[.ca] The Devil on Screen: Feature Films Worldwide, 1913 ... (ISBN 0786410493)

Mitchell's THE DEVIL ON SCREEN Should "DOG YOUR TRAIL!":
When I first began reading THE DEVIL ON SCREEN, I looked for my favorite films---Mitchell begins with ALIAS NICK BEAL (1949)with Ray Milland as 'the Devil.' He goes through all of the screen credits, gives an annotated cast listing, an appraisal and succinct synopsis, a word on the actor's performances and finally, some notable quotes from the screenplay. Stills and lobby cards are included wherever possible. The author's forte is that he uses this configuration for every film he analyzes---and his perception is always on target! For example, besides the fantasy element in BEAL, Mitchell also catches the aspects of "film noir," which make his review doubly rewarding. He knows his film music, especially the noirish Franz Waxman score (which has gone unrecorded all of these years) but more importantly, despite all of the detailed turns of the plot, Mitchell uses original source information to enhance the chapter. He interviwed Audrey Totter, one of the film's stars, who related some "inside information" about her fellow actors, their attitudes on the set and her dissatisfaction with the studio, Paramount, which promoted the film badly. Mitchell hopes for its "rediscovery" and as a reader, I applaud his critique---not for just this film but the hundred or so films he accurately and astutely examines with his fine sense of critical purview. Mitchell's book is an A to Z of "devil films," with two excellent appendices, a thorough and useable index and wonderful stills and lobby cards that entice the reader to read a review of a film that he or she may NOT have seen. His publisher has also done justice to the author's work because of its beautiful, artful and colorful front and back covers and has produced a library bound edition worthy for purchase for collectors, libraries and for those of us who are fascinated by the theme of the "devil in cinema." Too bad Mitchell had to begin his critical analysis in 1913 and ended it in 2000---for there must be some "devilish" films out there through 2002---and his gaze is not only on American cinema but international films that come under his critical view--such as the 1922 silent Danish work by Ben Christensen, HAXAN, which was recently brought out on DVD by Criterion and that French sound marvel from 1942, LES VISITEURS DU SOIR with Arletty and Jules Berry as the Devil. Certainly, Mitchell's exploration of the theme is comprehensive, detailed, insightful and at times, even humorous. This is a book I have always wanted for my own collection---and Mitchell's other books, one on APOCALYPTIC CINEMA and a GUIDE TO FILMS OF CHARLIE CHAN (both published by Greenwood Press)\oNote: Mitchell's book on CHAN is the BEST ONE ON THE MARKET!\c-- are worthy forerunners in film criticsm to this new DEVIL work from McFarland & Co. I hear by the critical grapevine that Mitchell has something in the works about "HITLER IN FILM" and possibly a biography of RICHARD BASEHART, one of the most neglected character actors of the late forties and early fifties. I hope my sources are correct and we also see these future volumes--but I am still content with THE DEVIL ON SCREEN for now---there is so much good "stuff" in it that I can hardly put it down.

I Bought this Book Because the Devil Made Me Do It!:
The first film covered by Charles Mitchell in this fine book happens to be my favorite "devil" movie of all time - the film noir "Alias Nick Beal," starring Ray Milland as Satan and Audrey Totter as his unwilling femme fatale accomplice out to ensnare the soul of an ambitious politician (Thomas Mitchell). And reeling me in, Mr. Mitchell also includes such classics as "The Devil and Daniel Webster" and "Heaven Can Wait," the wonderfully camp "The Devil's Rain" (with Ernest Borgnine, of all people, as the Devil), and the abysmal "Satan's School for Girls." In addition to the ninety-five films and terrific photos presented in this exhaustive work, there are two appendices - one listing more than 100 obscure "devil" films dating from 1896 to 2000 and another covering 18 actors, including Fred Astaire, Burgess Meredith, Mickey Rooney, and Julie Newmar(!), who have portrayed the Devil on television. Mr. Mitchell, the author of "Screen Sirens Scream!" and "The Hitler Filmography," has written a detailed and entertaining book that deserves to be in every film buff's library.

Fun book with a "Devil May Care" approach:
This is a dun book with a "Devil may Care" approach. Each film is completely annotated with witty and sometime hilarious reviews (and, as a change of pace, a few profound observations). Are you looking to learn more about the silent classics? STUIDENT OF PRAGUE (1913 or 1927) or Murnau's FAUST. This is the right place to come. Many delightful photos, plus rating system that separates the wheat from the chaff. You will find more scree devil's than you ever dreamed existed..singing devils (such as Ray Walston and Danny Elfman), comic devils (such as George Burns and Stanley Holloway), charming devils (such as Laird Cregar and Vincent Price), charming devils (such as Ray Milland or Max von Sydow), sinister devils (such as Richard Burton or Victor Buono) or really creepy devils (such as Jeff Goldblum or Michael York). This book can be enjoyable when read in short spurts or an all night readathon. Plus the information in the appendix alone is an expert compendium. Recommended

Delightfully Diabolical:
This is a colorful, informative and delightful book about all the films in which the devil appears. The book is also scholarly even if it is ligthearted in tone. Also well illustrated. Love the caption of Lon Chaney in THE DEVIL'S MESSENGER in which Satan has the names of all the damned filed away on a rolodex. Although the main section of the book only covers features, the appendix covers all movies with the devil dating back to the late 19th century and scree wizard Georges Melies. There is also a section of TV devils in the second appendix? Did you know that Fred Astaire, Jack Benny and JHulie Newmar all played TV devils? My favorite point is that the author recalled humorist Jean Shepherd's hilarious depiction of the devil taking a holiday in New Orleans. I though nobody else remembered that program which I taped on my VCR. Bravo to THE DEVIL ON SCREEN. Highly recommneded!