I absolutely adore how Christopher Lee said the most utterly absurd bollocks throughout this film, yet never once stopped taking it seriously or treating the dialogue with professional solemnity.
Patrick Stewart was another one who could spew utter nonsense and yet give the silly words weight and make them believable. I refer to his Jean Luc Picard of course.
@@oscarsalesgirl296 Are you talking to me? I'm sorry, I'm American, plus I'm a boomer using a phone, so, my typing on a phone is feeble, so, forgive me.
Hammer's best film ever, in my opinion. I am delighted it cast Christopher Lee as the hero. Charles Gray was a superlative villain and a shamefully under-appreciated actor. Of course, having Richard Matheson as the screenwriter ensured it was a winner.
i was a kid in the 70's but my parents let me watch hammer films, and in this one Charles Gray scared me shitless so much so every film i saw him in since then honestly gave me the creeps, not in a bad way necessarily just a feeling of being unsettled
@@thesausagecontinuim1971 oh blimey! Thought I was alone in watching all the classic horror movies as a kid in the 70s! Scared me witless-my dad loved Dennis Wheatley. Another one that did me was Quatermass and the pit-when the copper says about one of the derelict houses being played in buy a bunch of lads(obviously recalling from personal experience) the door opens and you see the claw marks on the wall! Still does it! Soundtrack also amazing for the time.
My favourite Hammer movie - Christopher Lee is magmificent as the dashing Duc de Richleau. In the late 1970s BBC2 used to show a horror double-bill on a Saturday night and I remember watching this as a kid. long after my parents had gone to bed, and being absolutely terrified by the apparition of the horned one!
Ahhhhhh, man, the memories !!! I used to stay up as a kid, I was maybe 13...14..... and watch that double bill with my mum !The first film was always a 30's or 40's Universal or RKO b/w, the second was a Hammer or Amicus. Absolute highlight of my week. And if it was one of the films that had been adapted in the Hammer Horror magazine I used to get, I'd be beside myself with excitement. Good times. Simple times.
Used to watch with my granddad - he loved a horror film and seeing this reminds me of him and those wonderful nights trying to stay awake and being scared silly enough not to sleep
Friday nights in my country when I was a kid, parents stayed up late watching old Hammer films on TV. I shut my eyes and tried hard to sleep utterly terrified. Now, I'm watching Horror Films, especially classic Hammer, and liking it.
I get confused with these trying to remember, the 1970's BBC double feature I was about 10 / 11 years old, I think the Appointment With Fear double bill (with spooky as fuck shifting faces intro) came a bit later.
Couldn't wait until Saturday so I could check out which films were on the Hammer double bill on B.B.C 2 I remember I was 10 in 1976 watching them really excited that school had finished and the weekend was here. They should replay these movies.
Odd that Hammer’s best films did not feature Frankenstein or Dracula. Hammer really came into their own by veering off those franchises. My top three are this one, Quatermass and the Pit, and She
This and the night of the demon are among two my favourite horror films and they are very similar in that they are both more of a thriller than horror films. Also has in this film the hero in night of the demon does battle with the evil protagonist
Indeed it made me want to read all about him. Some great adventure books indeed. Wish some one would pick up the option to make books based on the Duc. Might be a nice change to the pap we are getting nowadays. ( that said The devil rides out might be a ....tricky one....since the rest aint no where near as dark magic/ devil worshipy and so the buggers might tone it down....which I for one would hate)"
My absolute favourite Hammer film. I love Sir Christopher Lee and he was a wonderful actor and a very dashing gent is day. I will never tire of watching him and hearing that magnificent voice. Thank you so much for this, it has fair cheered me up.
My favorite Christopher Lee supernatural/horror film and in all respects Hammer's finest film ever. A superb screenwriter, a brilliant director, a magnificent musical composer, and a splendid cast---I am run ing out of superlatives. So tragic that a Duc de Richleau franchise never materialized. Excellent documentary, thank you!
I love this film .Everything from the music , camera work and outstanding acting just grip me each time i watch it. The only thing it was missing was the late great Sir Peter Cushing.
USA had the iconic masters of Horror Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff and here in UK we had Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. What Joy these Guys gave us👍😊👍
This is my favourite movie of all time!...The cineamatography, sets ,tight plot, excellent acting, solid dialogue and well researched references to genuine occult literature and practices make for a really great movie. Also its a pleasure to see Christopher lee flexing his acting muscles as a heroic lead for a change! Amazingly yesterday it just popped into my head to look for a review of this movie and hey presto here Dark Corners has come up with the goods as usual!
@@geecee4746 Yes! Exactly. And we had a drive in that had dusk to dawn creature features when I was a kid. And most of my 1st experiences with Hammer was watching them there. Good times.
Ya know what? It’s always hard to to pick a favorite Hammer Horror flick, but for now? The Devil Rides out is my favorite! Excellent atmosphere and the legendary Sir Christopher Lee absolutely commanded every scene he was in!
The dubbing on Leon Green is wonderfully weird. Charles Grey is spot on as the villain, with those grey eyes and his bear trap of a mouth; and it is nice to see Paul Eddington and Sarah Lawson in a solid supporting roles. This is one of my favourite films; right up there with "Night of the Demon".
I think it was Patrick Allen who dubbed Green. Not sure why ....was Green American ? (talking of dubbing, Charles Grey dubbed Jack Hawkins' following his throat cancer )
This has always been my favorite Hammer movie, ever since first seeing it on TNT's Monstervision in the early 90s. Thank you so much for uploading this video.
Two of my favorite Hammer films are also two of my favorite Lee movies: the chilling "The Gorgon", and "The Mummy". Seeing a monster as tall as Lee moving around at high speed instead of the shambling Universal mummies is impressive.
