THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (THE DEVIL'S BRIDE)

UK, 1968, 95 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Patrick Mower.
Directed by Terence Fisher.

The Devil's Bride is an elegant piece of British horror film-making from Terence Fisher, veteran of so many Hammer films in the Dracula and the Frankenstein series in the '50s and '60s. This film comes from the late '60s, in the aftermath of the success of Hammer Studios. The film stars Christopher Lee, always a strong presence in this kind of film. Charles Gray is his adversary, the Devil Incarnate. In support are a range of character actors including a very young Paul Eddington.

The film was based on Dennis Wheatley's novel, The Devil Rides Out. It is an exotic piece of horror, with a coven in England, amongst the wealthy and the Establishment families. There is a great deal of elegant confrontation, culminating in special effects and horror style appearances of the Devil and the hero trying to save a young man and his girlfriend from being absorbed into the diabolical spheres. The plot cannot be taken seriously - but the film has to be taken seriously because the preposterous themes are done with such elegance and style.

1. The popularity of British horror films of the '50s and '60s? Hammer Studios, their sets, their imagination? Stars and director?

2. The British countryside, mansions, grounds and woods? The special effects for the coven and the rituals? The musical score?

3. The title and the focus of the film? Mocate as the Devil, his bride? His attempt to draw people into the coven?

4. The duke and his friend? Their long friendship, associations from the past, their concern about their mutual friend's son and their being drawn into the mysterious? The visit to the mansion, their being received by the cousins? The suspicious behaviour of the young man, their pursuing him, meeting his friends? The mysterious woman? The discovery of the coven - and the mysterious numbers, behaviour? The attempt to oust them? The duke and his wits, infiltration into the household? Discovery of the coven and its rituals? The plan, trying to get the young man away? Diabolical possession, the duke's friend and his being controlled? The young woman and her attempts to escape? The study of the occult, the duke and his learning and reading? The rituals, the cousins and the forming of the circle, not being allowed out of the circle? The final ritual, Mocate and his confrontation of the duke? His diabolical appearance? The defeat of the Devil?

5. The duke's friend, his prosaic and unimaginative style, becoming involved in the mysterious and the occult? His reactions - and British stolidity in the face of the supernatural?

6. The young man, his motives, involved with the coven, his sinister behaviour? The young woman? Mocate and his control? The duke and the attempts to rescue? Success and failure?

7. The young woman, her mysterious presence, the control by the Devil? Fantasy and reality? Seduction and innocence? The coven, the sacrifice? Her being possessed, her control, her escape? The rescue?

8. Mocate, Charles Gray and his elegant English gentleman style? Control, the guests? Seeing them in the rituals and their being unmasked? His control, desperate fight, confrontation with the duke? The spells? The Devil's wiles? His final appearance and destruction?

9. The cousins, their scepticism? Their becoming involved, staying within the circle - the more homely and ironic touches compared with the serious events? The shock of the experience to them?

10. The continued fascination with the diabolical? Covens, witches, black masses, incantations and incarnations of the Devil? At least in British horror film-making?