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Tag Archives: Charles Gray

The Devil Rides Out

13 Tuesday Apr 2021

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

1960's, Charles Gray, Christopher Lee, Horror, Leon Greene, Niké Arrighi, Patrick Mower, Paul Eddington, Sarah Lawson, Supernatural Horror, Terence Fisher, The Devil Rides Out

A thrilling and very creepy film from Hammer Horror, The Devil Rides Out stands as one of their finest films. It’s the whole atmosphere and compelling story, aided by a pacy running time, The Devil Rides Out is a must see. 

It’s the 1920’s in the English countryside and the cultured, well-respected Duc De Richleau(Christopher Lee) has become concerned about a friend. This friend is the young and often irresponsible Simon Aron(Patrick Mower) ; De Richleau knew his father and since that friend’s death he has looked out for Simon along with fellow chum Red Van Ryn(Leon Greene). The concern regarding comes from Simon seemingly cutting contact off with those closest and disappearing for long periods of time. Aided by loyal best friend Rex, the two men soon unearth that the reckless has fallen in with a secretive society of devil worshippers who wish to baptise him once more as a follower of darkness. The sect is headed by the powerful and dangerously charismatic Mocata (Charles Gray), who is known to be ruthless and extremely gifted in getting people . After knocking Simon out and whisking him away, De Richleau and Rex must contend with the knowledge that they are marked for something dark by the evil Mocata  . They also help rescue a female follower Tanith( Niké Arrighi )who hasn’t been initiated into the bit is struggling with the pull of it. He shelters both Simon and Tanith with his niece Marie( Sarah Lawson) and her husband Richard(Paul Eddington) , who live in a large house in the country. Protecting the potential victims isn’t going to be a cakewalk for as the wicked Mocata can use mind control and hypnosis to make unsuspecting victims do his bidding.  Now De Richleau must fight to save Simon and from the clutches of Mocata , who has set his sights on the rest of De Richleau’s family in a cruel blow that will require a lot of faith to overcome. Let battle between good and evil commence in entertainingly spooky fashion. 

Terence Fisher adopts a restrained, low key approach here that allows for the story to become front and centre, while moving it along at an acceptable pace of mounting chills and unnerving mystery. That doesn’t mean that is without set pieces, it simply means that they are done in a way that isn’t too razzmatazz and more slithering menace. The scene of Mocata intensely putting Marie under hypnosis is gloriously creepy and stands out as a piece of dark filmmaking as the psychology of the situation and overall ambience is cranked up higher in a battle of wills. The other big standout is the protection circle scene where the group have to face off against the dark forces that don’t let up. It knows how to up the ante excellently in the best possible way. Hammer was known for its villains in the guise of Dracula and Frankenstein’s Monster, but the fact that the main enemy in The Devil Rides Out is actually people who believe in a dark purpose makes a very unnerving prospect. Supernatural events occur throughout in the form of dark sorcery and satanism but the battle between good and evil feels more rooted in some semblance of reality while still retaining the magic of Hammer that you’d expect. The lack of bloodshed is also a stroke of genius; it allows us to focus more on the story than just parts that are possibly grisly. As mentioned earlier, the approach of a bit more subtlety adds immensely to the atmosphere of the piece as it unfolds deliberately but in a manner that is very fascinating. The film also has a dazzling colour scheme within in that highlights the richness of red and purple, plus there’s some great camerawork that employs intense close ups of eyes to startling by effect. A few special effects don’t measure up to modern eyes, but the main focus of the spooky story is the true crux of things that outweighs niggle. The score by James Bernard( himself a Hammer Horror regular) is one of great tension and action, which is exactly what you’d want in a film like this. 

Christopher Lee heads a very good cast in a role that is a change of pace for him; the hero. But Lee quickly displays how adept he is at surprising us with a passionate turn as a knowledgable man fighting to save a friend with a sense of great dignity to his core. Lee acquits himself well with force and gravity it must be said and provides the centre of this film. Charles Gray is his counterpart and he relishes being very evil throughout. For Gray, it’s all in the eyes as he uses them to such creepy effect as the character he plays manipulates those around him unsettling skill. Even before we’ve seen Mocata, we get an impression of the man and Charles Gray plays to that spectacularly. loyal friend who is supremely tested by the ordeal and along the way develops romantic feelings for the beautiful Tanith. And speaking of Tanith, she is played with the right amount of sex appeal by the enticing Niké Arrighi. There’s something a little otherworldly quality to her and it’s utilised nicely in The Devil Rides Out. Patrick Mower has the role of the reckless and foolhardy man caught in something he is starting to regret. The part isn’t the biggest stretch for the actor, but he puts in a very good performance nonetheless. Really standing out from the moment she’s introduced is the role of Marie, played by Sarah Lawson. She starts out as seemingly immensely vulnerable, but Lawson shows that the character is actually more switched on and important than people think. In fact, later becomes quite integral to the plot and a lot of this is down to Sarah Lawson. Paul Eddington rounds out the cast as the sceptic among everyone who soon comes to believe in the darkness about to surface.