@@Young_Jim It is a deliciously creepy movie and also interesting that the usual Cushing/ Lee good guy/ bad guy roles are reversed. Another Lee favorite is the non-Hammer Horror Express.
I prefer Hammers Mummy film over the Universal one any day of the week. So much better shot and paced, and the mummy is much more frightening. I know it is two very different eras of filmmaking so probably not fair to compare them, as they are both wonderful films, I just prefer Hammers the most. To be fair I prefer Hammer horror films to pretty much all other horror films in general.
The first time my parents ever left me alone in the house, think I was 13, they went to a NYE's party, and I unfortunately watched this movie and ran screaming to the neighbour's house. Suffice to say, I wasn't left alone in the house again, for another 2 years.
That's amazing - I was traumatised on New Year's Eve too by this film - as a young boy I actually thought I was watching the devil appear - (and yes, my parents were partying elsewhere - we were being minded by older siblings). I had bad dreams about it for a few years after !
Thank you for your marvelous discussion of this underrated film. The best reviews are those which make me re-evaluate previously held opinions and want to watch the movie yet again; this video did both.
Is 'Dark Corners' a company who makes documentaries, A film production company, a UA-cam channel? I'd love to watch. I googled before asking but couldn't find much.
The Devil Rides Out is probably my most favorite Hammer film, having see it ages ago in the early 1990s here on American cable (either TNT's Monstervision or AMC's Halloween marathons) and this wonderfully informative video does the movie justice even with the film's minor flaws (the summoned demons are unconvincing even if I'm still happy that they're all there). Plus, I'm glad you brought up Christopher Lee's possible Gandalf influences into the role as the heroic duke. Ironically enough, The Lost Continent, while no where as good as The Devil Rides Out, is a Hammer guilty pleasure due to my love for giant monster movies which the studio had a memorable handful of.
Wow, The Lost Continent, now that is a strange and not often shown film. Along with TDRO is Quatermass And The Pit is a favourite for me. This was also a Hammer production.
Thank you for this brilliant analysis. I only found this very underrated gem by accident about four months ago. And it quickly shot up to one of my top three all-time favorite Hammer films.
I have it on DVD , one of my fave all time movies. My elder brother took me to see it at the cinema when l was well under the 18 rating and it scared me to death but l loved every moment!
Excellent retrospective on a Hammer classic. One of the best satanic horror films of all time. Its extremely accurate, incredible well written and beautifully acted. A triumph for Christopher Lee in a rare hero role. Charles Gray is fantastic as the cult leader. This added a new and dangerous element of fear for Hammer outside of the Dracula/Frankenstein series. Great stuff!
Excellent writing, excellent delivery, your channel did a great service to this movie. I never knew this story but after watching this video I appreciate it
I read that Charles Gray shared a bunch of roles with another actor, who had lost his voice due to cancer. So he provided the voice, and the other fellow was able to continue acting.
This movie is very personal to me, It scared the shit out of me when I first saw it visiting my dad's family in El Salvador in 1986 and it played on television from a broadcast from California. Years later in the mid-90sI was in California and invited by one of my skater friends to a posh party in L.A well I meet these eccentrics that seemed to look like they were occultist, I met an older man named Micheal Aquino who introduced himself to me as the leader of the Temple of Set and his lovely young wife Lilith, he had the same gaze that Charles Grey would give, and all I kept thinking was the Devil Rides Out, same charm, very educated served in the U.S military. He also had a weird energetic vibe about him, I go use the bathroom, and overhear two men say, "Aquino could destroy him, he can destroy anybody" they were talking about another guest, and I was shocked. Devil Rides out may seem like a hammer film but revisiting this film aside from the giant spider, the goat of Medes, and Angel of Death, the movie does not seem to far fetched, but one that's grounded in reality, I met a real Mocata and his reputation is no joke. This film is definitely a genuine article and one of Hammers best.
Christopher Lee is my absolute favorite actor and Hero. He fought barely in WWll. After the war he was British secret service and hunted down high ranking Nazi war criminals. He was very well educated, knowing several languages, an excellent swordsman, well-spoken gentleman. He can sing doing many heavy metal albums in his later years, a scholar, and devoted husband, as well as many many other fabulous skills.
I bought a copy of this film based on the strength of this review/restrospective. It’s now easily one of my favorite films of all time. Thanks so much for making these videos that help people discover and rediscover these true classics of cinema.
One of my Favorite things about the Hammer films are the sets that scream nostalgia. Each one so beautifully shot that it completely immerses you in these worlds they've created.
Thank you so much for making this channel to discuss these older and underrated horror films. I grew up with these movies and it means a lot that someone has taken the time, love, and dedication to analyze and champion them. Hammer films were foundational in my budding love for the horror genre and I'm beyond glad to see someone pay tribute to them. The Devil Rides Out is one of my favorites. I hope you know your work is appreciated. On a related note, have you thought about writing a book?
Lee was so cool and badass as the Duke De Richleau. I love the series of novels he was first featured in, and i really love the mix of the occult and adventure.
even if this review is allready 2 years old, because of this i took the devil rides out and to the Devil.... a Daughter into my movie collection :) thank from germany for this
I think the next film you should review next is To the Devil a Daughter. It was hated by Dennis Wheatley when it came out but it as a lot going for it, and Christopher Lee plays his most evil and malevolent role.
All that movie has going for it is Nastassja Kinski being stomp barefooted, and that's it; the novel needs a new adaptation closer to its plot, even if it means setting it in England during World War II. Also (as far-fetched as it sounds), they will have to find a way to film said second adaptation that _won't offend anybody_ (having Catherine be 18 and not 16 as in the original movie, not having the creature come from between her legs [or going into said area]), plus a lot of other things that won't have people protesting online and then getting it not released due to said outrage.
