Devils of Darkness (1965)

Director:

Lance Comfort

Writer:

Lyn Fairhurst (original story and screenplay)

Release Date:

May 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

He's a Vampire with a Cult Following.

Plot:

A secret vampire cult, which has its headquarters beneath the town cemetery, searches for victims for its human sacrifice rituals. |

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Cemetery | Supernatural | Vampire Cult | Snake

Cast

William Sylvester	...	Paul Baxter
Hubert Noël	...	Count Sinistre (as Hubert Noel)
Carole Gray	...	Tania
Tracy Reed	...	Karen Steele
Diana Decker	...	Madeleine Braun
Rona Anderson	...	Anne Forest
Peter Illing	...	Inspector Malin
Gerard Heinz	...	Bouvier - the Hotel Manager
Brian Oulton	...	The Colonel
Walter Brown	...	Bruno
Eddie Byrne	...	Dr. Robert Kelsey
Victor Brooks	...	Inspector Hardwick
Marie Burke	...	Old Gypsy Woman
Marianne Stone	...	The Duchess
Avril Angers	...	Midge

Also Known As:

Talisman (Europe: English title) (video box title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolour)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex) (uncredited)

Certification:

UK:PG | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:15 (video premiere)

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Planet Film Productions

Tedius witchcraft horror

I got this film as part of one of MGM's "Midnite Movies" double features. The second feature in the pack, Witchcraft (1964) was a good film so I had fairly high hopes for this one in spite of the low IMDb rating with it being the first feature. Naturally the two films share the subject of witchcraft, the only difference being that Witchcraft (1964) did it in an interesting way...and this film doesn't. The film adheres better to the "British horror style" that features in the films by Hammer and the other major studios, but it really has nothing on most of the movies brought out around the same time; films like this are made for entertainment and this one isn't entertaining! The plot focuses on Paul and Karin, a couple out holidaying in France. Not long after meeting a sinister French aristocrat, two of Paul's friends die and when his girlfriend mysteriously disappears, it becomes apparent to Paul that something funny is afoot. He then takes to following clues that lead to the revelation that the French count isn't what he seems!

The film gets off to a promising start; we get a creepy opening sequences and then the characters are introduced, but it quickly descents into tedium. There's far, far too much talking and none of the horror elements are even bordering on being frightening, or even interesting. The film features themes such as satanic worship and vampirism and they really are wasted. The film also lacks lead performers with charisma - there's no Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee equivalent, which means we're left with William Sylvester as the good guy and Hubert Noël as the bad guy; both of which do little to interest their audience. Director Lance Comfort doesn't create much, if any suspense and the interplay between the characters is boring. The film does look rather nice which is really the only good thing I have to say about it, but that's only a small reprieve in a film so full of negative elements. Overall, there are far better films on this subject than Devils of Darkness; anyone that owns the Midnite Movies double only needs to look so far as the second feature. I have no reason to recommend this film!