The Devil Rides Out (film)

Infobox Film | name =The Devil Rides Out


caption = film poster by Tom Chantrell
director = Terence Fisher
producer = Anthony Nelson Keys
writer = Dennis Wheatley (novel)
Richard Matheson
starring =Christopher Lee
Charles Gray
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = EMI Films (UK)
20th Century Fox (USA)
released = July 20, 1968 UK release
runtime = 95 min
language = English
budget =
imdb_id = 0062885

"The Devil Rides Out" is a 1968 film based on the novel "The Devil Rides Out" by Dennis Wheatley. The film was made by Hammer Film Productions.

Plot

Set in 1930s London and the south of England, Duc de Richleau and Rex van Ryn rescue their friend Simon Aron and another young initiate, Tanith, from a devil worshipping cult. During the rescue they disrupt a ceremony on Salisbury Plain in which Satan himself appears. They escape to the home of the Eatons, friends of Richleau and van Ryn, and are followed by the group's leader, Mocata, who has a psychic connection to the two initiates. After visiting the house to discuss the matter and an unsuccessful attempt to influence the initiates to return, Mocata forces Richleau and the other occupants to defend themselves through a night of black magic attacks. Their successful defence ultimately results in Mocata himself paying the price of loss of life and eternal damnation of his soul for having wrongly summoned The Angel of Death.

Cast

*Duc de Richleau - Christopher Lee
*Mocata - Charles Gray
*Tanith Carlisle - Nike Arrighi
*Rex van Ryn - Leon Greene
*Simon Aron - Patrick Mower
*Marie Eaton - Sarah Lawson
*Richard Eaton - Paul Eddington
*Countess - Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies
*Peggy Eaton - Rosalyn Landor
*Malin - Russell Waters

Background

First proposed in 1963, the film eventually went ahead four years later once censorship worries over Satanism had eased. Production began on 7 August, 1967 and the film starred Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Patrick Mower and Paul Eddington. The screenplay was adapted by Richard Matheson from Wheatley's novel. In the United States the film was retitled "The Devil's Bride". Christopher Lee has often stated that of all his vast back catalogue of films this is his favourite and the one he would like to see remade with modern special effects and with him playing a mature Duc de Richleau. [cite web|title= Cult Movies: The Devil Rides Out|publisher= Cult Movies|date= 2001-10-04|url= http://www.eccentric-cinema.com/cult_movies/devil_rides.htm|accessdate = 2007-10-22]

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0062885|title=The Devil Rides Out
* [http://www.britmovie.co.uk/features/shimon/devil_rides_out.html The Devil Rides Out review] on BritMovie.co.uk