The only thing the film shares with the novel is the title but I thought Richard Widmark was superb. An excellent piece of casting. Christopher Lee always wanted to remake The Devil Rides Out and play de Richleau again. The special effects are an area that would have benefitted and perhaps scripting the ending from the book which is really well paced and gripping. However I have an emotional attachment (time, place etc.) to the original that no remake could replace.
One of my favourite films. I do sometimes wonder if Charles Gray's (superb) performance as 'Mocata' was the inspiration behind the BBC TV casting Roger Delgado as 'The Master' in Doctor Who just a few years later? The two characters are rather similar in many respects.
Brilliant review. I really enjoy the background and insight into the work of Director Terence Fisher. Understanding this gives me a whole new appreciation of the film.
Richard Matheson. His short story Disappearing Act was the inspiration for Twilight Zone episode 11: And When The Sky Was Opened. Favorite episode of all time. Superb adaptation by Rod Serling, and wonderful acting all around. Very very good. This video was excellent also. Thank you.
Christopher Lee's Duc is a "totally normal role" only by comparison with his "creatures". The comparison with Van Helsing & Holmes is very apt; all are brilliant, highly educated in their spheres of interest, with formidable wills and conviction. Not fearless - only fools have no fear - but able to work through it in pursuit of their goals. Lee brings a subtle intensity to the part, underplaying some scenes in a way that adds depth to the character.
I have got this movie DVD of Christopher Lee with Paul Uddingston Charles Gray and Patrick Mower in The Devil Rides Out as I am dedicating this movie DVD to my old school friends who are both sisters as I hope to see them both again very soon to Chris and Hester from Billyxxxxx
A couple of years ago I bought this movie on Blu-ray the moment Scream Factory released it. I had never seen it before, but I knew I wanted it due to the high praise it receives and because Christopher Lee is always a joy to watch. I am not typically a fan of devil/satanism movies, though two exceptions are this and The Masque of the Red Death. Anyhow, this movie did not disappoint. You seem to consider the conclusion a bit weak and I do understand your reasons, but personally I love that the ending glorifies God. I really do love it, seeing that the powers of the cult were so strong here. The battle is much larger than that of the Count versus Mocata, and that battle of good versus evil with God triumphing is very satisfactory...something many would shy away from doing. I did not know that Terence Fisher was a man of faith, but that certainly explains how the film ends. My hats off to Terence Fisher for staying in line with his faith rather than compromising his principles as the film industry leaned more heavily into things he was not comfortable doing. Great video!
Charles Grey is a magnificent villain. It would be slightly easier to take him seriously if I could forget his casting as the Criminologist/Man With no Neck from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Hell of a movie!! I just watched it again...many years after I first saw it. All the actors are excellent, & I got gooseflesh several times. However, as stellar as Charles Gray is in the role of Mocata, every time he was on-screen, I heard the "Time Warp" playing in my head!!
This movie is one of my favorite Hammer films (after Dracula). Christopher Lee said that this movie is his favorite Hammer film!🎥 I like his character (Nickolas/Duke de Richleau) in this movie, his is a real hero!🎬❤️
Excellent video! Fisher's a truly underappreciated horror director, so thank you for emphasizing and analyzing his techniques. THE DEVIL RIDES OUT is my favorite Hammer Horror, and rounding out my Top 5 would probably be (HORROR OF) DRACULA, THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, and THE BRIDES OF DRACULA... though it fluctuates a bit from time to time!
Thank you for going through the effort of making this video. These in-debth reviews are always a pleasure to watch. As for my top 5 Hammer horrors, in chronological order: The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Plague of the Zombies and The Devil Rides Out.
Great job on a favorite film of mine. Now do Night of The Demon and the Black Cat (1934). Liked the video and subscribed. My top 5 favorite Hammer horrors are as follows: 5. Blood From the Mummy's Tomb 4. Brides of Dracula 3. Curse of Frankenstein 2. (Horror of) Dracula 1. The Devil Rides Out
Christopher Lee and Charles Gray were perfectly cast in this movie. They perfectly matched Dennis Wheatley's description of Count Richleau and Mocata. One of the best car chase scenes was was in the Hammer movie Scream,Scream Again. It's ironic that you mention The Lord Of The Rings. If anyone should re-create The Devil Rides Out, Peter Jackson would be the ideal choice. I'm disappointed there has been no Roger Brooks movies.
In the moment where the Duke is paralyzed, albeit temporarily, by the sight of the Devil, Rex basically says to sack up and fight. I was never more proud to be an American when I read that text, because it encapsulates a spirit that I witnessed in my own life. I loved this book, and movie.
I started watching your review then realized a couple of minutes in that I needed to the see the movie first. I'm glad I did because I think the movie is excellent. As a sometime student of western esotericism I found it extremely interesting. The scene with Mocata overcomeing Marie's willpower expertly summarized esoteric thought while simultaneously avoiding the trap of simple exposition.
I came here to smart arse about the glimpse of Gandalf in Cristopher Lee's performance in this, one of my favourite Hammer films. How could I flatter myself, you wouln't have elaborated this briliantly already? Once again: thanks for your splendid work, guys.
There is always the question of Leon Greene (Rest In Peace) being dubbed. I worked with Leon, and he explained that his and Lee's voice was too similar. There was also a misunderstanding that Leon was Australian, he wasn't he was an East End boy and much missed.
Great review. Sincerely wish you would do more longer reviews and retrospectives. They are so much better than your shorter, snarky reviews. Love those too, but the longer ones are just great.
The essence of Best Hammer films were directed by Terrance Fisher. His creative vision and direction were keys to those films success. A good director makes all the difference.
Excellent video. Many thanks. For anyone interested in Charles Gray, take a look at the wonderful Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes TV series, where Gray played Mycroft, Sherlock's elder brother. Perfect casting.
The little girl Peggy is played by Rosalyn Landor who played Helen Stoner in the Speckled Band episode of the Jeremy Brett series. Christopher Lee also played Mycroft in Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.
