The AAU library filled with wine-drinking cinephiles on Thursday evening for the opening night of the Film Watchers Club Cult of the Occult series, where Professor Anthony Marais screened his choice of Night of the Demon (1957).
Cobwebs and red candles decorated the library as students, professors, and friends settled in for the black-and-white film, which follows an American professor who travels to London and becomes entangled with a satanic cult after investigating the death of his colleague.
“I thought it was interesting, definitely not traumatizing. Tony usually does some weird, weird stuff, so this was nice. It could have been crazier,” said Johanny Torres, a third-year student.
Marais, who’s known for choosing disturbing, niche films for the audience said he wanted a lighter start to the semester.
“I could make the argument that this was the first nightmare of my life. We’re talking about five years old. I can remember my dad had a little screen in our kitchen, and he was projecting it onto this mini screen,” said Marais.
“I hoped it would be the most entertaining for our audience. I know I am capable of traumatizing people. And to be frank, I thought I wanted to go with something lighter. I want to let this expand. Start out kind of calm, and then we’ll let it take off.”
The next screenings in the series will take place Oct.16, chosen by AAU arts professor Veronika Bromová, and Nov. 6, with former AAU film professor and co-founder of the Theta Noir collective Mika Johnson.
Ján Tompkins, a long-time organizer of the club and friend of Johnson, said he’s most excited for the final screening, hinting that it would be unlike any before.
“Its going to be exciting, the grand finale. We don’t know how much we can confirm. The hope is to do kind of a musical evening, like a seance,” said Tompkins. “We’re gonna end with a boom, or whatever is bigger than a boom.”
