It is interesting to note when a film throws back successfully on expectations. For the most part, horror films have a built in advantage here. No one expects them to do anything approaching artistic. These assumptions were so obvious in the drive in mania of the 1950s where one cheap, guilty pleasure bad film after another came out of the depths. Occasionally a film from the genre surprised like the Quatermass trilogy and cold war allegories like 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' and 'Them'. No monster/scifi film from the 1950's was more distinctive and superior to Night of the Demon/Curse of the Demon.
This film in any form is certainly a top three horror film for the 1950s and comparable in quality to anything in genre history. The quality comes from its mystical atmosphere, evidenced in director Jacques Tournour's Val Lewton collaborations ('Cat People', 'I Walk With a Zombie'), combined with an extraordinary script that has the unexpected turns and disarming out of context humor of Hitchcock (the screenwriter contributed to Alfred's arsenal). But the distinction here comes from the threat of terror that is imbued throughout. Much has been made of the director's desire to leave out the final vision of the demon. Truthfully, it is better with it. I remember seeing this film first on the late night monster movie circuit of the 1960s and was terrified. As a film aficionado now I appreciate it in other ways, however, I am always drawn to the monster. It was truly the most horrifying image I can recall from the low tech era, standing on its own even today.
There is little doubt that this film belongs on any top 10 horror/suspense/monster film list. Since it works so well on all three it certainly fits the framework for being an overall top rated film, particularly for the 1950s.
This film in any form is certainly a top three horror film for the 1950s and comparable in quality to anything in genre history. The quality comes from its mystical atmosphere, evidenced in director Jacques Tournour's Val Lewton collaborations ('Cat People', 'I Walk With a Zombie'), combined with an extraordinary script that has the unexpected turns and disarming out of context humor of Hitchcock (the screenwriter contributed to Alfred's arsenal). But the distinction here comes from the threat of terror that is imbued throughout. Much has been made of the director's desire to leave out the final vision of the demon. Truthfully, it is better with it. I remember seeing this film first on the late night monster movie circuit of the 1960s and was terrified. As a film aficionado now I appreciate it in other ways, however, I am always drawn to the monster. It was truly the most horrifying image I can recall from the low tech era, standing on its own even today.
There is little doubt that this film belongs on any top 10 horror/suspense/monster film list. Since it works so well on all three it certainly fits the framework for being an overall top rated film, particularly for the 1950s.