Mattheson's body of work, from scripts like this, to work on the Twilight Zone, to his novels, has always impressed me. I'll never stop being disgusted by the fact that the movie that had the nerve to call itself I Am Legend is so wildly and disrespectfully removed from what he wrote.
Chris Lee as de Richelieu does some remarkable things in the movie, for example the pentagram ritual (largely correct, though abridged ) and and the gesture of lifting the veil at 10:14, he did know his "occultism", owing a large library of "occult" books in real life. Oh I really loved to have a talk with him. Maybe some day I will...
I saw this one evening in the mid 70's on late Friday TV when I was 10, it scared the pants off me and I never forgot it. When I started to buy films in the 80's I had to get this to re live the memory. The best of Hammer is '57 to '73. I loved the voice of Leon Greene, I found out later his voice was overdubbed by Patrick Allen.
This is one of those movies where the brilliance of the script, the genius of the direction and camera work, and the excellence of the acting outplays the limitations of the budget.
Again, nicely delivered by Dark Corners. Personally, I am glad Lee didn't get to play Gandalf. The character of de Richleau is good in terms of being a learned and wise mentor, but Lee makes him rather stern and aloof. Ian McKellen played Gandalf as someone warmer and more approachable. I feel this is more in character with how J.R.R. Tolkien wrote Gandalf, and makes it all the more amazing when we realize Gandalf's true nature and powers.
My favourite ever Horror Film! If they ever remake it, as has been rumoured in the past, I hope to God they do it with full Respect for this wonderful film!!
The most threatening line in horror history, “I shall not be back, but something will... tonight”
And perfectly delivered, in that soft, dry, matter of fact tone that tells you he means what he says
Charles Gray was superb.
Yes, the American distributor saying, “ No more.”
and then he kidnaps the little girl intending to sacrifice/murder her...
This was a rated X film back in the 70s
How times change ha
I absolutely adore how Christopher Lee said the most utterly absurd bollocks throughout this film, yet never once stopped taking it seriously or treating the dialogue with professional solemnity.
To be fair, that's not unusual. He did, after all, say "I am Dracula" in 1958.
That was the genius of Lee, and Cushing. No matter how silly, they played it believably. Professionals, and grand actors in the truest sense.
Patrick Stewart was another one who could spew utter nonsense and yet give the silly words weight and make them believable. I refer to his Jean Luc Picard of course.
@@oscarsalesgirl296 Are you talking to me? I'm sorry, I'm American, plus I'm a boomer using a phone, so, my typing on a phone is feeble, so, forgive me.
He once said something to the effect that "Every actor has to make terrible films; the trick is not to be terrible in them."
Christopher Lee was one of the greatest actors this country ever produced.
You are so correct, he stayed relevant till the end
Yet in 25:23 he appears to look like a bowl of thin goat milk
Let's just ignore 50 years of brilliance then 🙄@@stxa2594
Hammer's best film ever, in my opinion. I am delighted it cast Christopher Lee as the hero. Charles Gray was a superlative villain and a shamefully under-appreciated actor.
Of course, having Richard Matheson as the screenwriter ensured it was a winner.
i was a kid in the 70's but my parents let me watch hammer films, and in this one Charles Gray scared me shitless so much so every film i saw him in since then honestly gave me the creeps, not in a bad way necessarily just a feeling of being unsettled
@@thesausagecontinuim1971 oh blimey! Thought I was alone in watching all the classic horror movies as a kid in the 70s! Scared me witless-my dad loved Dennis Wheatley. Another one that did me was Quatermass and the pit-when the copper says about one of the derelict houses being played in buy a bunch of lads(obviously recalling from personal experience) the door opens and you see the claw marks on the wall! Still does it! Soundtrack also amazing for the time.
Charles Gray is criminally underrated.
your right there
He kinda reminds me of George Sanders.
@@mikepatrick5909 He was also underrated.
🎵 it’s just a jump to left,then a jump to right. Let’s watch the Time warp begin🎵
He dubbed Jack Hawkins when his throat cancer wrecked his voice.
My favourite Hammer movie - Christopher Lee is magmificent as the dashing Duc de Richleau. In the late 1970s BBC2 used to show a horror double-bill on a Saturday night and I remember watching this as a kid. long after my parents had gone to bed, and being absolutely terrified by the apparition of the horned one!
Ahhhhhh, man, the memories !!! I used to stay up as a kid, I was maybe 13...14..... and watch that double bill with my mum !The first film was always a 30's or 40's Universal or RKO b/w, the second was a Hammer or Amicus. Absolute highlight of my week. And if it was one of the films that had been adapted in the Hammer Horror magazine I used to get, I'd be beside myself with excitement. Good times. Simple times.
Used to watch with my granddad - he loved a horror film and seeing this reminds me of him and those wonderful nights trying to stay awake and being scared silly enough not to sleep
Friday nights in my country when I was a kid, parents stayed up late watching old Hammer films on TV. I shut my eyes and tried hard to sleep utterly terrified. Now, I'm watching Horror Films, especially classic Hammer, and liking it.
I get confused with these trying to remember, the 1970's BBC double feature I was about 10 / 11 years old, I think the Appointment With Fear double bill (with spooky as fuck shifting faces intro) came a bit later.
Couldn't wait until Saturday so I could check out which films were on the Hammer double bill on B.B.C 2 I remember I was 10 in 1976 watching them really excited that school had finished and the weekend was here. They should replay these movies.
one of Hammers best if not best film, great role for Christopher Lee.
To The Devil A Daughter was the best IMHO
Odd that Hammer’s best films did not feature Frankenstein or Dracula. Hammer really came into their own by veering off those franchises. My top three are this one, Quatermass and the Pit, and She
That, 'Witchfinder General' and 'The Wicker Man' are the top 3 British horrors by my reckoning. All cult classics.
