Jacques (I Walked With A Zombie, The Leopard Man, Cat People, Out of the Past) Tourneur's masterpiece of the macabre remains one of the best written, creepiest, most beautifully shot horror films ever made. It really doesn't get much better than this, a screenwriter and director whose goal it is to FRIGHTEN you. What makes Tourneur so refreshing is the man took his material seriously, his horror is the fear of losing ones mind - of losing control. Monsters and madmen are fine but Tourneur knows nothing is more frightening than somebody losing a grip on their sanity.

Tourneur's films are deeply psychological dramas, but he is also the absolute master of creeping dread and the horror set up - Night of the Demon is full of classic Tourneur moments. Scary as hell forests with gnarled trees, mysterious storms which strike with seemingly supernatural winds, foggy - smoke filled nights, all lovingly shot in the glory that is black and white stock. Even scenes filmed in stark daylight (Holden attending the Satanists' Karswell ultra creepy party) have such a strong underlying feeling of evil.

Night of the Demon relies on one of my favorite horror themes, the in control professional man who doubts the existence of the supernatural only to be scared shitless by a series of events his professional background can't explain. In Night of the Demon we have Dr. John Holden (Dana Andrews) who is set on exposing a Mr. Karswell, a well known witch and supposed Satanist. Upon meeting Karswell, Holden fails to realize that the witch has slipped something into Holden's papers.

Invited to Karswell's sprawling estate Holden is frightened by a powerful display of Karswell's power. Karswell whips up an intense storm before explaining to Dr. Holden that he has three days to live. It seems that the paper Karswell slipped to Dr. Holden calls forth a power that will kill whoever receives it unless it is passed on. The rest of the film follows Dr. Holden, who by now is shitting his pants, as he tries to rationalize the mess he's got himself into.

The screenplay written by Hitchcock writer Charles Bennett keeps you guessing until the controversial ending. Is Dr. Holden losing his cool or is Karswell who he says he is? Will Dr. Holden get his ass ripped in two by some slobbering demon from hell? Is it all in his head?

Tourneur and Bennett wanted to keep these questions rolling but the producer of the film forced an ending that includes the now infamous demon monster. Worried that the audience would feel slighted without the easy, visible payoff, producer Hal E. Chester had the horned beast inserted much to the chagrin of Tourneur and Bennett.

I have mixed feeling about the inclusion of the demon - it wasn't necessary and takes away somewhat from the unknown creepiness the film spent the previous hour plus to achieve - but as a child I bought any magazine that contained the image of this huge, hairy, smoky beast. It's a great looking monster and probably one of the most famous in the genre. It would be interesting to watch what Tourneur and company had in mind and compare it with Chester's version.