Several books claim that the footage of the demon was inserted into "Night of the Demon" at the producer's insistence. Whether true or not, it's a good thing--because the demon is one of the most visually terrifying creatures in the history of cinema. And except for an awkward shot at the film's conclusion, the demon looks quite convincing. Still, he gets second billing to Niall MacGinnis' great performance as Karswell. My favorite scene: When Karswell explains to two non-believers the difference between white and black magic at a Halloween party he's thrown for the local kids. To make a point, he conjures up a stylish wind storm--which crashes the party and still fails to convince his intended audience. (Be sure to note the similarity between the kids' party here and the one in "The Birds"). All in all, "Night of the Demon" is a great chiller, marred only by Dana Andrews' routine turn as a skeptic who would put Dana Scully to shame.
Review of Curse of the Demon