@@bloodboughtbigphilr8266 agree that all three you mentioned are classics, but the last two were not Hammer films
This and the night of the demon are among two my favourite horror films and they are very similar in that they are both more of a thriller than horror films. Also has in this film the hero in night of the demon does battle with the evil protagonist
Christopher takes his acting roles very seriously in which tells you he loved being a sincere actor.
I love how you share your appreciation for the work, stay candid about the weak spots, and inspire us to relish the work.
One of my favourite Hammer movies . Shame they didnt make anymore with the Richleau character .
Indeed it made me want to read all about him. Some great adventure books indeed. Wish some one would pick up the option to make books based on the Duc. Might be a nice change to the pap we are getting nowadays. ( that said The devil rides out might be a ....tricky one....since the rest aint no where near as dark magic/ devil worshipy and so the buggers might tone it down....which I for one would hate)"
I have this idea for a plot involving Richleau going to the Hebrides and facing off with the father lord Summerisle
Sam I bet it would be good
My absolute favourite Hammer film. I love Sir Christopher Lee and he was a wonderful actor and a very dashing gent is day. I will never tire of watching him and hearing that magnificent voice. Thank you so much for this, it has fair cheered me up.
My favorite Christopher Lee supernatural/horror film and in all respects Hammer's finest film ever. A superb screenwriter, a brilliant director, a magnificent musical composer, and a splendid cast---I am run ing out of superlatives. So tragic that a Duc de Richleau franchise never materialized.
Excellent documentary, thank you!
I love this film .Everything from the music , camera work and outstanding acting just grip me each time i watch it. The only thing it was missing was the late great Sir Peter Cushing.
USA had the iconic masters of Horror Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff and here in UK we had Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. What Joy these Guys gave us👍😊👍
This is my favourite movie of all time!...The cineamatography, sets ,tight plot, excellent acting, solid dialogue and well researched references to genuine occult literature and practices make for a really great movie. Also its a pleasure to see Christopher lee flexing his acting muscles as a heroic lead for a change! Amazingly yesterday it just popped into my head to look for a review of this movie and hey presto here Dark Corners has come up with the goods as usual!
There was nothing better than Hammer back in the day. And Lee is beyond brilliant in this one. Love it!😈
Hammer horror double bill on a Saturday night, those were the days
@@geecee4746 Yes! Exactly. And we had a drive in that had dusk to dawn creature features when I was a kid. And most of my 1st experiences with Hammer was watching them there. Good times.
Loved him in the wicker man, also.
@@davidbull9681 Oh yeah! That's a good one.
Ya know what? It’s always hard to to pick a favorite Hammer Horror flick, but for now? The Devil Rides out is my favorite! Excellent atmosphere and the legendary Sir Christopher Lee absolutely commanded every scene he was in!
One of their best, and most original, storylines. Christopher Lee shows that he can actually act.
excellent actors acting
He was a spy in WW2.It's act and look convincing or die.
@@erikramaekers63 I believe that it also helped him add realism to death scenes, since he'd seen people die in many ways.
These longer documentaries that you do are invariably good 👍 This is a great look at one of Hammer's finest horrors, much appreciated.
Glad you like them!
Great Documentary, on what is truly a great Hammer film, and is one of my absolute favourites!!
The dubbing on Leon Green is wonderfully weird. Charles Grey is spot on as the villain, with those grey eyes and his bear trap of a mouth; and it is nice to see Paul Eddington and Sarah Lawson in a solid supporting roles. This is one of my favourite films; right up there with "Night of the Demon".
Grey Eyes? They were an icy blue...but man, was that stare of his utterly 'mesmerizing. He had a lot of charisma as the villain.
I think it was Patrick Allen who dubbed Green. Not sure why ....was Green American ? (talking of dubbing, Charles Grey dubbed Jack Hawkins' following his throat cancer )
I posted that comment before I reached that point in the video ....:-)
Nod Is terrific, genuinely eerie at times and tremendous performances all-round, its ripe for a classy remake
@@nickmitsialis I liked that, in "You Only Live Twice", he was instantly untrustworthy as Henderson.
This has always been my favorite Hammer movie, ever since first seeing it on TNT's Monstervision in the early 90s.
Thank you so much for uploading this video.
Two of my favorite Hammer films are also two of my favorite Lee movies: the chilling "The Gorgon", and "The Mummy". Seeing a monster as tall as Lee moving around at high speed instead of the shambling Universal mummies is impressive.
The Gorgon is a favourite of mine aswell, it’s getting a rare outing on tv this weekend.
@@Young_Jim It is a deliciously creepy movie and also interesting that the usual Cushing/ Lee good guy/ bad guy roles are reversed. Another Lee favorite is the non-Hammer Horror Express.
I prefer Hammers Mummy film over the Universal one any day of the week. So much better shot and paced, and the mummy is much more frightening. I know it is two very different eras of filmmaking so probably not fair to compare them, as they are both wonderful films, I just prefer Hammers the most. To be fair I prefer Hammer horror films to pretty much all other horror films in general.
The first time my parents ever left me alone in the house, think I was 13, they went to a NYE's party, and I unfortunately watched this movie and ran screaming to the neighbour's house. Suffice to say, I wasn't left alone in the house again, for another 2 years.
That's amazing - I was traumatised on New Year's Eve too by this film - as a young boy I actually thought I was watching the devil appear - (and yes, my parents were partying elsewhere - we were being minded by older siblings). I had bad dreams about it for a few years after !
ZOMG, that newspaper promo @22:17 is from Detroit, my hometown!
Thank you for your marvelous discussion of this underrated film. The best reviews are those which make me re-evaluate previously held opinions and want to watch the movie yet again; this video did both.
