Friday, December 25, 2015

100 Scariest Movie Moments: #53 Demons


Italian horror doesn't really exist for its plot. There seem to be hints in Demons that there is a villain, but the nature of that villain is never revealed, and he's never seen. Instead, we're given a scenario in which we get to watch people die, and that's what we as the audience are to be satisfied with. And I for one certainly found it to be satisfying.

The movie opens with a University Student named Cheryl (Natasha Hovey) being followed by a strange, masked man (Michele Soavi) through the subways of Berlin. When he finally catches up to her, he offers her a free movie ticket. Cheryl, not questioning why he felt this movie ticket made it necessary to stalk her, simply asks for a second ticket for her friend Kathy (Paola Cozzo). The two girls decide to cut class and see the movie, noticing that, strangely, the tickets name only the theater, and not the movie.

At the theater, the two girls meet two young men named George and Ken (Urbano Barberini and Karl Zinny). The theater is a strange place no one seems to recall having been to before, and it has numerous props laid out in the lobby for the audience to examine and touch. A blind man (Alex Serra) gives dire warnings that there's something unsettling about them, and a prostitute (Geretta Giancarlo) cuts her face on a mask.

I was a bit surprised that the film-within-the-film itself seemed completely normal, and I'm still not sure what its causal affect with the evil actually was. It deals with a group of teenagers seeking out the grave of Nostradamus, and one of them being turned into a demon by a mask. At about this point, the prostitute who had earlier cut her face finds it's bleeding again, and must go to the bathroom. Then the cut becomes a boil and explodes, and she becomes a “Demon.” (Something resembling a zombie. It isn't clear if she's possessed, or if they just use the word).

It's at about this point that all Hell breaks lose. The Demons begin attacking and infecting others and the people flee, only to find they've been locked in. They break into the projection booth, only to find that the entire system is automated. (Presumably, this would have been more surprising back in the 1980’s than it is today.) They smash it, trying to break the movie's evil influence, but the Demons continue to spread.

By the end of the movie, the cast has been soaked in blood and whittled down to just Cheryl and George, who fight their way out of the theater with a motorcycle and a katana. Outside, they team up with a family trying to flee Berlin as the demons have escaped the theater. The movie ends with Cheryl transforming into a Demon, and being taken out as the family rides on.

I highly recommend this movie. While it's true it doesn't follow the American conventions of cinema, particularly in leaving the villain a complete unknown, the plot is actually pretty easy to follow. Most of the characters are given just enough characterization to set them apart from the pack. And while most of the deaths aren't especially creative, they're certainly fun.

The makeup effects are well done and consistently gory, but distinct enough to give each Demon an identity of their own. I think there was an attempt to give the second demon a rat motif with her teeth. In one of the most effective moments, we watch the human teeth fall away to reveal more rat-like incisors hiding behind them. It's a creative and disturbing touch.

I should probably also comment on Tony (Bobby Rhodes). Even though he's a supporting role, he's the character everyone remembers, so I suppose I should say something. He's a large, black pimp who comes with two prostitutes (including the aforementioned first demon). He's notable for bucking most of the typical horror trends for black men. While he dies, he's far from the first victim. He's quite intelligent, takes a leadership role in the group without being too pushy, and shows a good balance of concern for himself and concern for others. Beyond that, Bobby Rhodes is just a fun actor to watch.

So, if you haven't seen Demons, check it out. Sadly, I was only able to find it dubbed into English, but it's a good dub job with voices that fit about as well as can be expected. I really doubt anyone will regret seeing it.

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