Exploring the world of Hammer Horror, which I only know through the doco compilation series that was on SBS growing up, I haven’t seen many of the British studio’s horror films. The Devil Rides Out (1968) was a good place to start (and shout out to Joe Kapiteyn’s band whose name I presume is taken from this or the novel it was based on). It’s known as the rare film where the great Christopher Lee is the good guy, playing Duc de Richleau who quickly figures out that his friend is hanging out with a no good satanic cult, and luckily has a considerable wealth of knowledge on the subject to help battle the forces of darkness, personified by the cult’s leader Mocata (the delightfully smug Charles Gray, Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever). I thought that was very charming and entertaining. It’s all so British, so even though it’s about fighting the influence of satanic orgies and goat-killings, it’s still very dignified – all the characters seem to have country houses and butlers. Lee is fantastic, really selling it with his sonorous voice, particularly in the climax where our heroes have to stay inside a protective circle as all manner of apparitions threaten them. Also stars a young Paul Eddington of Yes, Minister fame. Recommended.
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