Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Mehdi Hoffman There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

quridley I was impressed with so much of this film. Based on what sounds like a very clever and well-researched occult fiction novel, this is just as straight-forward and paced to thrill lightly. Luckily the film is full of creepy but gorgeous atmosphere and benefited from a solid cast. Its tame by today's standards of extremity, but thats its charm. This is one of Hammer Films' more watchable and smart movies.But its not all roses. There is religious paranoia, appallingly open racism early on and builds to a appropriately vicious and insane revelation that its all been conservative Protestant propaganda meant to brainwash, scare and sabotage politically. This would explain the very unhappy and un-arousing tone of every moment.The insulting exploitation and dated correctness spoils the rewatchability of the film, no matter how well made and cult-worshiped it is. I recommend to audiences who can not only overlook the stupidity and lameness of the message to appreciate the formal aesthetics of the artistry, but can also put it in the right context (AKA not young people!).

atlasmb A young man and woman have become involved with some devil worshippers. Apparently they are under an evil spell. About this time, the young man is visited by two friends of his now deceased father. Lucky for all concerned that one of the friends (Christopher Lee) is an expert in the occult. He recognizes the danger and determines to liberate the two.This story of the dark arts employs all the clichés of the genre and every prop a viewer would expect: candles, pentagrams, crosses, etc. The bad guys conduct ceremonies that look much like church services--plus ritualistic goat sacrifice--but the story is actually pretty muddy concerning the details of the threat and the characters involved, some of whom are summoned from darker places. The story does not have much to recommend it. It is standard fare for films about the occult. And the tone of the film is never very menacing. This is a tale that feels more like a detective story than a scary chiller.Still, the production values are good despite the fact this film was probably aimed at the drive-in crowd.

sol- Two Englishmen kidnap the son of a mutual friend to keep him away from the clutches of a Satanic cult, which is easier said than done in this supernatural horror film from the Hammer team. The script may not be first rate (lots of rambling about good and evil, plus the optimistic ending feels very out-of-place), however, the film has many powerful moments thanks to solid special effects, a riveting music score from James Bernard and the unsettling implication that everyone is vulnerable and capable of being manipulated by evil. The film's best moments come towards the end as the Englishmen and some others are taunted by illusions of gigantic arachnids and a young girl in distress, however, the Satanic rituals in the woods are eerie too and bring to mind 'Race with a Devil' - which could have conceivably taken inspiration from what is depicted here. The film trips up a bit with the casting of Charles Gray as the lead Satanist; his piercing stares often come across as comical rather than menacing. Apparently, fellow James Bond alumnus Gert Fröbe was the first choice for the role, and that may have worked better. Sarah Lawson also makes for an uninspired casting choice and curious as it is to have Christopher Lee as a heroic protagonist for a change, playing a film's hero is not his forte. Rosalyn Landor is lovely in her precious few scenes though and Eddie Powell is downright creepy, covered in heavy goat makeup. This may not be Hammer's best film as some out there claim, but it is one of their more offbeat and interesting efforts for sure.

Theo Robertson 1930s England and Rex Van Ryn departs from a plane to be met by his friend Duc De Richleau . If his name sounds strange then that's nothing compared to his personality . Within a very short space of time Richleau is harping on about the black arts and he's not talking 50 Cent and Snoop Dog . If Rex had any sense he'd go straight back to the airstrip and depart never to return again but he can't do that because he's an all too obvious plot device where Duc De Richleau needs a companion present so he can explain everything about the Occult since the audience aren't too clued up about the subject This is considered to be one of the very best horror movies Hammer produced . I know what you're thinking something along the lines of " That's not saying much Theo " but deserves to be rated on its own merits rather than winning by default against films where impossibly beautiful maidens get their cleavage out and pop round to Dracula's Castle . Having acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson doing the script helps greatly as does having Terence Fisher as director . Fisher was never in danger of winning an Oscar but is almost certainly the best director of the Hammer horrors The story itself is utter nonsense featuring a Satanic cult wanting to get the souls of a young man and woman and featuring a cameo of some bloke with the head of a goat but everything is done in such a serious dead pan manner that you can't help being caught up in it . As soon as someone mentions something vaguely important to the plot a crescendo of music blasts over the soundtrack and nothing unimportant happens , not for a second . As soon as anyone has the temerity to say " You can't believe that " a reply of " I've never been more serious in all my life " then the band plays up again . In fact no one ever has been as serious as Richleau and one wonders if Rex isn't to blame . After all if he hadn't wandered in to the film Richleau wouldn't have had anyone to talk to and the band wouldn't have got paid I often thought the only time Christopher Lee was impressive was when he was in LORD OF THE RINGS but he does carry the film to a large extent as the charismatic good guy and if we had Peter Cushing as Richleau we'd have a different and rather inferior film . I'm not implying that THE DEVIL RIDES OUT is some forgotten masterpiece ready for reevaluation but as pulp horror produced as mass entertainment it is very enjoyable and engaging