Night Of The Demons (1988)(2025 Redo)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- On Halloween night, Angela (Amelia Kinkade), with some help from her friend, Suzanne (Linnea Quigley), prepares for a Halloween party at Hull House, an isolated and abandoned funeral home. “Scaring the shit out of” her guests is Angela’s main goal. Judy (Cathy Podewell), Rodger (Alvin Alexis), Helen (Allison Barron), Stooge (Hal Havins), Jay (Lance Fenton), Max (Philip Tanzini), and his girlfriend, Frannie (Jill Terashita) are all invited, but Sal (William Gallo) sneaks in at the last minute. 

A bum stereo temporarily dampens the mood, but Frannie suggests a past life seance. After the seance, the party takes a dark turn, when the group unknowingly unleashes a demon… 

My Thoughts- If you take one look at Angela and Suzanne, you’d never guess the two of them are friends. Linnea Quigley brings a bubbly and enthusiastic spark to Suzanne. She fits the bill for being a wild party girl. 

Angela? You can tell she’s someone, who takes pride in being an outsider, or as Judy says the “weirdo.” Amelia Kinkade’s confident and sharp performance as Angela is just so fun to watch. She relishes in being the evil ring leader after Suzanne passes the demon to her. Angela smiling at Sal after the possession takes a hold of her sticks out as a big moment. It’s a devilish smile, because Angela knows she’s about to cause a lot of trouble. 

But there’s one scene, where Kinkade shows some believable vulnerability. After the seance, Angela realizes the group is in serious danger. Angela is scared, and she realizes she made a mistake. Angela is one of my all-time favorites for horror movie characters. The black wedding dress is a great look for her, and she’s one of those characters that I always have a hard time picturing anyone else playing, because Kinkade is simply phenomenal as Angela. 

Night Of The Demons has a high death count, but it’s not a case where the characters are too thin or disposable, because EVERYONE adds something to the movie. Cathy Podewell nails Judy, playing a humble and innocent protagonist, with a hopeful and positive personality. Judy dressed as Alice from Alice in Wonderland just works on so many levels. Podewell has the perfect look to resemble Alice. On top of that, Judy is stuck in a living nightmare, a nightmare, where’s she forced to fight to stay alive.

For years I couldn’t stand Rodger. He constantly freaks out and panics, he’s whiny, and running away is usually Rodger’s first choice over helping out, or taking a stand to fight. But you know what? I get it now. Imagine being trapped inside an old funeral home, and your possessed friends are trying to kill you. That’s terrifying, so of course Rodger is scared. 

Rodger is smart. While everyone else was more concerned with partying and sex, Rodger was focused on surviving and looking for a way to escape. Rodger’s reactions to everything going on inside Hull House? The way he reacts feels more realistic for how any normal human being would respond to dealing with an unprecedented situation and supernatural threats. 

Stooge? Yes, he’s a wild party animal, and he’s also an asshole. But it’s not that simple with Stooge, because you get the feeling Stooge is someone, who tries way too hard to fit in with the cool kids. There’s one scene, where Suzanne locks herself in the bathroom. Stooge sounds upset and frustrated that he can’t get in. You can hear that disappointed whimper in Hal Havins’ voice, the one moment, where the mask falls off for Stooge.

William Gallo confidently plays the kid, who’s too cool for school and the rebel tough guy, but Sal turns the corner to become one of the heroes towards the end. Lance Fenton’s Jay is kind of a tool, who takes himself too seriously, the guy, who runs into a big problem, because he’s obsessed with chasing sex. 

Philip Tanzini’s Max has an important role here. Max is a jokester, with a snappy and upbeat sense of humor, but he’s also the storyteller, explaining the dark history behind Hull House, and “Old Man Hull’s” unusual lifestyle. And kudos to Donnie Jeffcoat Jr. for a few good laughs during his brief screen time as Billy, Judy’s obnoxious and bratty younger brother.

Hull House is the perfect setting for Night Of The Demons, the old funeral home in the middle of nowhere. Cobwebs, it’s dirty, quiet, and there’s an eerie spookiness throughout Hull House. It’s bad enough you’re being hunted and chased around by demons, and to make matters worse, you’re miles away from civilization. 

The house is not haunted, it’s possessed! Another important layer for Hull House, because emphasizing the dangers of a possessed house over a haunted house separates Night Of The Demons from other haunting films, adding a refreshing nugget to the story. Scary stuff, because Hull House is the absolute last place anyone wants to be, demons or no demons.

