PS Wasn’t Deborah Kerr simply brilliant, and devastatingly beautiful, but in a slyly subversive way, so that you don’t realise you’ve been hit over the head with a sledgehammer until you’ve picked yourself up off the floor. Or, is it just me?
Great film! Probably my best find since I started reading your pieces. Wonderful acting, the photography and editing are top notch, and the story is very modern, even by late-60s standards.
Never heard of this film, just watched it. Deborah Kerr looked divine, what a strange film, very 60s. Do you think these films were actually scary at the time?
Eerie is the appropriate word, but probably at the time, it must have been strange this whole pagan element. Now, it seems rather blasé. The pagan storyline reminded me of Midsommar, now that is a disturbing film.
The thing to remember is that the witchcraft/pagan thing was HUGE in the late 60s/early 70s- in the press, in pulp paperback fiction, on television and on film: The Witches (1966) with Joan Fontaine- another film I may well do at a later time.
No. I think Rosemary’s Baby was just moving in on a trend. Have a listen to Mark Gatiss and Matthew Sweet’s brilliant and highly entertaining BBC4 radio documentary on this very subject: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/search?q=Black+Aquarius
Oh? I've never actually been there. I had to look it up for a Versailles Century post once. A Marquis de Hautefort was an in-law of the Duc de Croÿ, one of my diarists.
I very much enjoyed this film, but it is something of an oddity. By 1966 color was king and chic was out, replaced by wacky and happening. No wonder it flopped as it's far too black and white New Wave, the sort of thing that was standard fare c1960-64. But time forgives and we can now see it on its own terms, within an ongoing genre of witchcraft and folklore. It also makes a nice change to have a distinguished cast set in France but all speaking perfect English!
Never seen, but simply must now.
Thanks, Luke, for yet another task set…ha-ha!
PS Wasn’t Deborah Kerr simply brilliant, and devastatingly beautiful, but in a slyly subversive way, so that you don’t realise you’ve been hit over the head with a sledgehammer until you’ve picked yourself up off the floor. Or, is it just me?
Huge fan of DK. I like David Niven in the role too. Both believable aristos.
So, not just me then?
Including mid-1960s David Hemmings was a 'dead' giveaway
Great film! Probably my best find since I started reading your pieces. Wonderful acting, the photography and editing are top notch, and the story is very modern, even by late-60s standards.
Blofeld, a sinister man of the cloth as a SPECTRE sideline - makes perfect sense!
I will be watching “Eye Of The Devil” tonight!
I don’t like Conan O’Brien
Never heard of this film, just watched it. Deborah Kerr looked divine, what a strange film, very 60s. Do you think these films were actually scary at the time?
That's a good point. I'm not entirely sure. I see it as more eerie than scary, as such. Not that you would think that from the film poster!
Eerie is the appropriate word, but probably at the time, it must have been strange this whole pagan element. Now, it seems rather blasé. The pagan storyline reminded me of Midsommar, now that is a disturbing film.
The thing to remember is that the witchcraft/pagan thing was HUGE in the late 60s/early 70s- in the press, in pulp paperback fiction, on television and on film: The Witches (1966) with Joan Fontaine- another film I may well do at a later time.
I had no idea, do not know that film either, will have to check it out. Was Rosemary´s Baby the catalyst?
No. I think Rosemary’s Baby was just moving in on a trend. Have a listen to Mark Gatiss and Matthew Sweet’s brilliant and highly entertaining BBC4 radio documentary on this very subject: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/search?q=Black+Aquarius
Thanks will definitely listen.
Never seen it either; thank you! Will check out
Never heard of it, but I have heard of the château de Hautefort. Off to YouTube!
Recently restored following a devastating fire?
Oh? I've never actually been there. I had to look it up for a Versailles Century post once. A Marquis de Hautefort was an in-law of the Duc de Croÿ, one of my diarists.
Another 'complete unknown' (if I may borrow a recent fave) which we really must watch. Thank you, Luke
"Stars unknown by most readers", oh, Luke, you made me feel so old suddenly, lol. OK, I don't think I've seen this one but I'll go take a gander....
I meant the film, not the cast! Hmmm. I may need to tweak…
I very much enjoyed this film, but it is something of an oddity. By 1966 color was king and chic was out, replaced by wacky and happening. No wonder it flopped as it's far too black and white New Wave, the sort of thing that was standard fare c1960-64. But time forgives and we can now see it on its own terms, within an ongoing genre of witchcraft and folklore. It also makes a nice change to have a distinguished cast set in France but all speaking perfect English!
Yes, it IS a bit New Wavey. Especially the beginning with the SNCF, and the Citroen DS in the Paris street.