Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Starring: 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
Review: When psychologist John Holden (Dana Andrews) arrives in London for a parapsychology conference, he discovers that a colleague, Professor Harrington (Maurice Denham), has been murdered under mysterious circumstances. Holden soon finds himself investigating the supernatural beliefs and practices of the enigmatic Julian Karswell (Niall MacGinnis). Is he the one responsible for the professor's death or was it the work of the devil? Was it fate? Was it an accident? Or was it the Curse of the Demon?
Curse of the Demon was a movie that I have been trying to track down since I was a kid after seeing a picture of the "Demon" mentioned in the title in a movie monster book that my grandma had. It looked imposing, ferocious, and scary as hell! Recently, I saw Curse of the Demon for the very first time on TCM and it has become one of my favorite movies! This is a smart, creepy, and mesmerizing horror movie that is a true cult classic, but should certainly get more recognition as a thrilling horror masterpiece. I was so surprised and entertained during its runtime that as soon as I finished it I immediately watched it again!
What begins with a frightened professor pleading with the sinister Julian Karswell quickly ends with a monstrous demon appearing in the distance and working its way towards its prey. The professor crashes his car into a power-line and is electrocuted. The death appears to be a freak accident, but could there be more going on than meets the eye? Soon our protagonist John Holden (Dana Andrews) and the professor's daughter Joanna (Peggy Cummins) arrive and begin to investigate the circumstances of this unusual death.
The movie becomes an engrossing mystery with many twists and turns, but what is great about it is that it makes you wonder: Is the demon real? or is it just a figment of the imagination of our characters? It plays this very close to the vest make this more of a puzzle to solve and it's very clever at that! With your lead character as a full-on skeptic and your antagonist as a true believer in the occult and demonology, Curse of the Demon becomes a battle of what is reality and superstitious nonsense. I won't ruin which one comes out on top. You really have to watch to find out.
The other thing I like is that this is a moody, spooky, haunting movie that makes the audience question what's happening, what they're seeing, and what they've been told. You really have to pay attention and follow along because once you are completely into the story the scares are scarier than you can possibly imagine. And as soon as you see the demon appear... it's too late to turn back!
Dana Andrews is perfectly cast as the pragmatist who's not buying anything that looks, smells, or sounds supernatural. Peggy Cummins is also great as a devastated daughter trying to find answers to her father's untimely death. But the real ace in the hole is Niall MacGinnis as the creepily charismatic Julian Karswell. He makes this movie work. He's smart, confident, and seems to be in complete control of this devilish drama. You completely buy into his character and that the realm of spells, witchcraft, demons, and all things occult are as real as ground underneath our feet. His performance even overshadows that of the demon - and that's saying something!
There are plenty of spooky scenes, shocking scares, and bone-chilling revelations that you'll have the hair on the back of your neck standing on end for weeks after watching! Curse of the Demon is a must see for all horror fans. Plus, if you get the opportunity there's also the British version available for viewing under the title: Night of the Demon. It's approximately 12 minutes longer, it rearranges a few scenes, and it's definitely worth a watch. Both versions are amazingly entertaining and worth seeking out. I've seen both and enjoyed them immensely.
So if you have a strong will and don't believe in silly superstitious hocus pocus, then get ready to experience a horror movie like none other and see if you can survive the Curse of the Demon.