On arriving in England to debunk the leader of a demonic cult, an American professor finds his host has died in mysterious circumstances and the cult leader has the same plan for him ...
No spoiler to say the demon is revealed in all its cheesy glory very early in the movie, which was a mistake. The trouble with MR James stories is that they're all about a rising mood of unease created by subtle sensation and weird effects that are only glimpsed, and so they lack the visuals most film makers demand. The real effect of the demon (added over the objection of the director, apparently) also causes a problem because the story ends on a vague note, without deciding the clash between imagination and reality. It's unclear the sceptical professor has been swayed, and the actor certainly doesn't go through a change, yet the concrete demon means it was all real.
The pace is fine, and picks up toward the end with a few elisions. Plenty of good scenes, especially the cat attack and the hypnosis tragedy, and the cherry song is utterly weird. And there are a few touches of non-conformist fanaticism to deepen the dread.
The lead actor plays an unsympathetic character, rude and irritating, and I think he should have had a break down after the window death to add depth to the story - instead he's brusque and efficient. Best performances are from the cult leader and his mother.
Nothing special in the photography, which is disappointing. Music is typical 1950s melodrama, laid on with a trowel.
Overall: mixed bag, but it captures the essence of the story.
ps. the song is Cherry Ripe.
No spoiler to say the demon is revealed in all its cheesy glory very early in the movie, which was a mistake. The trouble with MR James stories is that they're all about a rising mood of unease created by subtle sensation and weird effects that are only glimpsed, and so they lack the visuals most film makers demand. The real effect of the demon (added over the objection of the director, apparently) also causes a problem because the story ends on a vague note, without deciding the clash between imagination and reality. It's unclear the sceptical professor has been swayed, and the actor certainly doesn't go through a change, yet the concrete demon means it was all real.
The pace is fine, and picks up toward the end with a few elisions. Plenty of good scenes, especially the cat attack and the hypnosis tragedy, and the cherry song is utterly weird. And there are a few touches of non-conformist fanaticism to deepen the dread.
The lead actor plays an unsympathetic character, rude and irritating, and I think he should have had a break down after the window death to add depth to the story - instead he's brusque and efficient. Best performances are from the cult leader and his mother.
Nothing special in the photography, which is disappointing. Music is typical 1950s melodrama, laid on with a trowel.
Overall: mixed bag, but it captures the essence of the story.
ps. the song is Cherry Ripe.