Eye of the Devil is a 1966 black and white supernatural horror film about the occult! This picture was directed by J. Lee Thompson (Cape Fear) and stars Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Donald Pleasence, Sharon Tate, and David Hemmings. Deborah Kerr, who faced ghosts in The Innocents, now faces Satan worshippers! The movie is based on the 1964 novel Day of the Arrow by Robin Estridge.
The story is about a vineyard owner Marquis Philippe de Montfaucon (David Niven, Death on the Nile) is called back to his castle Bellenac because of another dry season in the crops. He tells his wife Catherine de Montfaucon (Deborah Kerr, Separate Tables) and the two kids to remain in Paris, but they wind up following him. She finds out that her husband and his vineyard workers are following old pagan rituals to save the crops. They encounter a Satanic cult being run by Pere Dominic (screen legend Donald Pleasence, Halloween). Two members of the cult, Odile (Sharon Tate, The Fearless Vampire Killers) and Christian de Caray (David Hemmings, Deep Red) who shoots doves out of the sky with his arrows give poor Catherine and her kids the most headaches including a near death scene from atop the castle. Catherine does everything that she can to have her husband return to her, and to be rid of these Devil worshippers, but is she too late?
Eye of the Devil is another great British horror film with a great cast, excellent methodical direction, and brilliant cinematography by Erwin Hillier. Some have said it’s too talky, but I disagree. The film has lots of atmosphere, a slew of creepy moments and a great film to watch on a Saturday when you are in the mood for a chiller!
Eye of the Devil arrives on Blu-ray, courtesy of Warner Archive. The 1080p transfer has been given 4K scan of original film elements that exterior shots are rich in details in and around the castle. There is a wealth of clarity and sharpness to the image. The scenery is breathtaking, especially those shot in the daytime. The image shows bright whites and deep blacks with a balanced greyscale. Contrast levels are excellent and with decent shadow detail.
Warner’s Blu-ray has been given English DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix, which sounds okay, with dialogue being clear, but the lossless audio does have some sibilance issues that could be a distraction for some. At times the dialogue is basically flat and timid. This could be from the age-related issues, as the film is 55 years old. The more aggressive louder moments come background sounds and the great musical score by Gary McFarland. English subtitles are available for this release.
A theatrical trailer is the lone extra.
I just love this film and was happy that it did receive a Blu-ray release. The lack of extras and the subpar audio were a bit of a letdown, but the video itself looks phenomenal. The release is still recommended!
Eye of the Devil
Director- J. Lee Thompson
Cast- David Niven, Sharon Tate, Deborah Kerr, Donald Pleasence
Country of Origin- US
Distributor – Warner Archive / Warner Home Video
Number of Discs – 1
Reviewed by – David Steigman
Date –11/18/2021