Devils of Darkness (1965)

User Rating:

4.0/10   

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:

Brittany | Holiday Horror | Castle | Graveyard | Village

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
John Taylor	...	Sgt. Miller
Frank Forsyth	...	Antique Shop Caretaker
Geoffrey Kenion	...	Keith Forest
Rod McLennan	...	Dave
Murray Kash	...	Gypsy Chief
Burnell Tucker	...	Derek
Margaret Denver	...	Tania's Mother
Olwen Brookes	...	Landlady
Billy Milton	...	Librarian
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Julie Mendez	...	Snake Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Lance Comfort

Writing credits
Lyn Fairhurst		(original story and screenplay)

Produced by
Tom Blakeley	....	producer

Original Music by
Bernie Fenton

Cinematography by
Reginald H. Wyer		(photographed by) (as Reg Wyer)

Film Editing by
John Trumper

Art Direction by
John St. John Earl

Makeup Department
George Blackler	....	makeup artist
Biddy Chrystal	....	hairdressing

Production Management
John Comfort	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Baird	....	assistant director
Ian Goddard	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Barrie Melrose	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
George Noonan	....	prop buyer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert T. MacPhee	....	sound recordist (as Robert T. Macphee)
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist
Otto Snel	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Vivian Temple-Smith	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Drake	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Muriel Dickson	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Roy Taylor	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bernie Fenton	....	music arranger
Frank Patten	....	musical advisor
Bernie Fenton	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Leo Kharibian	....	dance deviser and arranger
Julie Mendez	....	speciality snakedancer
Muirne Van Wyk	....	continuity (as Muirne Mathieson)

Production Companies

• Planet Film Productions (as Planet Film Distributors)

Distributors

• Planet Film Distributors (1965) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Planet Film Productions (1965) (UK) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• K & C Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Odeon Entertainment (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Planet Film Distributors (1965) (worldwide) (all media) (as Planet Film Distributors)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2008) (Germany) (DVD)

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) | USA:Approved (certificate number not listed) | USA:Not Rated (DVD release) | Norway:15 (video premiere)

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Planet Film Productions

DEVILS OF DARKNESS (Lance Comfort, 1965) **1/2

I had never heard of this one when it was announced as part of the revived "Midnite Movies" line of DVD releases paired with the renowned WITCHCRAFT (1964); frankly, I was disappointed that this obscure title was chosen over, say, NIGHT OF THE EAGLE (1962) which would have been the ideal companion to Don Sharp's film. In any case, it did seem rather intriguing from the colorful stills posted on Internet sites which reviewed the disc(s) but, all in all, it emerged as pretty goofy, with risible accents and several instances of wildly dated 60s modishness; in fact, an unexpected degree of camp is present in the lengthy pre-credits gypsy dance sequence, when depicting the 'degenerate' lifestyle of a group of ostensible bohemians (read bitchy lesbians and buffoonish, tipsy gentlemen) and the climactic Satanic ceremony!

The narrative, then, provides an unholy mishmash – with little rhyme or reason – of popular horror themes: vampirism, witchcraft and, most bafflingly, body-snatching are all called upon by the oddly female screenwriter. Clearly, this was made by people with no proper knowledge of genre convention: consequently, the end result is aloof and forgettable, if undeniably good-looking (particularly prevalent are the vivid, velvet robes sported by the Satanists) and eminently watchable; in essence, this lies somewhere between the generic output of Hammer and AIP. Predictably, most of the characters initially skeptical author William Sylvester comes into contact with turn out to be members of the devil/vampire cult. In the same vein (pardon the pun!), the police inspector investigating the various mysterious deaths and disappearances starts off as hostile but gradually becomes sympathetic – not to mention, a believer in the supernatural! Unfortunately, the film's slow-moving 88 minutes (misprinted as an even heftier 124 on the DVD back cover!) are capped by a rushed and altogether weak climax.

Sylvester makes for a likable if wooden lead; he had already appeared in another notable horror film DEVIL DOLL (1964) and would later feature in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968). Hubert Noel, though lacking most of the qualities one typically associates with a bloodsucker (not that "Le Comte Sinistre" sees much action in this respect – since all he seems concerned about is to recover his precious talisman!), along with Carole Gray (as the intended gypsy bride of the vampire who, for whatever reason, is jilted by him in favor of the former!), make a rather arresting pair of villains. The belatedly-introduced Tracy Reed is a striking, redheaded heroine – she is Carol Reed's niece, Oliver Reed's cousin and director Anthony Pelissier's daughter, and is best-known for portraying George C. Scott's bikini-clad secretary in DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)! Curiously enough, as I lay watching, I pondered on how it would have effected the film had Gray and Reed exchanged roles...