In "The Mystery of Luisa, Pt. 2", we saw how certain parallels can be drawn between Sean Manchester's The Highgate Vampire: The Infernal World of the Undead Unearthed at London's Famous Highgate Cemetery and Environs (London: British Occult Society, 1985) to Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897).
I also concluded that article thusly, "Indeed, as we shall see, the mysterious Luisa and her vampiric manifestation has further parallels to another work of fiction."
I also concluded that article thusly, "Indeed, as we shall see, the mysterious Luisa and her vampiric manifestation has further parallels to another work of fiction."
Now we're going to take a look at that other fictional work: Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out.
Originally published in 1934, it proved to be a best-seller in its day. And, most significantly for this article, it was adapted into an eponymous film by Hammer in 1968.
The following video clip is a scene from the film. It is mostly based on Chapter 27 of the book, "Within the Pentacle". The section I'd like to draw attention to, occurs at 8:15-10:00.
Here, we see Duc de Richleau (Christopher Lee) and his friends beseiged by demonic manifestations, while under the protection of a magic circle.
One of these manifestations takes the form of a giant spider.
One of these manifestations takes the form of a giant spider.
What does this have to do with Manchester's account?
If we read page 145 of The Highgate Vampire, we have a peculiar manifestation of the undead "Luisa" taking place. After Manchester has summoned her through a necromantic ritual, he sees this:
This doesn't quite stop the demonic spider though:
The opportunity is then used to stake this foul creature and, as Manchester asserts, "Something wet and glutinous oozed stickily as I pressed the stake still further."
As dawn arrives, he looks to see "Luisa" embedded with the stake, in the spot where the spider had been.
Do you see the similarities between Manchester's account and the scene from the movie you have watched?
But how can we back up this assertion? Is this a mere coincidence? Well, let's go back to Wheatley's book.
Interestingly, no spider manifests itself in the demonic assult on the magic circle. Instead, they are presented with something far more horrifying.
The following passage is taken from the Row Books/Arrow Books Ltd 1970 reprint:
If we turn to page 140 of The Highgate Vampire, we see a still from a 1968 movie, along with the following caption:
You be the judge.
If we read page 145 of The Highgate Vampire, we have a peculiar manifestation of the undead "Luisa" taking place. After Manchester has summoned her through a necromantic ritual, he sees this:
It was the most enormous spider imaginable. In that light it appeared to compare to the size of a full grown cat amd was slowly edging towards the rim of charcoal powder.After recovering his senses from this ghastly sight, he sees fit to throw a "burning torch at the monstrous black arachnid."
This doesn't quite stop the demonic spider though:
Slowly it reached the edge of my protective circle; then, quickening its pace, it scurried back and forth in the most terrifying manner around the perimeter.He demands it to "be still" and, amazingly, it stops "in its tracks".
The opportunity is then used to stake this foul creature and, as Manchester asserts, "Something wet and glutinous oozed stickily as I pressed the stake still further."
As dawn arrives, he looks to see "Luisa" embedded with the stake, in the spot where the spider had been.
Do you see the similarities between Manchester's account and the scene from the movie you have watched?
But how can we back up this assertion? Is this a mere coincidence? Well, let's go back to Wheatley's book.
Interestingly, no spider manifests itself in the demonic assult on the magic circle. Instead, they are presented with something far more horrifying.
The following passage is taken from the Row Books/Arrow Books Ltd 1970 reprint:
A dim phosphorescent blob began to glow in the darkness; shimmering and spreading into a great hummock, its outline gradually became clearer. It was not a man form nor yet an animal, but heaved there on the floor like some monstrous living sack. It had no eyes or face but from it there radiated a terrible malefic intelligence.
Suddenly there ceased to be anything ghostlike about it. The Thing had a whitish pimply skin, leprous and unclean, like some huge silver slug. Waves of satanic power rippled through its spineless body, causing it to throb and work continually like a great mass of new-made dough. A horrible stench of decay and corruption filled the room; for as it writhed it exuded a slimy poisonous moisture which trickled in little rivulets across the polished floor. It was solid, terribly real, a living thing. They could even see long, single, golden hairs, separated from each other by ulcerous patches of skin, quivering and waving as they rose on end from its flabby body-and suddenly it began to laugh at them, a low, horrid, chuckling laugh.So, the book can be pretty much ruled out for the giant spider manifestation. But, do we have any other proof for the movie being a possible source of "inspiration"?
If we turn to page 140 of The Highgate Vampire, we see a still from a 1968 movie, along with the following caption:
This scene from The Devil Rides Out depicts the use of a Magic Circle to withstand attack by a Satanic force, much like the protective barrier cast by the author and many others throughout historyCoincidence, or a knowing wink to the reader?
You be the judge.
