1. Old films have inflated ratings on IMDB. This is due to several reasons;
- Younger viewers will not watch very old films, so they get protected via viewer and thus voter abstinence.
- People are easier on older films, their flaws are often chalked up to 'aging' and given a pass.
- Some people like to think themselves cultured and refined by liking older films and will often compel themselves into liking them to feel smarter than others. Some people will have you believe Nosferatu (1922) is better than modern horror films.
2. This film is celebrated due to it's intelligent script. The power of suggestion, was it magic or not, did the demon exist. It's an interesting idea which people find interesting. Many also enjoy Niall MacGinnis' performance, his character Doctor Karswell is interesting.
3. This film being 'like a stage play' was typical of old school films. It's one of the reasons many younger viewers do not like films from the 'golden era' of Hollywood.
4. A lot of older films have gruff and weathered leading Men wooing young dammes. It's how they operated back in those days.
5. Most old school horror films are tame by todays standards. The oldest film that actually managed to scare me was from 1961. Not to say films before that are poor (I like Night of the Demon, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and others) but it's something you have to keep in mind when watching old films. It's the reason why 'best horror films of all time' lists are dominated by the 70s and on. Only a few stand out pre-1970 flicks make the cut. Ask people to name their top ten horror films and you'll rarely see anything pre-Psycho (1960).
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