Review – Curse of the Demon

One of my guiltiest pleasures involves an affection for murky old black-and-white British horror movies. And this particular picture is one of the finest examples of the sub-genre. The plot is elegant and clever, unraveling the tale of a skeptical scientist who must rid himself of a rune-inscribed scrap of paper before a demon appears to kill the parchment’s possessor (Rocky Horror fans will recognize the reference to Dana Andrews and his prune problem). Furthermore, you just don’t get shadow-intensive lighting, deep focus and disconcerting camera angles like this anymore. And sure, the too-fuzzy-and-cute demon isn’t much of a payoff for all the well-crafted build-up, but sometimes the build-up makes the movie worthwhile all by itself. Buy the tape