The first issue at hand is that of the existence of a monster. According to Carroll, a true monster must be both threatening and impure, meaning that it cannot scientifically or logically exist in our world. While there is no doubt that there is indeed a monster in the film, pinpointing said monster is a difficult task. In the very first scene we are introduced to a paranoid individual named Harrington who appears certain of his impending doom. Within minutes Harrington is attacked and killed by an enormous, roaring demon. At a first glance, it would appear that the demon is the monster within the film; after all, it certainly is physically and psychologically threatening and in no way can scientifically exist. As the plot develops, however, we are introduced to Karswell, the mastermind who conjured the demon and uses magic to curse those who anger or threaten him in some way. Because he is threatening, it would make sense to argue that he is, in fact, the monster. Carroll might argue that, because Karswell is a human being, he is not technically a monster. However, can a man who is essentially a witch and possesses numerous magical powers logically exist? Assuming that the answer is no, I would argue that Karswell is the true monster in the film.
The existence of multiple "monsters" creates the feelings of art-horror that Carroll emphasizes throughout his text. Whether you consider the monster to be the demon, Karswell, or even perhaps the magical runes that begin the curses and ultimately lead to Karswell's victims' untimely ends, it is undeniable that these cleverly crafted characters and devices generate a true sense of horror. While the demons are portrayed in a rather obvious fashion and don't inspire much in the way of dread or suspense, they are still terrifying in their own right and were designed in order to scare viewers (no matter how ridiculous they might appear to modern audiences). Karswell and his runes, however, truly inspire feelings of dread and suspense. For example, the scene in which Karswell conjures the windstorm and first makes his powers known let's the audience know that something magical is at hand, and that Karswell's threats to Holden have not been empty-handed. The scene in which the runes begin to move on their own accord and attempt to fly into the fire is also suspenseful and defies all logic, thus furthering the audience's sense of dread.
While it could be argued that more than one type of plot is applicable to Night of the Demon, I feel that the most logical option is the complex discovery plot. From the onset, we witness a horrifying and inexplicable event: the arrival of the demon that kills Harrington. For quite a long time, we remain in the dark as to why this demon appears; finally, however, we discover that Karswell conjured the demon in order to kill Harrington and plans to do the same to Holden. A little over midway through the plot, the discovery of Karswell's malice and magical powers is confirmed when the runes given to Holden seem to come alive. Another confirmation point occurs when Holden speaks to the psychologically insane brother of a man who had been killed by Karswell and realizes that he will soon die in the same terrible manner. Confrontation occurs in the final scene when Holden finally tricks Karswell into taking back his runic symbols, thus reversing the curse and causing Karswell to be demolished by the demon.
Perhaps the most suspenseful scene in the film is the one in which Holden breaks into Karswell's mansion in an attempt to acquire information about the curse. When he arrives, however, he finds the "deserted" house to be much creepier than he had imagined. While Holden travels down the staircase, Tourneur made the decision to have a severed and very dead looking hand appear on the staircase in two separate instances. While the appearance of the hand is a very simple concept and took much less work to create than the giant demon, it is perhaps the most horrifying aspect of the entire film. As we watch our protagonist travel down the stairs, we are immersed in a sense of dread as we wonder to whom the hand belongs. Is it Karswell, waiting to finish off before the curse is complete? Or is it some other malicious being that Karswell has conjured and left in his house? The fact that the hand goes unnoticed to Holden is also especially suspenseful; it gives the audience the sense that they are the only ones who have access to a horrifying secret. Tourneur also applied various other techniques--such as the massive windstorm and panther attack--that accurately conveyed a feeling or horror throughout the duration of the plot.
Perhaps the one true theme identified in Night of the Demon is the conflict between knowledge and ignorance. In many ways, it is better for one to turn a blind eye when it comes to horrific events. Eve Harrington, for example, would have been better off not knowing the gruesome details of her uncle's death. Even Holden, for a time, chooses to ignore the warnings he receives and goes so far as to tell Eve that he has always been a man who pays no attention to superstition. There comes a time, however, when one simply cannot ignore facts any longer. For Holden, this moment comes when the runes first fly out of his briefcase and display the fact that they have "a life of their own." Holden, in fact, would have suffered the same fate as Harrington if he had not eventually chosen knowledge over ignorance in his quest to thwart Karswell's curse. The theme of knowledge versus ignorance is solidified in the very last line of the film, spoken after Holden and Eve make the decision not to view Karswell's broken body.
Holden: "You were right. Maybe it's better not to know."
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