The Devil Rides Out (1968) October 30th, 2023

The Devil Rides Out stands apart from other great horror-adventure pictures by being far less horrific or adventurous and far more British than most. Set in late 1920s England, The Devil Rides Out focuses on a small group of adventuring buddies. Christopher Lee’s Cardassian-esq named hero Duc de Richleau and his pulp paperback named friend Rex Van Ryn discover their astoundingly ordinarily named friend Simon Aron has take up with high society satanists. Together with Richleau’s niece and her husband Richard they work against the evil cult leader Mocata (played by The Rocky Horror Picture Show alum Charles Gray) to save Simon and another cute satanist girl named Tanith from the clutches of The Goat of Mendes (the Devil).

Some of the most famous satanic horror films like The VVitch, Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist slowly build haunting moments of terror on top of intriguing moments of mystery until peaking with their third acts. What sets The Devil Rides Out apart from those great films and others, how thoroughly British they go about it. The Devil Rides Out is in many ways fast paced and exciting with car chases, satanic blood sacrifices, and even defending against supernatural attacks in a magic protection circle but throughout every exciting moment our heroes remain properly quaffed in their immaculate three piece suits and never raise their voices above a volume becoming an English gentleman. It’s like, you know James Bond doesn’t break a sweat even if he’s playing baccarat with the devil in hell. The more I think about it the more I recognize similar characterizations in many mid century British horror/adventure pictures like The Wicker Man and The Curse of Frankenstein. The prim protagonist possessing enviable composure in the face of unnatural indecency is an integral part of these British horror films’ unique flavor.

Dated special effects might detract from a modern viewers experience but I expect most people giving The Devil Rides Out a shot today won’t let goofy effects affect their enjoyment (sorry dyslexics). Otherwise I’d recommend The Devil Rides Out to anyone interested in elaborate set pieces and the atmospheric imagery of Hammer horror films. Cheerio.