Summary: No incantations, rituals or sacrifices were required for us to conjure up some evil this week as we revisit the subject of devilish horror. In the long ago past we had an episode called Battles with the Devil however the subgenre continues unabated so we took up the fight once again. The genesis of our topic came from a recent viewing of Rosemary's Baby which led the way to checking out new installments in the possession / exorcism / demonic presence realm as well some re-watches of a few tried and true classics. We open the floor on considering why the subject has such a widespread appeal and effect, question why we are drawn to the material and ponder the power of malevolent forces as the skies open up and hail begins to fall as we start recording! Titles discussed include The Dunwich Horror, Horror Hotel, The Possession of Emma Evans, The Possession of David O'Reilly, Incubus, The Seventh Victim, 11-11-11, To the Devil a Daughter, The Gathering and of course Rosemary's Baby. Unfortunately several of our picks fell short of instant classic quality but Polanski's phenomenal exploration of psychological horror made the whole exercise worthwhile. So clear the floor, draw up some glyphs and light the candles... it's time for another Battle with the Devil! Note: Spoilers for The Possession of Emma Evans (41:28-43:55) and The Possession of David O'Reilly (50:34-52:53) As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM
