BEATING THE DEVIL foreword by Alex Cox |
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| "Beloved of film buffs and
filmmakers alike, Night of the Demon is an
undisputed cult classic and a timeless fan favourite.
Conceived by a playwright, directed by an auteur and
produced by a showman, it was and remains a winning
combination of imaginative shocks and understated menace.
Now, for the first time, the full background to this
celebrated motion picture has been unearthed in this
fascinating book from award-winning author Tony Earnshaw,
who has produced the definitive guide to the movie
complete with original interview material with many of
the people who created it" [cover jacket blurb] REVIEW IN DEPTH text Night of the Demon (known as Curse of the Demon in the US) is a classic British horror, which went into production on the same day as Hammer's Curse of Frankenstein, as Earnshaw pointed out in an introduction to a Night of the Demon screening, the film is a hybrid and link between the Universal black and white, noir thrillers and the new wave of gory technicolour horror. It is a true classic of the genre, widely regarded by horror fans and critics alike. It is fitting that nearly 50 years later Earnshaw should embark on the first proper study of the film's troubled production. Earnshaw's prose is easy flowing and approachable, treading the line between scholarly research work and layman's tome with precision and comfort, demystifing film study whilst continuing to inform the reader. Rather than take a strictly chronological order to the production, the author takes the sensible approach of dividing the history into related sections, linking by area of production. It becomes much easier to get a feel of the participants involvement, and is particularly interesting in regards to auteurist studies, for each "artist" becomes featured, and it becomes evident that the film is the sum of their contributions/parts. Tourneur has made a splendid film, but it is a collaborative body. Without overbearing the reader with bitty technical facts, the story is conveyed, and the long-standing issue of the demon's introduction to the story as a physical being is debated from both sides. A pure pleasure to read, I would welcome similar tomes from Earnshaw. The National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford, have started well with this new series of Film publications (facilitated by Tomahawk Media), and should quickly establish themselves as a real player in academic film studies circles and perhaps by paradox, lay film fans too. Alex Cox's foreword serves as an introduction and appraisal of the finished work. Of more interest in the splendid Introduction by Professor Sir Chistopher Frayling, which is a fine five-page background to the originating MR James story Casting the Runes, and putting the film adaptation into some perspective. The main text is broken into bite-size chapters, production credits, the background to the film with regards to British horror films and the MR James story, the battles with the film censors at all stages of production, the production, a scene by scene break down of the story, analysis, special effects and the monster, reflections by cast and crew (and John Carpenter who was rumoured to be engaged in a remake a few years ago). There are assorted appendix on the locations, actors and crew biographies, details of home video release and a splendid bibliography. Every page is accompanied by a range of illustrations, and the text is bristling with new and classic interview material. There are reproductions of original correspondance and production designs, all boosting the usefullness of the tome. Its hard to criticise a work that looks and feels this beautiful, on a film that has been neglected in real study. At an RRP of £13.50, its only a little more expensive than some fanzines, and yet is more substantial. The only thing lacking is a day by day break down of what was filmed when. Hardly something to complain about. presentation There are masses of unpublished photographs, and a string of reprinted posters. Clarity is good, and contrast is also fine. Sure to delight is the luxurious section of Ken Adam's original production designs, including sketches of the monster. The text can be a trifle small at times for the casual viewer, but this is a serious text for study as much as for genre fans (I can't emphasise enough the joy of this cross-over). By the time we get to the appendix on Dramatis Personae we move towards columns, something which is much easier on the eye. Beautiful. SUMMARY RJES |
BEATING THE DEVIL |
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