Dark corners documentaries served as my gateway to Hammer horror. Cannot wait to watch the one on my favorite Hammer movie
Their love of Hammer and Universal is what brought me here and keeps me coming back.
Is 'Dark Corners' a company who makes documentaries, A film production company, a UA-cam channel? I'd love to watch. I googled before asking but couldn't find much.
@@sisterseeth UA-cam channel that does reviews as well as long, in-depth documentary style reporting.
I do love these longer-form videos. Christopher Lee was amazing in this.
The Devil Rides Out is probably my most favorite Hammer film, having see it ages ago in the early 1990s here on American cable (either TNT's Monstervision or AMC's Halloween marathons) and this wonderfully informative video does the movie justice even with the film's minor flaws (the summoned demons are unconvincing even if I'm still happy that they're all there). Plus, I'm glad you brought up Christopher Lee's possible Gandalf influences into the role as the heroic duke. Ironically enough, The Lost Continent, while no where as good as The Devil Rides Out, is a Hammer guilty pleasure due to my love for giant monster movies which the studio had a memorable handful of.
Wow, The Lost Continent, now that is a strange and not often shown film. Along with TDRO is Quatermass And The Pit is a favourite for me. This was also a Hammer production.
Thank you for this brilliant analysis. I only found this very underrated gem by accident about four months ago. And it quickly shot up to one of my top three all-time favorite Hammer films.
I cannot get enough of these long in depth videos!
Thanks, they take longer (obviously) but always worth doing to see the response.
This film is nearly impossible to find anywhere. 😢 Hammer’s masterpiece.
I have it on DVD , one of my fave all time movies. My elder brother took me to see it at the cinema when l was well under the 18 rating and it scared me to death but l loved every moment!
If you want to see Charles Gray at his best, check out Night of the Generals with him and Peter O'Toole. Great film and a fantastic cast.
Excellent retrospective on a Hammer classic. One of the best satanic horror films of all time. Its extremely accurate, incredible well written and beautifully acted. A triumph for Christopher Lee in a rare hero role. Charles Gray is fantastic as the cult leader. This added a new and dangerous element of fear for Hammer outside of the Dracula/Frankenstein series. Great stuff!
Excellent writing, excellent delivery, your channel did a great service to this movie. I never knew this story but after watching this video I appreciate it
The film is like a textbook delve into the esoteric mysteries of the occult. And your doc does it splendid justice. Thank you!
watched this one a few nights ago!!! really enjoyed it. Lee's performance is fantastic.
Another wonderful, scholarly documentary by Dark Corners. One of my favorite films. Thank you!!
Man, Charles Gray was a lot better than I think he gets credit for, and wished he’d been even bigger than he was.
You mentioned he was Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever, but forgot he was in You Only Live Twice. He was Henderson 007's contact in Tokyo.
He's mainly known now for his role in Rocky Horror,which is too bad.
I read that Charles Gray shared a bunch of roles with another actor, who had lost his voice due to cancer. So he provided the voice, and the other fellow was able to continue acting.
He was Mycroft Holmes to Jeremy Brett's Sherlock.
A very talented actor in whatever role he took.
This film is magnificent. Charles Gray is peerless in his role.
Wow, I have seen this film a dozen times and never knew that Rex's voice was dubbed.
I agree. I'd always put any sort of mismatch of vocal tone and mouth movements etc down to the film itself. I never, ever realised Rex was dubbed.
Is it Patrick (Barratt homes) Allen ?
Ha ....posted that comment before I reached that point in the clip :-)
This movie is very personal to me, It scared the shit out of me when I first saw it visiting my dad's family in El Salvador in 1986 and it played on television from a broadcast from California. Years later in the mid-90sI was in California and invited by one of my skater friends to a posh party in L.A well I meet these eccentrics that seemed to look like they were occultist, I met an older man named Micheal Aquino who introduced himself to me as the leader of the Temple of Set and his lovely young wife Lilith, he had the same gaze that Charles Grey would give, and all I kept thinking was the Devil Rides Out, same charm, very educated served in the U.S military. He also had a weird energetic vibe about him, I go use the bathroom, and overhear two men say, "Aquino could destroy him, he can destroy anybody" they were talking about another guest, and I was shocked. Devil Rides out may seem like a hammer film but revisiting this film aside from the giant spider, the goat of Medes, and Angel of Death, the movie does not seem to far fetched, but one that's grounded in reality, I met a real Mocata and his reputation is no joke. This film is definitely a genuine article and one of Hammers best.
Christopher Lee is my absolute favorite actor and Hero. He fought barely in WWll. After the war he was British secret service and hunted down high ranking Nazi war criminals.
He was very well educated, knowing several languages, an excellent swordsman, well-spoken gentleman. He can sing doing many heavy metal albums in his later years, a scholar, and devoted husband, as well as many many other fabulous skills.
I bought a copy of this film based on the strength of this review/restrospective. It’s now easily one of my favorite films of all time. Thanks so much for making these videos that help people discover and rediscover these true classics of cinema.
One of my Favorite things about the Hammer films are the sets that scream nostalgia. Each one so beautifully shot that it completely immerses you in these worlds they've created.
A fine tribute to Terrence Fisher and still one of my favourite films and role of Christopher Lee. Thank you for creating it.
Excellent analysis/dissection of the work, here; you make it seem easy (always a pretty sure sign of a job well done)
Well done! Indeed one of Hammer's finest and a moving tribute to a under-appreciated director.
Love this movie. Not only a great script by Matheson, I always felt Lee would have been a perfect Dr. Strange if you know what I mean.
Absolutely, to the role born had the opportunity been available when he was younger
An excellent point.
Great observation.
I always thought Cushing or Price also would be a GREAT Dr. Doom ...
