Product: The Devil's Bride [VHS] (1968)
Rating: 4.0
de Richleau Vs Mocata - the fight for the soul
I love Hammer studios films for their atmosphere, pacing, & the classic theme's of good and evil. And this would have to be their high water mark. I like their subsequent films, I'm not afraid to have a bit of sex thrown in (which is what they started doing), but in this - everything was still done in earnestness. They were really fighting for the souls of people, and you believed it. I really admire this film, because Richard Matheson has taken Dennis Wheatley's story, pared it down, and made a very tense film, that still manages to have at least three genuine moments of terror - even after 32 years, and many viewings. Christopher Lee as deRichleau (good) and Charles Grey as Mocata (Evil) make very good adversaries, and the black magic elements are very believable and frightening. I highly recommend this film, and suggest others who like it check out the similarly themed Burn Witch Burn aka Night Of The Eagle (1962).