User Reviews

The Devil Rides Out is a British horror film which is based upon the 1934 novel of the same name by Dennis Wheatley. The film is directed by Hammer regular Terence Fisher. This film offered horror legend Christopher Lee a rare chance to play the hero on screen.

Whether or not you believe in the supernatural, I think that it simply cannot be denied that the Devil and Satanism are two things guaranteed to chill the blood of any sane person.

This film taps into the fear, the horror, and the revulsion that both of these things make people feel. I consider The Devil Rides Out to be one of the best horror films to ever come out of Hammer Studios.

Unlike many of Hammer's other films, this one doesn't rely on blood and shocks to be scary; instead this film is much more intent on slowly building up the tension and is much more concerned with making you feel unsettled. This film is also one guaranteed to make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

I love the film for how creepy it is. There are many scary moments throughout the film, with the unforgettable protective circle sequence being a real standout. The sequence where the cult call up the Devil himself is also very frightening and quite unnerving to watch.

I also love the film for Christopher Lee's superb performance as the badass and energetic, Duc de Richleau. Christopher's role in this has become my favourite from amongst all his great work. His character is someone who really screams out for a sequel or film series, just like a certain Professor Quatermass received from the Hammer studio. Christopher totally makes you believe that the Duc knows all about good and evil, and that he is also able to understand, challenge, fight and defeat evil.

The role of the Duc was also one of Christopher Lee's personal favourites from amongst his films. I don't know about anyone else, but I for one would have loved to have seen the Duc and his friends fight the forces of evil again in future films or a TV series.

Christopher is an intense presence throughout the film and he makes you (and the Duc's companions in the film)feel safe and secure when the Duc is on screen.

The Duc is so cool and a real hero throughout the film. Whether he is standing up to evil and fighting it with the powers of good, or whether he is punching bad guys whenever they get in his way, one thing is for sure, the Duc knows how to handle himself and he will do whatever it takes to protect his friends and family.

The film opens in England in 1929. The suave Duc de Richleau (Christopher Lee) is very concerned about his young friend, Simon Aron (Patrick Mower). Simon has fallen in with a bad crowd and he has been persuaded by the sinister Mocata (Charles Gray) to join a Satanic cult.

With the help of his other friend, Rex (Leon Greene), the Duc races against time to save Simon. Soon this trio are being pursued by the forces of darkness.

The three friends must also fight to save the soul of the fragile Tanith (Nike Arrighi), a young woman who is also about to lose her soul to the Devil because of Mocata's influence over her.

The cast are all solid with Christopher Lee delivering the standout performance. Christopher, Patrick Mowe and Leon Greene all make you believe and feel the bond of friendship that exists between their three characters(they fought in WW1 together and have been friends ever since, and the Duc has been a father figure to Simon ever since their time fighting in the war.)

Leon does a good job of conveying his characters growing belief and acceptance of the otherworldly forces he keeps encountering. Patrick does a good job of making Simon likeable and showing his struggle against the evil he is being forced into being a part of.

Charles Gray is downright scary as the main villain of the film. Gray plays a Devil worshipper and Satanic cult leader who can bend people to his will. This man is not someone to let your guard down around.

Nike Arrighi is an actress who I was unfamiliar with before seeing her performance here. I think that she does a fantastic job of portraying the fragile and easily manipulated Tanith. This character is very vulnerable and she makes you feel quite protective towards her.

Paul Eddington and Sarah Lawson provide solid support as the Duc's niece and her husband respectively. They are two ordinary people who get caught up in utter horror. My only issue with the casting of Sarah Lawson is that she looks a bit old to be playing Christopher Lee's niece. the devil rides out

Part of the unforgettable protective circle sequence. Image source IMDb.

My favourite scenes are the following. The Duc and Rex discovering the truth about the telescope room. The Duc hypnotising Simon to wean him off the influence of Mocata. Rex chasing Tannith, only to have his windscreen become mysteriously obscured. The protective circle sequence.

A creepy film filled with many memorable moments. Who can forget the Angel of Death riding through the house? Or seeing the Devil called up in the woods? This is perfect Halloween viewing. Just don't watch it alone! Any other fans of this film? I highly recommend this film if you've never seen it.

When the Duc de Richleau discovers that a young friend of his has become caught up in Devil worship, he reveals that he has been studying the subject for years, and so he knows just what to do, because he has it all memorized. Now, in a movie involving the supernatural, it is important that there be a small number of rules, and that the audience learn early on what those rules are (e.g., in the traditional vampire movie, we know that a vampire must avoid exposure to the sun, cannot see himself in the mirror, cannot stand the sight of the cross, and can be killed by driving a wooden stake through his heart). Then the audience can be engaged in what is going on. But in this movie, there must be fifty-seven varieties of rules, rituals, and incantations you have never heard of, which we learn about only when Richleau pulls them out of his hat. As a result, there is no suspense, for we are reduced to waiting to find out about the next new rule.

A fantastic Hammer Horror film, a full-blooded Gothic masterpiece in the vein of their '50s triumphs like Dracula and THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, which recalls favourably the similar black magic shenanigans of the black and white classic NIGHT OF THE DEMON. In many ways this is the "last" of the old-fashioned stately Hammer films we know and love; the last time the producers had a budget to really do justice to the material, and the last time when the production values were high enough to ensure that every element in the film was hugely successful. Indeed, with a fantastic cast, a veteran director in Terence Fisher (arguably Hammer's finest when he got things right), some fine special effects and an excellent screenplay from the reliable Richard Matheson, there is little to complain about with this movie, which offers everything a fan of old-fashioned horror could wish for.