Going by Max’s stories, Mr. Hull was obviously a weird and creepy dude, who lived a strange lifestyle. The underground running stream working as a barrier to prevent any demons from leaving Hull House is another nice touch. Screenwriter Joe Augustyn puts a lot of effort into building up the dark mystique of Hull House, stepping over the line for an ordinary abandoned building, and crossing into hell on earth territory. 

Night Of The Demons has a fantastic soundtrack, and each song perfectly complements certain scenes and moments throughout the movie. Computer Date for the start of the party, The Beast Inside for Stooge and Angela’s brief slow dance, and my top pick goes to Stigmata Martyr during Angela’s electric dance in front of Sal.

I can’t say enough about the excellent practical and makeup effects here. So many great picks to choose from, but one that always sticks out for me is, Suzanne pushing the tube of the lipstick into her boob. It’s not just the fact that she did it, but Linnea Quigley jamming her finger all the way inside really adds to the squirming reaction they were going for. Angela “warming her hands in the fire”? Truly a gnarly and shocking moment.

Two big problems with the missing gate and the window. Big plot holes, but Night Of The Demons is still a fun horror comedy. Just the right amount of cheesiness, consistent laughs, and the morbid humor is hilarious. Each character has their own unique brand of comedy, and Stooge (“EAT A BOWL OF FUCK! I AM HERE TO PARTYYYY!”) is easily one of my favorites. And that miserable old codger got what he deserved in the end. 

Night Of The Demons is a great hidden gem, if you’re into 80’s horror movies. And thirty-seven years later, Night Of The Demons still has one of the best horror movie intros!

Rating- 9/10

Night Of The Demons (1988)(2025 Redo)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- On Halloween night, Angela (Amelia Kinkade), with some help from her friend, Suzanne (Linnea Quigley), prepares for a Halloween party at Hull House, an isolated and abandoned funeral home. “Scaring the shit out of” her guests is Angela’s main goal. Judy (Cathy Podewell), Rodger (Alvin Alexis), Helen (Allison Barron), Stooge (Hal Havins), Jay (Lance Fenton), Max (Philip Tanzini), and his girlfriend, Frannie (Jill Terashita) are all invited, but Sal (William Gallo) sneaks in at the last minute. 

A bum stereo temporarily dampens the mood, but Frannie suggests a past life seance. After the seance, the party takes a dark turn, when the group unknowingly unleashes a demon… 

My Thoughts- If you take one look at Angela and Suzanne, you’d never guess the two of them are friends. Linnea Quigley brings a bubbly and enthusiastic spark to Suzanne. She fits the bill for being a wild party girl. 

Angela? You can tell she’s someone, who takes pride in being an outsider, or as Judy says the “weirdo.” Amelia Kinkade’s confident and sharp performance as Angela is just so fun to watch. She relishes in being the evil ring leader after Suzanne passes the demon to her. Angela smiling at Sal after the possession takes a hold of her sticks out as a big moment. It’s a devilish smile, because Angela knows she’s about to cause a lot of trouble. 

But there’s one scene, where Kinkade shows some believable vulnerability. After the seance, Angela realizes the group is in serious danger. Angela is scared, and she realizes she made a mistake. Angela is one of my all-time favorites for horror movie characters. The black wedding dress is a great look for her, and she’s one of those characters that I always have a hard time picturing anyone else playing, because Kinkade is simply phenomenal as Angela. 

Night Of The Demons has a high death count, but it’s not a case where the characters are too thin or disposable, because EVERYONE adds something to the movie. Cathy Podewell nails Judy, playing a humble and innocent protagonist, with a hopeful and positive personality. Judy dressed as Alice from Alice in Wonderland just works on so many levels. Podewell has the perfect look to resemble Alice. On top of that, Judy is stuck in a living nightmare, a nightmare, where’s she forced to fight to stay alive.

For years I couldn’t stand Rodger. He constantly freaks out and panics, he’s whiny, and running away is usually Rodger’s first choice over helping out, or taking a stand to fight. But you know what? I get it now. Imagine being trapped inside an old funeral home, and your possessed friends are trying to kill you. That’s terrifying, so of course Rodger is scared. 