A creepy and very enthralling Hammer Horror, The Devil Rides Out stands at least in my book as one of their finest. This owes much to a great cast, somewhat low key approach and feeling of elevating tension.

Diamonds Are Forever

22 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by vinnieh in 007 thoughts and reviews, Movie Reviews

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

007, 1970's, Bernard Lee, Bruce Glover, Charles Gray, Desmond Llewelyn, Diamonds Are Forever, Guy Hamilton, James Bond, Jill St. John, Jimmy Dean, Lana Wood, Lois Maxwell, Putter Smith, Sean Connery, Spy

Film Title

Diamonds Are Forever

Director

Guy Hamilton

Starring

  • Sean Connery as James Bond
  • Jill St. John as Tiffany Case
  • Charles Gray as Blofeld
  • Jimmy Dean as Willard Whyte
  • Bruce Glover as Mr Wint
  • Putter Smith as Mr Kidd
  • Lana Wood as Plenty O’Toole
  • Desmond Llewelyn as Q
  • Bernard Lee as M
  • Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny

After critics sniffed at On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the Bond producers managed to persuade Sean Connery to come back for one more performance as 007. The result is Diamonds Are Forever, one of the weaker entries in the series. But as with all of the Bond movies there are at least things of merit to praise. I mean any Bond is better than no Bond at all, isn’t it?

Diamonds begins with Bond tracking Blofeld for the murder of his wife Tracy. Blofeld has skilfully managed to have people made to resemble him, so it is harder to track the evil mastermind. After duelling with 007, it appears the Bond kills him. After the credits, Bond is given his new mission by M. Bond is to impersonate a diamond smuggler and infiltrate a smuggling ring with mysterious motives. Diamonds Are Forever PosterAlong the path of this trail he meets the ravishing Tiffany Case, a smuggler not realising what she’s let herself in for. It soon transpires that Blofeld is in fact alive and well. He is armed with a plan to use the smuggled diamonds to construct a satellite that will destroy nuclear power. Coming up against his old nemesis and leading him to Amsterdam and Las Vegas in the process, Bond must also contend with the ruthless killers of Mr Wint and Mr Kidd, who appear to be unlikely killers, but who delight in the art of murder.

I think I’ll get the negatives out of the way first when reviewing Diamonds Are Forever. For starters, the fact that the opening scene has Bond searching for Blofeld after the murder of Tracy is skated over and never mentioned again. In the last film, there was an effort to give Bond heart with him falling for Tracy, but Diamonds Are Forever seems to forget this and proceeds without any thought. Also, the over the top humour that worked in many of the earlier Bond adventures, grows rather tiresome here and becomes more than a little unconvincing. Guy Hamilton, who directed the iconic Goldfinger, doesn’t quite know which direction to go in with Diamonds and this does make it one the weaker movies in the canon. With those negative thoughts out of the way, onto the positives in the picture. The locations are amazing to behold, especially Las Vegas decked out in all its neon glory. Diamonds Are Forever Bond and TiffanyMany of the sets are also excellently mounted, including a hotel floor that doubles as an aquarium in which Bond and Tiffany have an amorous encounter while suggestively wrapped in mink. John Barry contributes a lively score of excitement and danger. The highlight has to be the classic title song, sung with seductive prowess by Shirley Bassey. The sensual atmosphere of the song adds to the sexy title sequence of girls draped in shimmering diamonds.

It is good to see Sean Connery give the role of Bond one last go. Diamonds doesn’t feature his best performance as Bond, but Connery has more than enough charm, wit and danger to paper over the cracks. Jill St. John is sexy and flinty as the diamond smuggler Tiffany Case. It is unfortunate that she starts out as independent and hard-edged but then falls into damsel territory. None of this is the fault of St. John who is charming and fetching, but more the writer’s fault. Charles Grey makes for a more funny Blofeld that the incarnations portrayed by Donald Pleasence and Telly Savalas. Blofeld DiamondsYet he still has an air of menace about him as he puts forward his scheme. Jimmy Dean is a hoot as the billionaire kept captive by Blofeld, while Bruce Glover and Putter Smith make for an interestingly morbid duo as Wint and Kidd. Lana Wood, though appealing, is wasted as a gold digger who ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Desmond Llewelyn has his moments as gadget guy Q, particularly funny with his device that allows him to win a lot at the slot machines of a casino. Unfortunately, series regulars Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell are underused as M and Moneypenny.

Certainly one of the weaker Bond movies, Diamonds Are Forever is still enjoyable at times, just not the sum of its parts.

 

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