Only kidding. The Devil Rides Out is a great barnstorming horror-melodrama, which takes a fairly boring book (still Dennis Wheatley's best though - you should read his other ones) and turns it into an exciting and deftly acted near classic. Only the special effects - as usual with Hammer - disappoint.Christopher Lee gets a chance to play the hero for a change, and is a superbly convincing Duc De Richleiu, off-handedly telling his mate Rex to take any of his cars. Lee is up against Charles Gray's splendidly affable Mocata, the head of a Satanist Cult who's about to induce two young things to sell their souls to the Devil. Gray is fantastic in the part.Patrick Mower, a familiar face on British t.v. in the 70s, is one of 'em, and Lee, having been friendly with his Dad, determines to rescue him from a fate worse than death...The story begins at a rapid pace and doesn't let up, and is full of memorable moments - Lee chins someone in the first 10 minutes for a start! The Satanic Ceremony, with The Goat of Mendes in attendance, is splendid stuff - a truly startling moment occurs when his face is caught in the headlights of a car. Had this film been made three years later the celebrants would probably all have been starkers...The central sequence, with Lee and his cohorts trying to project Mower inside a magic circle from the forces of hell is utterly brilliant. Director Terence Fisher gives it real menace. It's a shame about the silly horse ridden by the Angel Of Death, though. Reversing the film makes him look extremely comical.Great movie from Hammer. And do you recall Dennis Wheatley's warnings with his book collection adverts about not dabbling with Satanism? I still giggle over the Not The Nine O'Clock News spoof of this..."Besides, there isn't room for two of us on this patch!"

Reportedly the personal favourite Hammer film for star Sir Christopher Lee, "The Devil Rides Out" is a marvelous outing for the studio. Adapted by Richard Matheson from the novel by Dennis Wheatley, it stars Sir Christopher as Duc de Richleau. Richleau, also known as Nicholas, is concerned when his younger friend Simon Aron (Patrick Mower) doesn't show up for a reunion with Nicholas and their other pal, Rex Van Ryn (Leon Greene). They learn that Simon has become involved with a demonic cult, led by the coldly charismatic Mocata (Charles Gray). It's a good thing for Simon - and the comely young Tanith (Nike Arrighi) - that Nicholas is on the case, because he's extremely knowledgeable about the occult and keeps a cool head in the face of danger.It's a treat to see the legendary Sir Christopher in one of his most purely heroic roles. He speaks his lines with such sincerity and absolute authority that one can't help but be completely absorbed in his words. He's just the kind of hero you need in this kind of situation. Although he's actually dubbed by another Hammer actor, Patrick Allen, Greene is reasonably engaging as Nicholas's friend. Arrighi is a pretty lady but alas is also pretty stiff. The rest of the supporting cast *is* superb, however, with the striking Gwen Ffrangcon Davies cast as the Countess, and a delightfully sinister Gray - known for his roles in such things as "Diamonds are Forever" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" - provides the film with a very effective villain. His one big scene has him subtly seducing / hypnotizing Nicholas's niece Marie Eaton (Sarah Lawson). Like Sir Christopher, Gray has the ability to have you hanging on his every word.This is an intelligent, involving horror story that has some memorable scare moments. The special effects are, on occasion, rather ropey, but they never detract from the entertainment value of this tale. Terence Fishers' direction is typically meticulous, and James Bernard concocted a thunderous, insistent score that serves as dramatic punctuation on the action.One of the finest of all Hammer films.Eight out of 10.

When the Duc de Richleau discovers that a young friend of his has become caught up in Devil worship, he reveals that he has been studying the subject for years, and so he knows just what to do, because he has it all memorized. Now, in a movie involving the supernatural, it is important that there be a small number of rules, and that the audience learn early on what those rules are (e.g., in the traditional vampire movie, we know that a vampire must avoid exposure to the sun, cannot see himself in the mirror, cannot stand the sight of the cross, and can be killed by driving a wooden stake through his heart). Then the audience can be engaged in what is going on. But in this movie, there must be fifty-seven varieties of rules, rituals, and incantations you have never heard of, which we learn about only when Richleau pulls them out of his hat. As a result, there is no suspense, for we are reduced to waiting to find out about the next new rule.

Richard Matheson fashions a pretty neat script from Dennis Wheatley's novel of occultism and satanic worship, the end result being one of the very best horror movies ever made by the folks at Hammer. The book is certainly good stuff but it suffers in patches from Wheatley's habit of over-indulging in flowery description and long-windedness. Worth reading, absolutely; but you have to forgive the author these periodic stilted segments. The film is unquestionably a much pacier affair, though it still remembers to set aside time for thoughtful character development. Christopher Lee ranks it among his own finest films – rightly so – although anyone who's seen it will be quick to point out that it's actually Charles Gray who steals the acting honours here as the malevolent villain Mocata.The Duc du Richleau (Christopher Lee) reunites with his close, if long-absent, friend Rex Van Rynn (Leon Greene). Rex is surprised that another of their friends, Simon (Patrick Mower), is not there to greet him too. The Duc reveals that he has concerns about Simon, who has recently severed all ties with his friends, moved into a new mansion, and started mixing in peculiar circles. They decide to pay him a visit to see what is going on, and are alarmed to find their friend hosting some kind of disturbing pagan ritual at his new home, attended by a number of other guests, including the attractive but enigmatic Tanith (Nike Arrighi) and the menacing Mocata (Charles Gray). The Duc and Rex attempt to spirit Simon away from the clutches of his new society of friends, but doing this proves much easier said than done. It quickly becomes clear Mocata is actually a powerful sorcerer, capable of a great many evil spells, including summoning up the Devil himself when the need arises.Tightly directed by Terence Fisher, The Devil Rides Out is a genuinely exciting and occasionally quite scary film which hardly puts a foot wrong throughout its duration. The only real weakness is a slightly-too-abrupt ending, though this is not enough to harm the film too severely. It's great to see Lee playing a good guy for a change, while Gray – as already noted – is a picture of silky sinisterness as the principle villain, one of the horror genre's great bogeymen. The set pieces are especially well done, such as the satanic ceremony in the forest and a night of screaming terror during which our heroes spend the dark hours inside a protective circle while all manner of mind-mashing horrors are unleashed against them. The Devil Rides Out rightly takes its place among the very top ranks of Hammer horrors – it's a hugely entertaining and well-crafted bloodcurdler, not to be missed.