Rodger is smart. While everyone else was more concerned with partying and sex, Rodger was focused on surviving and looking for a way to escape. Rodger’s reactions to everything going on inside Hull House? The way he reacts feels more realistic for how any normal human being would respond to dealing with an unprecedented situation and supernatural threats. 

Stooge? Yes, he’s a party animal, and he’s also an asshole. But it’s not that simple with Stooge, because you get the feeling Stooge is someone, who tries way too hard to fit in with the cool kids. There’s one scene, where Suzanne locks herself in the bathroom. Stooge sounds upset and frustrated that he can’t get in. You can hear that disappointed whimper in Hal Havins’ voice, the one moment, where the mask falls off for Stooge.

William Gallo confidently plays the kid, who’s too cool for school and the rebel tough guy, but Sal turns the corner to become one of the heroes towards the end. Lance Fenton’s Jay is kind of a tool, who takes himself too seriously, the guy, who runs into a big problem, because he’s obsessed with chasing sex. 

Philip Tanzini’s Max has an important role here. Max is a jokester, with a snappy and upbeat sense of humor, but he’s also the storyteller, explaining the dark history behind Hull House, and “Old Man Hull’s” unusual lifestyle. And kudos to Donnie Jeffcoat Jr. for a few good laughs during his brief screen time as Billy, Judy’s obnoxious and bratty younger brother.

Hull House is the perfect setting for Night Of The Demons, the old funeral home in the middle of nowhere. Cobwebs, it’s dirty, quiet, and there’s an eerie spookiness throughout Hull House. It’s bad enough you’re being hunted and chased around by demons, and to make matters worse, you’re miles away from civilization. 

The house is not haunted, it’s possessed! Another important layer for Hull House, because emphasizing the dangers of a possessed house over a haunted house separates Night Of The Demons from other haunting films, adding a refreshing nugget to the story. Scary stuff, because Hull House is the absolute last place anyone wants to be, demons or no demons.

Going by Max’s stories, Mr. Hull was obviously a weird and creepy dude, who lived a strange lifestyle. The underground running stream working as a barrier to prevent any demons from leaving Hull House is another nice touch. Screenwriter Joe Augustyn puts a lot of effort into building up the dark mystique of Hull House, stepping over the line for an ordinary abandoned building, and crossing into hell on earth territory. 

WHERE’S THE GATE! Escaping Hull House is the main goal, when the madness starts, but the gate disappears? Rodger, digging deep to find his courage to save Judy (“Climb girl, climb!”), works as a good moment of redemption for him. 

But here’s my problem with it, if Rodger and Judy managed to escape by climbing over the wall, then why didn’t everyone, or anyone else try it earlier? What was the point of harping on the gate that magically disappeared as the only means of escaping Hull House? Taking a few steps backwards, Rodger jumps through a window to get outside. Okay, again, WHY didn’t anyone think of jumping through the window, or breaking the glass to get outside? 

Judy and Rodger, exhausted, beaten up and worn down, walking together, and holding hands after sunrise as the only two survivors, is a great visual. Still, it’s impossible to ignore the massive plot holes surrounding the gate (they never give an explanation for why the gate vanished) and the window. 

Night Of The Demons has a fantastic soundtrack, and each song perfectly complements certain scenes and moments throughout the movie. Computer Date for the start of the party, The Beast Inside for Stooge and Angela’s brief slow dance, and my top pick goes to Stigmata Martyr during Angela’s electric dance in front of Sal.

I can’t say enough about the excellent practical and makeup effects here. So many great picks to choose from, but one that always sticks out for me is, Suzanne pushing the tube of the lipstick into her boob. It’s not just the fact that she did it, but Linnea Quigley jamming her finger all the way inside really adds to the squirming reaction they were going for. Angela “warming her hands in the fire”? Truly a gnarly and shocking moment. The razor blades bulging out of the old man’s neck during the final moments? The blood oozing out, and that excruciating look of pain on Harold Ayer’s face lets you know the old man suffered during that scene.

Two big problems with the missing gate and the window. Big plot holes, but Night Of The Demons is still a fun horror comedy. Just the right amount of cheesiness, consistent laughs, and the morbid humor is hilarious. I always laugh at Sal’s tombstone, because the date for his death is marked as “tonight.” Each character has their own unique brand of comedy, and Stooge (“EAT A BOWL OF FUCK! I AM HERE TO PARTYYYY!”) is easily one of my favorites. And that miserable old codger got what he deserved in the end. 

