Casting the Runes
by M. R. Jamesliterary work· published 1911
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"Casting the Runes" is a short story written by the English writer M. R. James. It was first published in 1911 as the fourth story in More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary, which was James' second collection of ghost stories. Edward Dunning is a researcher for the British Museum. At the beginning of the story he has recently reviewed The Truth of Alchemy, a paper submitted to an association by Karswell, an alchemist and occultist from Lufford Abbey in Warwickshire, and advised that the paper be rejected. The secretary of the association, Gayton, visits a friend in Warwickshire, where he asks about Karswell.
Adaptations (2)
Casting the Runes has been adapted into 2 films (1957). The most recent is Night of the Demon (1957).
Night of the Demon1957 · film · 96 min · dir. Jacques Tourneur · IMDb ↗IMDb7.4100%American professor John Holden arrives in London for a conference on parapsychology only to discover that the colleague he was supposed to meet was killed in a freak accident the day before. It turns out that the deceased had been investigating a cult lead by Dr. Julian Karswell. Though a skeptic, Holden is suspicious of the devil-worshiping Karswell. Following a trail of mysterious manuscripts, Holden enters a world that makes him question his faith in science.
Casting the Runes? · film · 50 min · dir. Alan Cooke · IMDb ↗IMDb8.1Mr. Karswell is very easily angered and never forgets a slight. As he is also a man capable of summoning demons from Hell to do his bidding, his quarrel with Dunning may have unfortunate consequences.
