Perhaps the biggest trump of this still underrated gem of classic horror is that it feels disturbingly realistic and believable. The premise of a devil-worshiping cult often automatically provokes unintended laughs and cheesy situations but in this case you practically sense the devil breathing down your neck! Satan himself makes an appearance (referred to as The Goat of Mendez) which is handled professionally and presented well for it’s time. As an aside, the Goat of Mendez (named after the Egyptian city - Mendes) is the symbol on the observatory floor and also in the opening title sequences - that green thing on the left hand side!
The film also contains a twist at the end which frankly you just wouldn’t see coming. As a Christian myself I’m glad and yet surprised that at the end of the film when Patrick Mower says ‘thank God’ Lee responds,
‘Yes indeed, that is who we have to thank’
You certainly wouldn’t see that today in the movies as belief in God (capital G) becomes increasingly untrendy and dated.
Terence Fisher especially gained fame by his directorial achievements in the Dracula and Frankenstein cycles, but this surely one of his best in an uneven career. It is Christopher Lee's favourite Hammer film – and he doesn’t look back on his horror career with much fondness. You get it by now, ‘The Devil Rides Out’ is one of the greatest horror films ever made and a cinematic experience true fans can't afford to miss.