@@PhflyDan1 Dr. Strange is modeled on Vincent Price, so naturally he's an ideal pick
Thank you so much for making this channel to discuss these older and underrated horror films. I grew up with these movies and it means a lot that someone has taken the time, love, and dedication to analyze and champion them. Hammer films were foundational in my budding love for the horror genre and I'm beyond glad to see someone pay tribute to them. The Devil Rides Out is one of my favorites. I hope you know your work is appreciated. On a related note, have you thought about writing a book?
Thank you. Robin has 4 books amzn.to/38Q7qjw but you might mean non-fiction.
@@DarkCornersReviews I did mean nonfiction, but now that I know about your published books, I'll definitely check them out! Thanks!
Thank you.
some really solid overviews presented here, thank you for taking the time to make it.
A finely constructed tribute to a cinematic masterpiece!
Lee was so cool and badass as the Duke De Richleau. I love the series of novels he was first featured in, and i really love the mix of the occult and adventure.
even if this review is allready 2 years old, because of this i took the devil rides out and to the Devil.... a Daughter into my movie collection :) thank from germany for this
Defined British horror, watching from adolescent's I say, Well done Hammer studios and I'm almost 80 years old.
I think the next film you should review next is To the Devil a Daughter. It was hated by Dennis Wheatley when it came out but it as a lot going for it, and Christopher Lee plays his most evil and malevolent role.
All that movie has going for it is Nastassja Kinski being stomp barefooted, and that's it; the novel needs a new adaptation closer to its plot, even if it means setting it in England during World War II.
Also (as far-fetched as it sounds), they will have to find a way to film said second adaptation that _won't offend anybody_ (having Catherine be 18 and not 16 as in the original movie, not having the creature come from between her legs [or going into said area]), plus a lot of other things that won't have people protesting online and then getting it not released due to said outrage.
The only thing the film shares with the novel is the title but I thought Richard Widmark was superb. An excellent piece of casting. Christopher Lee always wanted to remake The Devil Rides Out and play de Richleau again. The special effects are an area that would have benefitted and perhaps scripting the ending from the book which is really well paced and gripping. However I have an emotional attachment (time, place etc.) to the original that no remake could replace.
great film 1968 following another great Hammer movie in 1967, Quatermass and the Pit.
One of my favourite films. I do sometimes wonder if Charles Gray's (superb) performance as 'Mocata' was the inspiration behind the BBC TV casting Roger Delgado as 'The Master' in Doctor Who just a few years later? The two characters are rather similar in many respects.
I think I remember reading somewhere, that even Tolkien wanted Christopher Lee to play Gandalf, if they were to do a film adaptation at the time
Sir Christopher looked amazing here, I have to find a good copy of this movie.
Brilliant review. I really enjoy the background and insight into the work of Director Terence Fisher. Understanding this gives me a whole new appreciation of the film.
One of my favourite films of all time, have it on dvd.
Love Hammer and Amicus films.
Richard Matheson. His short story Disappearing Act was the inspiration for Twilight Zone episode 11: And When The Sky Was Opened. Favorite episode of all time. Superb adaptation by Rod Serling, and wonderful acting all around. Very very good. This video was excellent also. Thank you.
Christopher Lee's Duc is a "totally normal role" only by comparison with his "creatures". The comparison with Van Helsing & Holmes is very apt; all are brilliant, highly educated in their spheres of interest, with formidable wills and conviction. Not fearless - only fools have no fear - but able to work through it in pursuit of their goals. Lee brings a subtle intensity to the part, underplaying some scenes in a way that adds depth to the character.
I have got this movie DVD of
Christopher Lee
with Paul Uddingston
Charles Gray and Patrick Mower
in
The Devil Rides Out as I am dedicating this movie DVD to my old school friends who are both sisters as I hope to see them both again very soon to Chris and Hester from Billyxxxxx
A couple of years ago I bought this movie on Blu-ray the moment Scream Factory released it. I had never seen it before, but I knew I wanted it due to the high praise it receives and because Christopher Lee is always a joy to watch. I am not typically a fan of devil/satanism movies, though two exceptions are this and The Masque of the Red Death. Anyhow, this movie did not disappoint.
You seem to consider the conclusion a bit weak and I do understand your reasons, but personally I love that the ending glorifies God. I really do love it, seeing that the powers of the cult were so strong here. The battle is much larger than that of the Count versus Mocata, and that battle of good versus evil with God triumphing is very satisfactory...something many would shy away from doing. I did not know that Terence Fisher was a man of faith, but that certainly explains how the film ends. My hats off to Terence Fisher for staying in line with his faith rather than compromising his principles as the film industry leaned more heavily into things he was not comfortable doing.
Great video!
Charles Grey is a magnificent villain. It would be slightly easier to take him seriously if I could forget his casting as the Criminologist/Man With no Neck from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Why forget that. Rocky horror is awesome
Hell of a movie!! I just watched it again...many years after I first saw it. All the actors are excellent, & I got gooseflesh several times. However, as stellar as Charles Gray is in the role of Mocata, every time he was on-screen, I heard the "Time Warp" playing in my head!!
This movie is one of my favorite Hammer films (after Dracula). Christopher Lee said that this movie is his favorite Hammer film!🎥 I like his character (Nickolas/Duke de Richleau) in this movie, his is a real hero!🎬❤️
Didn't expect the appearance of Iron Butterfly! Great work, thank you!
Excellent video! Fisher's a truly underappreciated horror director, so thank you for emphasizing and analyzing his techniques. THE DEVIL RIDES OUT is my favorite Hammer Horror, and rounding out my Top 5 would probably be (HORROR OF) DRACULA, THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, and THE BRIDES OF DRACULA... though it fluctuates a bit from time to time!
this film is fantastic and is probably the movie that got me recently into Hammer Horror and other similar era Horror movies :)
Still one of my favourite films of all time!
