The Mark of Satan

The well-remembered Hammer TV series bowed out on a high with this, the final episode originally broadcast in December 1980. The Mark of Satan is a queasy slice of psychological horror, detailing the obsession of an ordinary guy with the number nine. Everywhere he goes he comes into contact with the number, and eventually he begins to tie it in to suspicions of a devil worship cult influencing his life. Is he paranoid or is there truth in his reasoning? The answer will surprise nobody, but there are plenty of decent twists and scenes along the way.

The Mark of Satan is surprisingly strong for TV fare; although it doesn't show much in the way of bloodshed, it covers some truly sinister situations and had me feeling queasy on occasion. The low budget works in the production's favour: this is kitchen sink horror, shot in tiny, grotty flats, with grubby characters. McEnery's okay as the lead, but Georgina Hale and the supporting actors really shine as possibly duplicitous friends and colleagues.