Rating: 
Summary: One of the 50s' best B movies!
Review: For moody, atmospheric, subtle horror, Curse of the Demon is one of the best! Jacques Tourneur is a genius at making shadows terrifying! (See the original Cat People for further evidence of that!) Creepy shots of long hallways and forest paths will have you looking over your shoulder, and the sinister farmhouse scene (in the uncut version) will give you the willies. If you appreciate films that don't rely on chainsaws for horror, you'll love this --- the cinematography and pacing are great! Also: This is the film referenced in the opening song in Rocky Horror Picture Show: Dana Andrews said prunes gave him the runes.... Believe me, you don't want those runes!
Rating:
Summary: It's goosebump-riffic!
Review: I concur with most of the praise from others below. A pretty-close-to-ideal adaptation of one of the best stories by one of my favorite authors, M.R. James (not an easy author to adapt well). If you've never read James, do so, pronto.Once upon a time, this sort of less-is-more approach to supernatural horror was pretty standard. It's interesting that when a contemporary film (like a certain recent one we all know) takes that approach, the audience whines in dismay: "Who's afraid of a bunch of trees...! " Dana Andrews, that's who. (Of course, Tourneur's producers at the time clearly had the same objection.) Since we're voting on the rubber demon, here are my thoughts: Woulda been a better movie without him, but he's not the disaster some detractors say. At least he's genuinely diabolical-looking. His appearance at the end isn't as much of a problem for me as the one right at the beginning... THAT'S a bad move.
Rating: 
Summary: A real first class chiller and one of the best ever.
Review: I first saw this movie back in 1957 when I was a 18 year old soldier stationed at Fort Bullis, Tx. The theatre was located about a mile from the barracks and I was really spooked by the demon shown on the screen to the point that when I walked back to the barracks I actually looked over my shoulder a few times. Man what a impact that movie had on me then. Just have to see it again so I ordered the video.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling Masterpiece!
Review: This is considered a "cult" movie because the audiences who are fixated on "Alien" and "The Thing" still haven't discovered. They should. Based on the terrifying short story, "Casting of the Runes" by Montague James, this dimly lit classic by Jacques Torneaur gets off to a roaring start with the victim pleading to the Sorcerer to spare his life. The monster is also horrifying although purists, and critics, decry showing it. The only major weakness: the arrogant, idiotic character portrayed by Dana Andrews. He's one of those nerve-wracking sceptics so beloved of fifties through the seventies fantasy film-makers: the imbecile who refuses to believe the obvious although he's nearly beaten over the head with clue after clue. Especially during the sequence at seance, you want to throttle him. His girlfriend, played by Peggy Cummings (who was fired from Darryl Zanuck's bomb spectacular, "Forever Amber" and replaced by Linda Darnell)is also so vapid and girlish, you wish they could have had someone more mature, with a more authorative voice. (she sounds like a school kid). Also, the Andrews character suddenly deciding to visit the mansion of the sorcerer in the dead of night, without even a flashlight (matches were still a great favorite of filmakers during this era) also boggles the mind. Despite the script weaknesses, "Curse of the Demon" is a beautiful black and white classic, nearly worthy to rank with "Dead of Night."
Rating:
Summary: Horror 101 for Filmmakers
Review: The film is truly believable. I loved the seance (an avenue of good or evil) where various personalities speak. If you've ever witnessed the real thing, or know someone who has, you'll know this is frighteningly similar. It is here that you get a glimpse of the realities of Satanism. One of the 3 main characters, Professor Karswell, invited evil into his life by assembling cults and administering evil from his resplendent estate. Jacques Tourneur brilliantly directed Curse of the Demon. I've since sought out other Tourneur works.
Rating: 
Summary: A splendid supernatural shocker, one of the best
Review: I actually give 3 1/2 stars. There is very little I can add here because for this film your other customer comments are right on the money. Curse of the Demon is a splendid example of what can be achieved on a low budget with skill, intelligence and imagination. It puts most of today's super- gore shockers to shame. This is arguably Jacques Tourneur's best film.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this movie
Review: I saw it on the Space channel last night and loved it, it is so good, way ahead of it's time. Horror at its best.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic of Horror
Review: Based on -- and admirably expanding on - M.R. James' story "Casting the Runes", this remains one of the finest supernatural movies ever made. The screenwriter was a Hitchcock veteran and it shows in the tautly structured plot. Niall MacGinnis is superb as the urbane villain, and the film has any number of classic sequences: the seance scene, the scene at the Hobart farm, the Children's Halloween party and whirlwind scene, the scene in the woods -- even the controversial special effects of the fire demon actually work (although it's debatable whether the film would be better without) -- the only special effect that doesn't come off is the scene where Dana Andrews is fighting purportedly with a large wild cat -- obviously fake. But that is a tiny flaw in what is a classic of the genre. Eerie, atmospheric, and highly recommended. Another bit of trivia: this is the film referred to in the opening song of The Rocky Horror Picture Show ("Dana Andrews said prunes / gave him the runes/ and passing them used lots of skills") and also in the scene where Janet collides with atree branch in the "There's a Light" number.
Rating:
Summary: A classic in the genre
Review: Like Tourneur's "Cat People," this is an object lesson in light, shadow, and the idea that less is more. Based on an excellent story by M. R. James, this is an unusually literate horror film. The demon effects (added later) detract only slightly from the film's effectiveness. Trivia note: in Kate Bush's song "Hounds of Love," the opening lines ("It's in the trees! It's coming!") are from this film. Kate must like it, too.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic of the Genre
Review: Director Jacques Tourneur has crafted asuperior chiller- intelligent and intensely atmospheric. The story of a skeptical scientist confronting demonicforces is tightly written and fast paced. Above par acting, excellent black and white photography and a great scorecombine to make "Curse of the Demon" one of the very few supernatural films that can be taken seriously. A well made and intelligent film by any standard.
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