NIGHT OF THE DEMON

British Quad (30" x 40" )
Very Good+ on Linen
Columbia, 1957

This attractive print is different from the copy sold at the last auction. This original copy has the X Rating in the lower left corner, which means it was intended for domestic use in Great Britain. The one sold in the last auction was distributed to British territories that formed part of the Commonwealth, where cinema certification wasn't required, as it did not have the X Rating.

This British quad has been restored to correct a missing upper left corner, including the cast titles in yellow and the studio name, and extended into the right side of the Demon's face on the poster's left. The restoration work is magnificent, and the missing portion is almost indetectable.

Widely hailed as one of the best horror films of the 1950s, this epic production, directed by Jacques Tourneur and based on the short story by M.R. James, "Casting the Runes," follows Dr. John Holden (Dana Andrews), who travels to Great Britain to investigate a satanic cult suspected of being involved in several deaths. The director never intended to show the titular demon on-screen, leaving that to the audience's imagination. Still, he was overruled on this point by the producer, who inserted a shot of the monster at the beginning and end of the film without Tourneur's knowledge or participation. The film was cut to 82 minutes from its original 95 for its American release, and the title was changed to Curse of the Demon.

This lot will be auctioned on Thursday, April 18th. The auction will begin at 9:30am PST and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on April 19th.