31 More Days of Horror: Night of the Demon (1957)

Curse of the Demon and its better British counterpart, Night of the Demon is a classic bit of horror. It’s the story of a crazed cult leader/magician who curses a psychology professor—and the inspiration for this year’s Drag Me to Hell. Dr. Holden (Dana Andrews), gentleman scholar and man of science dismisses the whack job and continues the investigation of the magician’s cult. An unwarranted slip of parchment is the death knell.

Unlike most horror films, director Jacques Tourneur exposes the demon almost immediately. Given the period, the demon is remarkably well presented. The director then spends the remainder of his time advancing the darkness keeping our stoic protagonist and the viewers on edge as we investigate the supernatural. We’ve seen the demon and it is scary, but it’s the other creeping events that really thrill.

The B&W production plays head games with the viewers. Long dark corridors are filled with lurking shadows. The wind seems colder and the night is longer than ever before. Alongside intelligent dialogue and characterization, the series of eerie events culminate for a thrilling end. A malevolent score further cements the fright.

The cult leader and his crazy mom help in one of the tersest scenes. At the request of Dr. Holden, a séance is held. Calling back Dr. Holden’s dead colleague leads to a bone-chilling accusation. See the film for this sequence alone.

Beautifully atmospheric, Night of the Demon simply asks it’s viewers to discern reality from imagination. But with the tempest at hand, that task is easier said than done.