Thank you for going through the effort of making this video. These in-debth reviews are always a pleasure to watch. As for my top 5 Hammer horrors, in chronological order: The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Plague of the Zombies and The Devil Rides Out.
Great job on a favorite film of mine. Now do Night of The Demon and the Black Cat (1934). Liked the video and subscribed. My top 5 favorite Hammer horrors are as follows:
5. Blood From the Mummy's Tomb
4. Brides of Dracula
3. Curse of Frankenstein
2. (Horror of) Dracula
1. The Devil Rides Out
Christopher Lee and Charles Gray were perfectly cast in this movie. They perfectly matched Dennis Wheatley's description of Count Richleau and Mocata.
One of the best car chase scenes was was in the Hammer movie Scream,Scream Again. It's ironic that you mention The Lord Of The Rings.
If anyone should re-create The Devil Rides Out, Peter Jackson would be the ideal choice. I'm disappointed there has been no Roger Brooks movies.
Superbly done. This is the best video I've seen about this wonderful film. The horse with one lung is something Mr. Krabs would do.
In the moment where the Duke is paralyzed, albeit temporarily, by the sight of the Devil, Rex basically says to sack up and fight. I was never more proud to be an American when I read that text, because it encapsulates a spirit that I witnessed in my own life. I loved this book, and movie.
I bought THE DEVIL RIDES OUT on bluray last year. Such a good film. Thanks for your splendid video.
Charles Gray also played Nikko Henderson in You Only Live Twice.
I started watching your review then realized a couple of minutes in that I needed to the see the movie first. I'm glad I did because I think the movie is excellent. As a sometime student of western esotericism I found it extremely interesting. The scene with Mocata overcomeing Marie's willpower expertly summarized esoteric thought while simultaneously avoiding the trap of simple exposition.
This was great! I love these occasional deep-dives into classic films and film series!
I came here to smart arse about the glimpse of Gandalf in Cristopher Lee's performance in this, one of my favourite Hammer films. How could I flatter myself, you wouln't have elaborated this briliantly already?
Once again: thanks for your splendid work, guys.
There is always the question of Leon Greene (Rest In Peace) being dubbed. I worked with Leon, and he explained that his and Lee's voice was too similar. There was also a misunderstanding that Leon was Australian, he wasn't he was an East End boy and much missed.
That's interesting, I'd not heard that before. It is an unfortunate blip in such a great film.
Great review. Sincerely wish you would do more longer reviews and retrospectives. They are so much better than your shorter, snarky reviews. Love those too, but the longer ones are just great.
We prefer them too but they take much longer to research, write and edit.
@@robinbailes5236 Understood and well worth the effort. Look forward to any and all of your videos. Thanks.
The essence of Best Hammer films were directed by Terrance Fisher. His creative vision and direction were keys to those films success. A good director makes all the difference.
this movie made me feel so dark and evil when I saw it during my teens. I had the poster in the window to scare the neighbors.
Excellent video. Many thanks. For anyone interested in Charles Gray, take a look at the wonderful Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes TV series, where Gray played Mycroft, Sherlock's elder brother. Perfect casting.
The little girl Peggy is played by Rosalyn Landor who played Helen Stoner in the Speckled Band episode of the Jeremy Brett series. Christopher Lee also played Mycroft in Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.
@@robinbailes5236 Now there's a coincidence - one of our favourite episodes. We'd forgotten about Christopher Lee playing Mycroft.
Love that episode. I almost thought they were actually related.
Mattheson's body of work, from scripts like this, to work on the Twilight Zone, to his novels, has always impressed me. I'll never stop being disgusted by the fact that the movie that had the nerve to call itself I Am Legend is so wildly and disrespectfully removed from what he wrote.
I thought the same thing... but he also scripted Jaws 3D
@@DarkCornersReviews I'm gonna go rewatch Trilogy of Terror and try to forget. ;)
@@DarkCornersReviews Richard Matheson scripted *Jaws 3D?!*
Surely you jest!
@@DarkCornersReviews He was older, maybe a touch more cynical in his later years ...
Chris Lee as de Richelieu does some remarkable things in the movie, for example the pentagram ritual (largely correct, though abridged ) and and the gesture of lifting the veil at 10:14, he did know his "occultism", owing a large library of "occult" books in real life. Oh I really loved to have a talk with him. Maybe some day I will...
What an excellent analysis of a Hammer classic. You've made a great video, fantastic work.
Seriously, thanks a lot for your splendid analysis of this 1968 classic.
I downloaded and saw this just recently. A true classic. Great review!
Excellent documentary! The Devil Rides Out is my favourite Hammer Horror film.
I saw this one evening in the mid 70's on late Friday TV when I was 10, it scared the pants off me and I never forgot it. When I started to buy films in the 80's I had to get this to re live the memory. The best of Hammer is '57 to '73. I loved the voice of Leon Greene, I found out later his voice was overdubbed by Patrick Allen.
Stay in the circle, don't look at his eyes! Marvellous stuff!
This is one of those movies where the brilliance of the script, the genius of the direction and camera work, and the excellence of the acting outplays the limitations of the budget.
Again, nicely delivered by Dark Corners. Personally, I am glad Lee didn't get to play Gandalf. The character of de Richleau is good in terms of being a learned and wise mentor, but Lee makes him rather stern and aloof. Ian McKellen played Gandalf as someone warmer and more approachable. I feel this is more in character with how J.R.R. Tolkien wrote Gandalf, and makes it all the more amazing when we realize Gandalf's true nature and powers.
My favourite ever Horror Film! If they ever remake it, as has been rumoured in the past, I hope to God they do it with full Respect for this wonderful film!!
I really enjoy your channel's content.
My top five Hammer Films are: 1 Million Years BC, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter, The Viking Queen, Moon Zero Two and When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth.
One of my favorite Hammer films. A true classic.