A group of moviegoers find themselves trapped in a movie
theater when they are swarmed by a horde of monstrous demons. HORROR
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Demons (1985)Directed by Lamberto Bava
Written by Lamberto Bava, Dario Argento, Dardano Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini Starring Natasha Hovey, Urbano Barberini, Paola Cozzo, Karl Zinny, Fiore Argento, Bobby Rhodes, Geretta Geretta |
Outside of the horror community, I'd argue that Demons is known more for its wild, rock and roll soundtrack than its story. That's mostly because it doesn't really have a story. Moviegoers accept an invite to a sneak preview of a horror movie, and actual demons invade the theater when someone bleeds on a relic-y mask. Then, chaos ensues for an hour and a half. But what we get in that hour and a half is a viciously fun monster movie with just the lightest bit of drag. Some more character development would've been nice as well. It's not for everybody, but it's entertaining enough.
I love the idea of shit going down in a movie theater. That's my safe space. It's where I go to get away from the craziness of the world. The notion that I could be attacked there is so alien to me, so Demons really preyed on that fear. That part of the film was great. The buildup, with the metallic guy handing out tickets to something. The calm before the storm, where the attendees are watching the creepy Nostradamus horror movie. Then, the first attack, where the scratched lady becomes a monster and all hell breaks loose. After that, I felt the film lost some punch. It quickly became a survival zombie movie filled with cliches. The film gets major points for a great first half, complete with some gnarly creature effects and unforgettable kill scenes, such as a guy getting his throat ripped open. But it started to lose me in the second half, when the punks show up and George (Barberini) starts to become our main character. But still, I get why people love this one. |