography, including rare production design sketches from the Deutsche Kinemathek's Ken Adam Archive 1080p images relating to the film ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON.
BONUS: Beautiful Limited Edition exclusive double-sided poster and an exclusive 80 page book containing a new 2018 essay by Kat Ellinger, entitled “Sliding Down the Snakes: NIGHT OF THE DEMON” and the Charismatic Magus. M. R. James on ghost stories. ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ . . . by those who made it. 2018 essay by Bethan Roberts, entitled Margaret Murray. ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ and the British Board of Film Censors. ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ – Unravelling the different versions. 2018 essay by Bethan Roberts, entitled “Delineating the Demon.” 1995 essay by Charles Bennett, entitled The Bewitched: The original ending of NIGHT OF THE DEVIL. Promoting the Demon. V. F. Perkins on ‘NIGHT AND THE DEMON.’ On top of all that, we get extensive writing on the film and its history, archival materials, film credits, and wonderful black-and-white images.
Finally, ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ was not sadly the instant classic box office success when the film was originally released in the cinema in 1957, compared to what the film has now become, a massive cult classic film and I am definitely its number one massive cult fan, which is certainly well deserved, and especially now with the release via this brilliant Blu-ray remastered release. The film did not do as good as producers had hoped, but over the years it has garnered quite a fan base across the world and has achieved almost legendary status. This is a film that anyone that calls themselves a horror fan has to see at least once, it is imaginative, smart, and downright scary. If you are a fan of this 1957 classic British horror genre, this Limited Edition box edition set is a must buy and well worth every penny. This Blu-ray release excels in every department and totally long overdue, especially for the North American cult fans, knowing that you will be glad to know the Blu-ray is an All Regions, so you do not need a multi-region Blu-ray player to watch this very spooky wonderful film. ‘NIGHT OF THE DEMON’ gets my highest praise ever. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
