Devils of Darkness (1965)

***A vampiric/satanist cult is loose in Brittany & Britain in the mid-60s***

While on vacation in Brittany, a Brit (William Sylvester) runs afoul of a vampire lord named Sinistre (Hubert Noël) and his gypsy bride (Carole Gray). Sinistre & his cult pursue Paul (Sylvester) because he runs off with the Count’s golden bat talisman. Diana Decker plays the socialite owner of an oddity shop while Tracy Reed is on hand as Paul’s new girlfriend who catches the eye of Sinistre.

“Devils of Darkness” (1965) was made by Planet Film Productions, a minor rival of Hammer, and therefore has that Hammer horror vibe, along with Amicus and American International horror flicks of that era. It’s basically a vampire cult movie mixed with satanism and was the obvious inspiration of Hammer’s “The Devil Rides Out” (a.k.a. “The Devil's Bride”) (1968) and is at least on par with that more popular picture.

The story is set-up by a spirited gypsy sequence and turns mundane with Paul on holiday in Brittany. But things perk up at the mid-point with an unexpected beatnik party where an unanticipated side of the seemingly wholesome Madeleine (Decker) is revealed. The party involves drinking, pot and corresponding debaucheries, albeit a little muted compared to what would be shown in the next few years, e.g. “The Wild Angels” (1966), “Easy Rider” (1969) and “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls” (1970). Nevertheless, this sequence perks up the movie.

The obedient chants of the goat-sucking buffoons are amusing, but the satantic rituals are well done and surprising for a film shot in 1964. It’s also interesting to see who’s a part of the cult. Fans of 60’s vampire/satanism flicks are encouraged to give this minor production a look. It’s worth catching simply as a historical peek into English/French culture of 1964.

The film runs 1 hour and 28 minutes and was shot in Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, just west of London.

GRADE: B-/B

Heavens, but this is pure ham! A shockingly shallow attempt at horror - it has precious little that is likely to get you quivering with anything apart from laughter. Set in Britanny, Hubert Noël is the "Count Sinistre" who heads up a Vampiric cult. When some English tourists discover their secret hideaway, the evil Count and this vampire follow them back to England with evil intent! It's a class-less effort with very plastic-looking stage effects and ketchup a-plenty. Sorry to say that this is just a film to miss, I'm afraid.