Night Of The Demons is a great hidden gem, if you’re into 80’s horror movies. And thirty-seven years later, Night Of The Demons still has one of the best horror movie intros!

Rating- 9/10

Character Spotlight- Rodger- Night Of The Demons (1988)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

Hull House is crawling with demons! Run, hide, or fight? Well, panic is Rodger’s (Alvin Alexis) first reaction to everything that happens inside and outside of Hull House. If he can’t run from danger, Rodger will do his best to find the best or any available hiding spots, hoping to wait it out until sunrise. 

Suzanne (Linnea Quigley), Sal (William Gallo), Stooge (Hal Havins), Jay (Lance Fenton), Frannie (Jill Terashita), and Max (Philip Tanzini) were all more concerned with partying and sex. Judy (Cathy Podewell) and Helen (Allison Barron)? They knew something was wrong. And Helen actually saw the demon in the mirror.

Rodger? He warned everyone about the dangers of Frannie’s suggested past life séance. Rodger, the son of a preacher, knows playing around with supernatural evil forces is a bad idea. Notice how seriously Rodger approaches everything compared to everyone else. When Angela (Amelia Kinkade) starts the past life séance, Rodger is the only one, who turns his back to the mirror. He didn’t want to take ANY chances of getting caught up in the madness. 

Rodger, with a justifiably nervous Helen, tried to leave Hull House before anyone else. Sure, Sal eventually realized something was off after Angela’s dance and a bizarre encounter with Suzanne, but it’s a case of too little, too late. 

Is Rodger a coward? He did break Judy’s fall from the roof, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that he bailed on her more than once, when the duo was cornered by demons. The scene in the crematorium? Judy is pushing to escape, to quickly find a way out. Rodger wants to sit and pray, and he’s too scared to make a move.

It’s easy to wag the finger of shame at Rodger. Judy and Sal constantly try to motivate and reassure Rodger, but nothing clicks. He still panics, leading to one conclusion: Rodger is a chicken, who’s only concerned with saving himself. Or maybe he’s not? Imagine this, you’re basically trapped inside a creepy and abandoned funeral home. Your best friends are possessed by demons, and they’re all trying to kill you. On top of all that, you only have a slim chance of making it out alive, IF you can outrun and possibly outsmart Angela and her entire crew until sunrise.

That’s A LOT to deal with, so staying calm, or trying to be the brave hero isn’t so easy. For years, he was an annoying character for me, but if you really pay attention, there’s some strong realism for Rodger’s mindset throughout the movie. He’s reacting and responding how almost anyone would, if they were being chased and hunted by demons. 

Alvin Alexis delivers a convincing performance. You can believe Rodger is genuinely scared. Alexis plays a guy, who’s ready to jump out of his own skin, but Rodger also does whatever it takes to survive, including jumping through a window. Alexis’ performance is also good for a few laughs. Rodger’s outbursts are hilarious, ripping on Stooge, and some chuckles for Rodger bolting at the first signs of trouble. 

It’s also ironic how Rodger winds up being the hero to save Judy (“Climb, girl climb!”) during the finale. Yes, Rodger hesitated. He almost ran away, but he found just enough courage to come back and rescue Judy. You can say a lot about Rodger. He’s a wuss, a chicken, or you could say he’s selfish. Still, what’s important about the ending to his story? The one thing Helen, Stooge, Max, Jay, Frannie, Sal, and Suzanne couldn’t do? Rodger survived. 

Night Of The Demons (1988)

                                                                  The Story

It’s Halloween night, and Angela Franklin is planning an unforgettable party. Along with her best friend Suzanne, Angela plans to “scare the shit out of” her party guests. The party will take place at Hull House, a spooky, old rundown funeral home in the middle of nowhere. Many years ago, Old Man Hull ran the business, but Hull was a strange man. He was obsessed with his dead clients, and like the rest of his family, Hull was murdered during a brutal slaughter fest. One night, the entire Hull family suffered a gruesome end, when one unknown member of the family snapped. The Hull’s maid couldn’t escape the massacre, and the identity of the murderer is still a mystery, because the police couldn’t find any true clues amongst the massive piles of blood and guts.

