In England, Professor Harrington begs his rival, Dr. Julian Karswell, to rescind a curse he inflicted on him; in return, Harrington will cease his investigation into Karswell’s Satanic cult. After learning that a parchment he gave Harrington has been destroyed, Karswell promises to do what he can. As Harrington arrives home, he sees a gigantic demon in the trees. Harrington tries to escape in his car but crashes into power lines. The authorities declare accidental electrocution as the cause of death.
Dr. John Holden arrives in Britain to attend a convention at which Harrington had intended to expose Karswell’s cult. He is informed that the only link between Harrington’s death and Karswell’s cult is a man suspected of murder, Rand Hobart, who has fallen into a catatonic stupor. While Harrington’s collaborators consider the possibility of supernatural forces, Holden rejects such an option.
Holden meets Karswell at the Reading Room of the British Museum. When a rare book that Holden requests goes missing, Karswell offers to show Holden his own copy at his mansion. At Harrington’s funeral, Holden meets Harrington’s niece, Joanna. She gives him Harrington’s diary, which details Harrington’s fear of Karswell’s power. Holden remains sceptical, but goes with Joanna to Karswell’s mansion the next day, where Karswell is holding a Halloween party for local children. When a strong windstorm abruptly starts, Karswell claims to have created it with a spell. When Holden mocks him, Karswell claims that Holden will die in three days.
Under hypnosis, the suspect Hobart reveals to Holden that he was “chosen” to die by having a runic parchment passed to him, but avoided death by passing it back to the person who had given it to him. When Holden shows Hobart the parchment he had received from Karswell, Hobart thinks he is trying to give it to him. He becomes hysterical and jumps through a window to his death.
Holden learns Karswell is taking a train to Southampton, and on the train discovers that he has kidnapped and hypnotised Joanna. As the time for Holden’s predicted death draws near, the train stops at the next station, and Karswell tries to leave. Holden manages to sneak the parchment into Karswell’s coat pocket, and when Karswell finds it, it flies from his hand. He chases it down the tracks, but as he reaches it the parchment combusts. As an oncoming train approaches, the demon manifests and attacks Karswell. When his corpse is found by the tracks, the police believe that he was struck and dragged by the train. Holden, instead of going to inspect the body, departs with Joanna.
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As the mystery unravels and the dark forces of the curse are revealed, immerse yourself in the chilling storyline of Curse of the Demon. Watch it for free now and experience the thrill of supernatural horror in this timeless classic.