The fast-moving storyline is awash with action, whether it be car chases, physical fights or more importantly, magic battles. The central characters are placed in constant danger right from the beginning and there is no letting up until the very end. Luckily the suspense and tension is sustained throughout meaning that you'll never find yourself looking at the clock. And indeed who would want to, when the film offers such delights as Christopher Lee protecting his companions against the Angel of Death (a winged skeleton on a horse) or fighting against a gigantic tarantula. The music is splendidly bombastic in the best Hammer tradition, helping to expand every dramatic moment into epic proportions. The special effects are sometimes a little wobbly but largely effective, relying primarily on simplicity for their charm (clouds of eerie smoke, fog rolling in, some straightforward back projection). One of the best moments in the film for me is the arrival of the grinning embodiment of evil that sends a shudder down my spine every time – the later appearance of the Devil is a disappointment in comparison.

Christopher Lee is on top form and given a chance to shine in one of his rare roles as a good guy. Unfortunately the rest of the cast can't reach him but at least they make valiant attempts – there's Leon Greene (A CHALLENGE FOR ROBIN HOOD) as the strong but rather stupid friend Rex – forever getting himself into trouble – and a young, sweaty Patrick Mower as Simon, the boy in danger. Nikki Arrighi makes for an almost ethereal damsel in distress whilst Paul Eddington is excellent as a straight man unable to believe in what he sees. But acting awards go to Charles Gray (THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW), shining as the charismatic figure of evil, who is able to charm and hypnotise anybody with a mere stare. One of the best Hammer villains of all time. I don't really have much else to say about this great film, other than that if you like old-fashioned horrors, Hammer and otherwise, then it truly is unmissable entertainment and a creepy, evil classic of the genre.

Through my excursions through the horror underground, I've heard many a praise of this movie, so I was excited to finally get a chance to see it. Perhaps all those years of praise had heightened my expectations just a bit too much because I found the film to be enjoyable, though far from classic.

The movie differs quite a bit from Hammer's most famous output. There are no Gothic castles or spooky cobwebs, no classic monsters or great creature effects. Instead, the story takes place at the end of the 1920s and involves a black magic cult and plenty of somewhat informed mystic mumbo jumbo (the sort where the writer throws in a bunch of occult terms and Latin phrases and assumes the viewer doesn't know any better anyways). It is directed by Terence Fisher, who created most of Hammer's most famous works and is, sadly, never given the credit he is due as one of the foremost horror directors of all time.

The story revolves around a reunion of 3 friends, one of whom is Christopher Lee in a rare "good guy" role, as Duc. However, the youngest of their trio, Simon, is missing, so our two heroes, Duc and Rex, go in search of the young man. They interrupt a coven of occultists planning something evil for the evening and kidnap Simon to save him from the group, incurring the wrath of Charles Gray as Mocata, the cult leader and maybe the best role in the film. Naturally, Mocata is not going away without a fight and we the rest of the film unfolds as a battle between Duc and Mocata for the souls of Simon and a young lady, Tanith whom they try to save from the cult.

There are some really good scenes in the movie, which are memorable indeed. The initial rescue of Tanith sees Duc and Rex disrupt a satanic baptism complete with reveling worshippers and one of the coolest devil's ever put on screen (surely inspired by the Church of Satan's images of Baphomet). I found myself reminded a great deal of the Tom Hanks comedy DRAGNET in this scene. After refusing to give up Simon and Tanith to Mocata, he summons the forces of evil against our heroes, leading to a tense scene as they hide inside a Circle of Protection while being assaulted by a giant spider and the Angel of Death. The finale of the film is also a good scene where the forces of good finally show up to assist our group of heroes against Mocata.

There is a lot that's really dry here, too. Though Lee and Gray are both excellent, most of the other actors are just role players stumbling their way through the lines. We get one of those silly love angles where two characters fall madly in love after knowing each other for all of about 12 hours, but it becomes an important device for the finale. I could have done with some more shadows and torchlight and something closer to an ominous setting. Instead most of the occult scenes involve a lot of hypnotism, hand wiggling and kitchen sink occult gibberish.

All in all, I found it worth the watch if only to see a stellar performance by Christopher Lee and a movie that deviated quite a bit from the norm for Hammer Studios.

To be honest, I find devil worshipping boring. It usually involves a bunch of stuffed shirts standing around chanting nonsense no spawn of Satan would give the time of day to. This well made but plodding adaptation of a long-winded Denis Wheatley novel (script by the great Richard Matheson) focuses on Christopher Lee's efforts to de-program two young worshippers. It's like a Hammer version of "Ticket To Heaven", a great film about the de-programming of Moonie-style cult members. There is a battle between good and evil, a goat-headed Devil, an exciting car chase with appalling rear-screen process work, and some strong thematic elements. Unfortunately, the devil worshipping aspects of the film are boring because -- you guessed it! -- stuffed shirts stand around chanting nonsense no spawn of Satan would give the time of day to. Lee is solid and Terence Fisher's direction is tight and controlled, but the film needed a lot more anarchy, and some strong sexuality would have served its purposes well also. I'm not the fan many people are of this stodgy drawing room devil drama, but I don't deny that it's a well-intended effort.