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METRO: NIGHT OF THE DEMON
By Jim Burke

Night of the Demon

Tony Earnshaw, Head of Film Programming at Bradford’s National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, has just written a book on the making of the neglected ‘50s classic Night of the Demon. He introduces a rare screening of the film tonight.

Jim Burke: Why the attention on this particular film?
Tony Earnshaw: I watched it many years ago when I was a kid, and I’ve never forgotten it. Nothing really substantial has ever been done on it before. What really interested me was this ongoing argument amongst fans over whether the demon should have been shown or not.

JB: Where do you stand on that?
TE: It’s a very haphazard creation, that demon. There are some really striking elements to it, but others where it looks like a chimpanzee riding a bicycle. But I think it was a really bold step to show it in the first five minutes. It does create a real tension, because you know the villain isn’t faking.

JB: Do you think modern audiences will take it seriously or see it as a bit of a camp giggle?
TE: You’ll either get the devotees saying it’s a highly atmospheric and suggestive film, or others who’ll say it’s a clunky old piece of nonsense. But it’s a very bright film, very well written. And I don’t think you can get a better villain than Niall McGinnis. He plays it absolutely Shakespearean.

JB: Your book deliberately avoids in-depth analysis. Is this because the film wouldn’t support that approach?
TE: I’m tremendously bored by film academics who deconstruct films to death. I just wanted to trace the film’s journey from conception to completion. If somebody else wants to link it in with medieval literature or modern kinky vampire films, good luck to them. That’s not my bag.

JB: Are you hoping your book will redress the neglect of the film?
TE: It’s a very limited print run, though I heard John Landis, who directed American Werewolf, has got a copy. Somebody who knew him saw him reading it and said, “Where the hell did you get that? I thought it was only available in Bradford!” If there’s a sudden interest in the film, super. I’ll claim credit for it then.

• This interview originally appeared in Metro. (October 31 2005). (© Metro 2005)