THE DEVIL RIDES OUT on Disc

A beautiful DVD presentation of a Hammer classic that remains impressive despite dated effects, but don't expect great supplemental material.

By Steve Biodrowski     August 22, 2000

The Devil Rides Out (1968, originally released in the U.S. as The Devil's Bride) was the last gasp of the classic Hammer Horror style. The studio would certainly go on to produce a handful of good, even great, films over the next few years, but the old ideas had worn thin, and the increasing experimentation with gore and nudity resulted in an uneven, hit-or-miss approach that lacked the finesse and sure-handed control on view here. For despite the studio's (at the time) reputation for a reliance on shock effects over story, a look today at the DVD of The Devil Rides Out reveals a careful, even reserved, handling of the material, coupled with superb craftsmanship and a close attention to detail. The disc preserves these qualities as well as anyone could wish, and even if the supplemental extras are unremarkable, the film itself is worthwhile on its own.

Adapted by Richard Matheson (The Legend of Hell House) from the novel by Dennis Wheatley, the story follows the Duc du Richleau (Christopher Lee, excellent in one of his few heroic performances) as he tries to rescue a young friend from a coven of Satan-worshippers, led by Mocata (the late Charles Gray, probably most famous today for The Rocky Horror Picture Show). Wheatley's work has a reputation for well-researched authenticity, and Matheson strength was for placing horror in realistic, believable settings, so there is a certain aura of conviction running through the film, which somewhat separates it from the usual spooky-creepy approach one expects. This is no doubt aided by the fact that it is one of the few Hammer horrors set not in the Victorian era but during the early part of the 20th-century, complete with such modern inventions as automobiles and even prop-airplanes.

Still, for all this solid grounding, the film is treated like an adult fairy tale by director Terence Fisher (the man behind the camera on Hammer's greatest classics, such as Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula). Fisher's work was almost always characterized by a clear demarcation between Good and Evil, light and darkness, yet somehow this simple approach never seemed simplistic. Despite the religious overtones, his films felt secular, as if the battle between righteousness and blasphemy were a well-matched chess game in which the winner was not the most devout but the most skilled player. The results were, at their best, solid and clear-headed, with characters that shone through like well-defined archetypes.

This is certainly true of The Devil's Bride, thanks to fine performances from Lee and Gray (the latter making a memorable impression despite relatively brief screen time). Although thirty years later, we can look at the plot with a different, more ambiguous perspective, the film itself still rings true. Sure, the Duc's rescue of his friend reads almost like a cult deprogramming, and one could argue that he is intervening where he has no right to, but the film itself convinces us that he is waging a righteous battle that will save the very souls of all involved.

If there is a weakness in the film, it is in the horror element itself. The storytelling is fine, setting the stakes and preparing us for frightening consequences, but the manifestations of evil are seldom as effective as intended. Part of the problem is sensibility and fear of censorship: the satanic orgies are notably mild. Another part of the problem is one of technology: the special effects, though adequate for their time, do not hold up well under modern scrutiny. But more than this, there is a problem of vision. Fisher was always strongest as a director when dealing with a tangible menace (hence, Dracula in his hands was not a shadowy spook but a full-blooded being with immense physical presence). Here, however, he is dealing with the uncanny, with visitations that might be hypnotically induced hallucinations or actual demons from the pit, and he just isn't up to the task of selling them visually to the audience. (One is left thinking that Fisher's contemporary, Mario Bava, would have excelled at these scenes, but then, Bava probably would have bungled the rest of the film surrounding them.)

Despite these flaws, the film remains strong in other areas. One of its justifiably well-remembered scenes features Mocata paying what appears to be a social call while the Duc is out. This long sequence, wherein he gradually lulls his victim off-guard, is a great piece of writing, acting, and directing, with an economical use of camera angles that convey his gradually increasing domination, topped off by a perfectly used high-angle shot as he sends his hypnotic power throughout other rooms of the house. After a fortuitous interruption breaks the spell before he can do real harm, he also gets one of the film's best lines as he departs: 'I won't be back for Simonbut something will...' (The film's other most memorable line takes place when the Duc is asked to lend a car: 'Of course,' he says casually. 'Take any of them.' We never see how many he has, but the way Lee tosses off the line conjures up visions of an entire fleet.)

The DVD preserves the colors of the film in sharp detailalways important in Hammer films, as the lavish and ornate production design was always a big part of the appeal. The image is matted to a theatrical widescreen (non-scope) ratio, and has been enhanced for 16x9 TV screens. There is a choice of English and French dialogue, and there are two trailers: one for the British release and one for the American release (they are virtually identical except for the title change in the states). There is also a World of Hammer episode, featuring clips from the studios many films, and an audio commentary by Lee and co-star Sarah Lawson.

The World of Hammer, narrated by Oliver Reed (who starred in Hammers Curse of the Werewolf) has some nice moments, but the selection of clips is hit-and-miss. Mixed in with the many classic, Gothic chillers are interesting glimpses of other Hammer output (including war films) and thunderingly dull clips from some lame comedies. With so much good material to choose from, it's sad that an attempt to give an overall picture of the studio resulted in the inclusion of sub-part footage.

The audio commentary is also a disappointment. Lee and Lawson provide some interesting information here and there, and their pride in the film shows through, but for the most part (Lee in particular) they simply explain the plot of the film to us as it happens ('This is the scene where...'). We do learn that Lee was instrumental in convincing Hammer to adapt one of Wheatley's books (presumably the reason the actor was given the lead, somewhat against type) and that Lawson's husband dubbed the voice for the film's other male lead, Leon Green. Lee also comments on the overall authenticity of the film (thanks to Wheatley's research), pointing out only one fictional invention, a ritual invocation that dispatches the power of evil twice in the film. (Lee says he failed to find a real-life counterpart for this in his own research, so he himself had to invent the words for it, which were not given in the book.) It's nice to see that Lee takes the subject matter seriously (unlike so many 'it was only a job'-type actors), and one wishes that more of the commentary had been directed in this direction, instead of rehashing the story scene-by-scene.

But the extras may not be the selling point here; the film is. Although not perfect, Devil Rides Out is a must for Hammer fans, and it's also a pretty good introduction for the uninitiated as well, as long as you know you're not going to get modern high-tech effects. In fact, one continuing theme of Lee's audio commentary is that this is the one Hammer film that could truly benefit from a remake, thanks to the advances in digital technology. If only someone could be found to give the material the serious, straightforward approach seen here, then the drama could indeed be enhanced by a state-of-the-art remake. On the other hand, if Hollywood just goes for the effects at any cost, we could just end up with another worthless remake a la The Haunting.

DVD Extras

1.66:1 Widescreen Version, enhanced for 16:9 TV

'World of Hammer' episode, narrated by Oliver Reed

British and American Theatrical Trailers

Audio Commentary by Christopher Lee and Sarah Lawson

Scene Access

Languages: English and French