By: Hal

Hal — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 02:35:10 +0000

The Devil Rides Out, I didn’t use the link but this was recently released on blu-ray. This is one of the best and most notable ’60s Hammer films, not only did it give Christopher Lee one of his rare – if stern – “good guy” roles as the Duc * but it also features Paul Eddington (Robin Hood, The Good Life, Yes, Minister), the deliciously camp and malevolent Charles Gray (a few years before playing Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever) and – in easily his best film – Patrick Mower§ playing a bit of an idiot (learn the lesson – don’t fool around with the Black Arts, kids!) so he’s *supposed* to be irritating here, for a change. Plus, who could forget the Goat of Mendes?! (not *Sam* Mendes of Skyfall fame, of course).
Trivia
*Lee plays the Duc de Richelieu here but would go on to work for *Cardinal* Richelieu in The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers.
§For Doctor Who fans Patrick Mower provides an interesting link to two producers of the Tom Baker era. He was the lead in Target a police drama developed by the BBC as their answer to The Sweeney; the series was originally overseen by Graham Williams but when Doctor Who became increasingly controversial the decision was made to give its incumbent producer Philip Hinchcliffe the Target project, this meant that Williams had to be assigned to work elsewhere, his new show? Doctor Who! Target was not a success (despite the involvement of Philip Madoc and other familiar Who faces) but it’s still an interesting footnote. Mower never really escaped the image of annoying ’70s macho medallion man and has spent several years in soap opera purgatory (and he still wears something weird around his neck… Old habits…).

Comments on: Halloween movie: The Devil Rides Out

By: Hal