Interview: Horror Classics
Jim McCormick talks classic horror films in a way that most cannot imagine! Delight in Jim's Horror Classics.
Hi horror fans! My name is Jim McCormick and I’d like to welcome you to “Horror Classics!” This is where you & I get to re-live all the great horror movies of the past. I’ll be reviewing the greatest horror films ever made that are twenty years or older. Some of these films you might be aquatinted with and some might be completely unknown to you. Either way it is my pleasure & purpose to expound on one of my favorite subjects, the horror movie.
In this issue I’d like to talk about two great horror classics that might be somewhat obscure to the younger horror audience, “Curse of the Demon” and “Curse of the Werewolf”. Yes both of these films are cursed with the gift of horror & should be included in any horror maven’s collection!
Shall we begin!
Curse of the Demon (1957)
Director extrodinare, Jacques Tourneur’s 1957 “Curse of the Demon” stars Dana Andrews as Dr. John Holden a psychologist who travels over to England to investigate a colleagues savage murder by what seems to be supernatural circumstance. Not one to believe in the reality of the supernatural our good Doctor meets up with Niall MacGinnis in a wonderful performance as Karswell a master Warlock in the black arts. Karswell warns Holden to leave well enough alone or suffer the consinqiunces of his former colleague, but Holden hell bent (in more than one way) to expose Karswell as a hoax, therefore receiving a parchment that seals his doom if not passed on to another before the time is up.
The scene in which this is done is as surreal as they come. Holden receives the parchment in the London Library, but doesn’t realize it. He walks out of the building with his vision blurring & strange music in his head. Later he hears footsteps or should I say footstomps outside his hotelroom’s hallway, but nobody is there.
Director Jacques Tourneur fill’s this movie with such images, creating a total sense of dread and on the edge of your seat suspense as Holden goes through one inexplicable scene after another. You as the audience get a sense of impending doom, as minutes of are venerable doctor’s life tick away.
Holden meets up with other characters along the way that only enhance the whole eerie experience. An Indian Yogi by the name of Dr. Kumar utters the unforgettable line, “He’s most dangerous when being pleasant,” referring to Satan. Also the niece of his late colleague, who tries to convince him of his impending doom, as such happened to her uncle.
As I said before “Curse of the Demon” is filled with stand on the end of your neck hair scenes. One that especially comes to mind is the scene with Holden running through the dark woods outside of Karswell’s mansion. A multitude of small glowing lights in the sky becomes a huge fireball that chases Holden through the woods leaving smoking footprints! Quite well done even by today’s standards! Then there’s the end, which is a masterpiece of suspense all by it’s self!
The only element of this film that people seem to be divided on is the Demon it’s self. Jacques Tournier wanted this to be a film of more psychological intent & was appalled when the distributors put in a Fire Demon in both the start and the end. I for one enjoyed this extra-added attraction, feeling it was well done (for the time) and fit the story perfectly, but there are many others that disagree. See for yourselves!
At any rate “Curse of the Demon” is a horrific masterpiece that should not be missed by any horror fan. It is now available on DVD with both the American version “Curse of the Demon” and it’s longer and better British version “Night of the Demon”!
Other Jacques Tourneur horrors! The Cat People I walk with a Zombie
The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)
Terence Fisher’s 1961 “Curse of the Werewolf,” may well be his greatest horror film effort. Spurred on by the success of other Hammer horror film resurrection’s such as “The Horror of Dracula”, “The Mummy”, “Revenge of Frankenstien.” A werewolf film was the next logical step in Hammer’s & Fisher’s port folio & what a great one it was and is!
“Curse of the Werewolf” stars a young Oliver Reed in his first role as orphan of a mute woman and an imprisoned forgotten beggar more animal than man that raped her whom she brought food to since a young child. Now a grown-up beautiful young lady she gets the attention of the aging Marquee who she spurns & ends up thrown in the same cell as the beggar. The beggar then rapes her and dies in the act. Latter she escapes, but not with out killing the old Marquee first. Latter she is found in a stream by the man who would later adopt Leon (Oliver Reed) as his own son.
The movie then swings to a infant Leon who is to be baptized, but the water starts to boil and a face appears in the water in what is a rather eerie scene that has been mimicked many times. Then we jump to a young Leon who starts to kill the town’s sheep when a fullmoon is overhead. In another great scene Leon wakes up with blood covered sheets from the town’s hunter’s bullet, as his adopted father figures out it’s Leon who is killing the sheep. He then bars up Leon’s windows in his bedroom and we are treated to another delicious scene as young fanged Leon stares at the moon shaking the iron bars. The father questions the local priest about Leon malady and is told the spirit of an evil creature has invaded Leon’s body and the only way to suppress it is with love.
Now enter a full-grown Leon ready to make his way in the world. His father frets about his leaving, but hopes the loved shown has exorcised the beast. We find out later that to no avail as Leon turns into a full-fledged Werewolf! I’ve always thought that a Werewolf that kept many human traits was more terrifying than one who didn’t. Believe me when I say I used to have nightmares about this one! The full grown Leon as a Lycanthrope was a sight to behold, feral, viscous, but undeniable human like that made him all the more sinister!
To say more about the plot would give the story away. Let me say “Curse of the Werewolf” for me was THE CLASSIC werewolf film until “An American Werewolf in London” dethroned it, and is still one of the greatest Lycanthrope movies to date. Director Terence Fisher along with Hammer studio’s had an eye for perfection, whether it is the magnificent sets, acting, story & photography. “Curse of the Werewolf” has all of these elements plus more, and will remain one of the greatest horror films ever!
Other Terence Fisher horrors! Horror of Dracula Revenge of Frankenstein The Hound of the Baskervilles The Mummy Brides of Dracula Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll Phantom of the Opera The Horror of it All The Gorgon The Earth Dies Screaming Dracula: Prince of Darkness Island of Terror Frankenstein Created Woman The Devil Rides Out Frankenstein Must be Destroyed Frankenstein & the Monster From Hell
