The Duc De Richleau (Christopher Lee) and Rex Van Ryn (Leon Greene) meet up for their annual reunion only to find their young friend Simon (Patrick Mower) has not turned up. They discover Simon has fallen under the spell of a coven of black magicians, led by the sinister and powerful Mocata (Charles Gray). The Duc and Rex rescue Simon, but he is soon back under Mocata's control.  De Richleau and Rex try to track Simon down, with the help of a young neophyte of Mocata's named Tanith (Nike Arrighti), but time is running out as both Simon and Tanith are to be baptized by Mocata at a Black Mass, on the approaching sabbat, under the watchful eye of "the Goat of Mendes, the devil himself!". thus begins a battle of wills between good and evil, as The Duc De Richleau takes on the nefarius Mocata.

Made in 1968, a time when the British laws were being relaxed with regards to what could be portrayed on the screen, The Devil Rides Out was one of the first films to be made about Devil worship.    Christopher Lee, who in real life is very knowledgeable in matters metaphysical, superbly portrays the Duc De Richleau, a man with a deep understanding of the occult arts. Charles Gray, with his piecing eyes and amazing aristocratic accent, is perfect as Lee's polar opposite. The hauntingly lovely Nike Arrighti, as the troubled Tanith, and the rest of the supporting cast, with Terence Fishers confident directing, all play their parts in creating this splendid period piece.

Car chases, a woodland black mass featuring the horned on himself, Lee's dramatic invocations and a host of other memorable scenes make this one  the most enjoyable of all the Hammer productions.  Filmed in the Hertfordshire countryside at some wonderful locations, The Devil Rides Out is the quintessential English horror film, the likes of which we will probably never see again. A fine vintage.  S.J.T.

The Devil rides out. 1968

Directed by Terence Fisher

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