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The Devil Rides Out (Terence Fisher, 1968)
The plot of
The Devil Rides Out concerns not just
a brief encounter with evil, but a full-fledged campaign against it. Séances,
satanic orgies, summonings, car chases are presented over the course of the
film, each of them presenting higher stakes than the last, all the while
retaining a very British demeanor, including a smidgeon of self-deprecating
humor. There’s the sense that a grand, dangerous adventure is underway, and it
is sustained from the first scene to the end. Throughout, Fisher shows a keen
ability to slowly raise the level of tension as his scary scenes play out, to
the point that they become nigh-unbearable. Then, time and again, the threat
passes in a flash. As soon as the evil presence that menaces the heroes goes
away, the episode takes on the feeling of a bad dream. While in the grip of
terror, however, these nightmares will seem real to character and viewer alike.
The Devil Rides Out is also noteworthy in that it offers viewers a rare
chance to see Christopher Lee as a good guy. The character he plays here, de
Richleau, is vividly realized, and not a far cry from his Sherlock Holmes
characterization, but he commands the screen with the ease. Like everything
about The Devil Rides Out, Lee’s
performance is the work of a professional. The actor, as everyone involved in
this production, treats what could be mindless pulp with utter conviction,
elevating it considerably. With Fisher, arguably the auteur of Hammer Studios,
behind the camera, and one of its top stars in front of it, the film works on
all levels and truly earns its reputation as a classic of British horror. 83 Jeremy Heilman 06.28.10
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One of the best British horror films ever made, and certainly one of the Hammer
Studio’s best, Terence Fisher’s The Devil
Rides Out is an extremely efficient thrill ride into the macabre. It is as
fast-paced a horror film as you will ever see, involving a group of heroes, led
by a brave duke (Christopher Lee), who do battle with a coven of Satanists out
to disrupt the balance between good and evil. Something like a dozen memorable
set pieces are crammed here into a run time that is just over an hour and a half
long, meaning that there are few moments of downtime. Even when the characters,
in typical British fashion, settle down to share a brandy in a sitting room, the
conversation doesn’t stall the plot, but instead increases the sense of
atmosphere, making the omnipresent threat of encroaching darkness all the more
palpable.