Demons (1985)

            Here’s a slam-bang gore fest that will have your Halloween spirit bursting from your chest and put a smile on your face as wide as a Jack O’ lantern! We’ve been talking about movies that will raise the hairs on the back of your neck and make you sleep with the lights on all month long, but sometimes it’s good to sit back and watch your television light up with insanity. That is exactly what every gore soaked second of Lamberto Bava’s Demons will do. Once again hailing from across the pond in Italy (can you tell the Italians knew what they were doing?) comes a film of unequaled camp and adrenaline that will get your pulse going from the opening credits.

            The film begins with a masked man handing out free tickets to a special screening at a new theatre called the Metropol. Two college girls, Cheryl and Kathy, accept the invitation, along with a host of other memorable characters. Most notable among these characters is a pimp and his two dates who spout out one-liners like rapid-fire. Once the screening begins, the audience starts noticing that the events in the film they are watching is mirroring what’s happening in real life. Of course it isn’t long before the audience members begin turning into bloodthirsty demons one by one and picking each other off in increasingly gruesome ways.

            At one point in the film, a character shakes his fist at the sky and shouts, “There has to be an explanation!” Do we actually get that explanation as to why all these people are turning into bloodthirsty demons? Will the poor audience members make it out of the theatre alive? Do any of these questions matter? Of course not! What we do get is Bobby Rhodes (the pimp I mentioned earlier) kicking some major demon tail, amazingly awful dialogue (see quote above), ultra-gory demon transformations/murders, and a climax featuring a dude on a motorcycle chopping off demons heads with a katana. Top it off with a pulsing hair metal score that screams, “This movie was made in the 80’s,” and we have the makings of a classic.

            Dario Argento’s name is attached to this project as a writer and producer. I think he got bored of making artfully crafted films and decided to write something totally off the wall and crazy. That being said, even though it is directed by Lamberto Bava, it is easy to see Argento’s influence. The movie theatre provides a gigantic set piece for numerous gory murders and mayhem to occur in. It is also very well lit and colored. One shot in particular of the demons walking up a flight of stairs in the dark and fog-covered hallway stands out. Their bodies are nothing more than shadows as they hover through the darkness, yet their piercing yellow eyes are seen plain as day. It’s a great shot that always reminds me that Argento was involved in this movie.

            Truthfully there is nothing scary about this film. But it is an absolute blast to watch. Once the people begin turning into demons, which doesn’t take long at all I might add, the movie turns into a gore soaked party. We get to see people’s throats ripped out, eyes gouged, bodies chewed on, heads decapitated and some spine ripping near the end. It’s one of those movies where you don’t know how the filmmakers are going to top what you’ve just seen until a helicopter falls through the roof…which happens, by the way.

            See Demons (or Demoni, as it’s known in Italy) this Halloween and prepare for the best hour and a half of your life. Then see it again with a bunch of friends and tell them to thank you later. Buy it on Amazon or at a Vintage Stock store, they will have it. It will probably be the best decision you’ve made in a long time. 

-Dave

Poster by Micah Moseby.