YMMV / Eye of the Devil

• Alternate Character Interpretation:
  • The sequence where Odile nearly makes Catherine fall off the roof. Was she just doing it For the Evulz? Trying to remove an obstacle that might stop Philippe from sacrificing himself? Or more twistedly - since she appears to be enjoying Philippe whipping her as punishment - was that what she wanted?
  • Odile has a Does Not Like Men attitude and says she has no use for them, except for Christian. Does that just mean he's the only man she trusts, as he's her brother? Or does it imply that they may be up to something together?
• Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: The scene where Odile apparently makes a toad appear out of thin air and then turn into a dove. She doesn't display any kind of conjuring powers outside of hypnotism in the film, making this a weird Establishing Character Moment. It's entirely possible she just made Jacques think he saw a toad and dove (as his sister doesn't see it) but it's not elaborated on.
• Cult Classic: The film wasn't much of a Box Office success when it was first released, but it has acquired a modest fanbase as the years go on, particularly due to featuring Sharon Tate in a role that really shows her talents.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: Both Christian and Odile, due to their actors becoming famous while the film was on the shelf. Even out of context, their creepy demeanor ensures that you remember them, especially Odile.
• Fridge Brilliance:
  • Odile's stunt with the toad and dove makes much more sense with the ending. Jacques is the only one to see what she does and the thing must clearly be a test to see if they can corrupt him like they did his father.
  • Everyone in the castle acts Obviously Evil towards Catherine, almost to the degree of absurdity. They want to scare her away so she won't interfere with the sacrifice.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: Although a Box Office disappointment in America, the film was much more popular in Europe.
• Harsher in Hindsight: A movie about a murderous cult with Sharon Tate in the cast obviously fell into this trope after August 1969.
• Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • The scene where Christian threatens Catherine with his bow is quite amusing when you learn that David Hemmings had an affair with the original Catherine - Kim Novak. It almost looks like he's not too fond of her replacement.
  • Donald Pleasence as a satanic priest is amusing to Halloween fans - given that the sixth film in the franchise would introduce black magic rituals.
• It Was His Sled: People more familiar with Folk Horror these days are well aware that the film ends with Philippe being sacrificed.
• Just Here for Godzilla: Fans of Sharon Tate watch the movie just for her, a fact helped by how she is often credited as one of the highlights. In fact, more fans flocked to it after her sudden death.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The scene where Odile hypnotises Catherine into nearly walking off the side of the castle is bound to hit home for those afraid of heights. And the simple fact that Odile does it For the Evulz. If you didn't think blonde bombshell Sharon Tate can give you nightmares, think again.
  • There's also the scene where Catherine is chased through the forest by the sinister cloaked figures. At this point the audience doesn't know that she's not in any danger.
  • Pere Dominic himself is just an eerie presence, and his soft way of speaking only contributes to it. Just goes to show how intimidating Donald Pleasance could be when he wanted.
• Older Than They Think: This film predates The Wicker Man (1973) by seven years. Although films such as The Witches (1966), The Devil Rides Out and City of the Dead had dealt with such things, Eye of the Devil was the first to have the sacrifice actually go ahead.
• Retroactive Recognition: Dr. Monnet is played by John Le Mesurier, who would later be best known for playing Sergeant Wilson in Dad's Army.
• She Really Can Act: As most of Sharon Tate's limited filmography includes comedies, Ms. Fanservice roles and Melodrama like Valley of the Dolls - here she plays a completely different character, steals every scene she's in and nails an English accent with no slips at all as well and holds her own alongside heavyweights David Niven and Deborah Kerr, both of whom praised her talents. It's generally agreed that her performance makes the film.

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