Beating the Devil: The Making of 'Night of the Demon' |
 |
 click here for more details, find new or used items |
Tony Earnshaw
|
|
Pages: 127 (Paperback)
ISBN: 095319261X
Pub: Tomahawk Press
Pub date: 2005-05-01
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 104657
Reader Reviews:
Beating the Devil (9/10 people found this helpful)
A great book about the making of the 1956 movie "Night Of The Demon" is an absorbing read. With a introduction by Sir Professor Christopher Frayling, this book by Tony Earnshaw contains a collection of memoirs of all the people involved in the making of this wonderfully scary classic film. A lot of research has gone into it and it tells tales of drunken actors, (well maybe only one) and the disputes between the producer and director. I think it was very clever how the special FX were done and what they achieved in those days. The main dispute in the film being wether the "Demon" should make an appearance or not. I'm glad he did, it scared me to death when I saw it as a child, and I still think it was a masterpiece of cinematic art.
If, like me, you are a big fan of this film than you will kick yourself for not buying this book! After all it seems the National Museum do not have the only copy. from Meryl Heasman (songwriter) CATFLAP MUSIC, Kent.
'Oh I believe in them - absolutely' (10/11 people found this helpful)
Fantastic to have a book in print about my favourite movie ever. Thank you Mr. Earnshaw!
It's actually a very funny story, because nobody who worked on it seemed to be of the opinion that they were making a supernatural masterpiece that would be revered decades on: they all seemed to think that somebody else ruined it somehow. And actors who gave stonking performances like Brian Wilde and Maurice Denham seem to have barely registered that they were actually in it - although I bet Niall McGinnis recognised the worth of what he did.
I always thought American lead Dana Andrews was a bit stiff playing the sceptical psychologist, but reading about how he seems to have spent the entire shoot drunk during the day and raving it up in nightclubs in the evening, I now think he must have been an acting genius.
Nothing can ever ruin this marvellous film for me - wherever you all are, whether in your dotage or in film peoples' heaven, you all produced a little piece of magic!
The dropped star is because in the actors' biographies, where they are all given their photos and CVs, the marvellous Peter Elliott - K T Kumar of Bombay - is simply not included. Otherwise, a super read.
A very worthwhile read .......... (14/15 people found this helpful)
........ for any fans of the classic old horror B-Movie 'Night of the Demon' (or 'Curse of the Demon' as it was titled in the US). A fascinating read with lots of tidbits of information on the productions, actors, producers, special f/x and the like.
Film-making afficianados will also get a lot from it - a very pleasurable read.
Similar Products
Curse of the Demon + Night of the Demon (Ws) [1958] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Casting The Runes [1979]
Into the Unknown: The Fantastic Life of Nigel Kneale
Dead Of Night [1945]
Quatermass And The Pit [1967]
Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> History -> World History -> World War II 1939-1945 -> Weapons -> Tomahawk
Books -> Subjects -> Music, Stage & Screen -> Film -> Criticism & Theory
Books -> Subjects -> Music, Stage & Screen -> Film -> History of Film -> United States
Books -> Subjects -> Music, Stage & Screen -> Film -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Music, Stage & Screen -> General AAS
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Font Size (format_browse-bin) -> Regular Size