The idea of a cursed movie is something of a genre staple by now. from DEMONS to PORNO to ANTRUM: THE DEADLIEST FILM EVER MADE and the CIGARETTE BURNS episode of MASTERS OF HORROR there are plenty of tales of films that bring death to those who watch or try to find them. One of the latest entries into the collection, FURY OF THE DEMON (or LA RAGE DU DEMON in the original French) made its debut at the 2016 Fantasia Festival and is one of the best.
Coming in at a fast sixty minutes the film tells the mysterious tale of FURY OF THE DEMON. A silent film that causes madness and violence every time it’s shown. Starting with a recounting of its most recent showing in 2012 the film traces its history of violence. And attempts to determine who made it and why it has the effect it does. Of course, this is a mockumentary and the film fictional, but the film is full of actual historical facts blended in with fiction well enough it’s often impossible to tell when the makers have strayed from the facts.
The facts involve Georges Méliès, the pioneering French silent filmmaker. Starting with the theory that it might be one of his many lost films before investigating an occult-obsessed associate Victor Sicarius. There are enough real details of Méliès life and films to make the set up believable. And with many of the experts who take part being real people such as Méliès great, great-granddaughter. As well as directors Christophe Gans and Alexandre Aja, it’s almost impossible at times not to believe it’s all true.
Shot with a light, fast-moving pace FURY OF THE DEMON never gets too serious or heavy even when delving into spiritualism and various occult themes. But it never strays from the appearance of being a serious documentary either. There’s no winking to the audience, the closest it ever comes to that is the name of the last person to screen the film, Edgar A. Wallace, and that’s obscure in its own right.
Fabien Delage (COLD GROUND) deserves a tremendous amount of credit for not only writing and directing the film. But also for convincing so many academics from different fields to participate and play it straight. It lends a certain weight and believability to the proceedings. And the relatively short running time makes it feel like you’ve just watched a show on PBS. An episode of Nova perhaps.
Despite its subject matter, the film is never scary. But it never tries to be. It is fun, entertaining and totally engrossing.
Fury of the Demon is available to stream and on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing.