Demons of the Mind (1972)

The Worst of Hammer, 4 December 2005

I've always enjoyed a good Hammer movie. I couldn't begin to list the number I've seen, but I could very easily put together a top 35 – 40 Hammer movie list. Demons of the Mind would not appear anywhere on that list. It is without a doubt the worst Hammer film I've ever seen. The problem is not with the acting, directing, cinematography, or score, because technically it's a well made film. Instead, much of my problem rests with the plot. It plods along at a snail's pace introducing people and ideas that go nowhere. And when something does happen, like the attack scenes in the forest, I couldn't have cared less about what was going on – I didn't know anything about the people involved.

I've also got to give Demons of the Mind a thumbs-down when it comes to casting decisions. At the time this movie was made, Hammer was trying to build Shane Briant into the next big Hammer star. But he has a very unlikable on-screen persona. He's the kind of person that I can't wait to see die in one of these movies. I've never understood how anyone at Hammer thought this androgynous looking foppish boy was gong to replace the likes of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

To sum it up, if your idea of a good movie is a plot that goes nowhere and characters you either don't know or don't want to know, Demons of the Mind may be the movie you're looking for.

3/10