But Angela welcomes the idea of an authentic Halloween party, and she uses the dark past of Hull House as a scare tactic. Frannie suggests a past life séance for the first party game. But this seemingly harmless party game backfires in the worst way, because the teens accidentally unleash Hull House’s resident demon. Foul odors, loud noises, and chilling breezes ruin the feel-good vibe of the party, but the teens will have to worry about bigger problems. Everyone tries to understand the random and bizarre series of events, but the demon takes advantage of the confusion, and the evil force possesses Suzanne.

Crossing the underground stream is one of the only surefire ways to prevent any demon attacks (demons can’t cross over running water), but the entrance gate mysteriously disappears. The evil forces of Hull House will block every exit, while the demonized women seduce their unsuspecting male victims. The remaining survivors will have to evade the fierce attacks until sunrise, or they will lose their souls forever.

Character Rundown

Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade, credited as Mimi Kinkade in this film)- Angela is an outcast. She’s one of those reclusive goth chicks, who craves attention in the worst way. She wears a black wedding dress, and this costume really enhances the dark side of Angela’s character, especially during her scenes as a demon. Although, Kinkade did bring some sex appeal to this character. It doesn’t last long, but Kinkade provides a show stealing scene with her sexy moment. Kinkade is the only reoccurring cast member in this franchise, and she really nailed the Angela character.

Suzanne (Linnea Quigley)- First of all, I love, love, LOVE Linnea Quigley. Quigley is one of the more noticeable scream queens from the 80’s, but she doesn’t showcase her shrieking skills here. Suzanne is flirty, promiscuous, and she provides some of the eye candy. Suzanne oozes sex appeal, and as usual, Quigley shows some skin in a few nude scenes here. The relationship between Angela and Suzanne feels a bit strange. After all, Angela is an outcast and a “weirdo,” but Suzanne fits the mold of the popular girl in high school. I enjoy the odd pairing between Angela and Suzanne, because the typical mean, popular girl bullying the outcast stuff is so predictable and tiresome most of the time.

Judy Cassidy (Cathy Podewell)- Judy is the sweet, innocent, good-girl of the bunch. Cathy Podwell’s performance is very believable, and Judy is one of the more likeable characters in this franchise.

Sal Romero (Billy Gallo, credited as William Gallo)- Sal is the typical high school tough guy. He’s a bully for the most part, but Gallo’s performance is so smooth. Sal is pretty arrogant, but he’s still a likeable character. Sal is cool and laid back, and Gallo did provide one of the more memorable performances for any Night Of The Demons film.

Jay Jansen (Lance Fenton)- He’s a douchebag. Jay tries to be this hip and suave lady’s man, but he is such a tool. There’s nothing wrong with Fenton’s performance, but I really can’t stand this character at all.

Roger (Alvin Alexis)- Roger is the most annoying character in this film. He’s just a cowardly bitch, and when I first saw this film years ago, I actually rooted for his death. Judy actually shows more courage than him, and Roger’s constant whining drives me nuts. Yeah, sorry, but his last heroic act at the end wasn’t enough, and I can’t ignore his overwhelming amounts of cowardice throughout this film.

Stooge (Hal Havins)- He’s a fat, foul-mouthed slob, who doesn’t respect women. Stooge is an asshole, but more importantly, he’s an entertaining asshole.

Helen (Allison Barron)- Helen is…well she’s just there. Barron has a few highlights/funny moments, when the Helen character insults Stooge, but other than that, Barron really didn’t bring anything special to this film. Barron provided a decent enough performance, but her character doesn’t last long, and Helen is one of the more forgettable faces in the franchise.

Max (Philip Tanzini)-Tanzini provides some enjoyable humor, and he delivered a solid performance for the Max character.

Frannie (Jill Terashita)-Frannie is Max’s girlfriend, and Terashita is just eye candy for the most part. Frannie is an airhead, and Terashita’s most memorable scene involves her exposed breasts, so that should tell you all you kneed to know about this character.

Who’s Behind The Camera?

Kevin Tenney (credited as Kevin S. Tenney) is the director for this film, and Tenney really provided the perfect touch for Night Of The Demons. Night Of The Demons is short on genuine scares, but Tenney created a very believable spooky atmosphere for this film. The dark cinematography looks great, and the tense moments before certain demon attacks/chases really help pull everything together.

To be honest, I’m not a Kevin Tenney expert. I never had the urge to research his career, and I haven’t seen the vast majority of his films. In fact, I’ve only seen two of his films. Night Of the Demons is one obvious pick, and Witchboard is the other. Kevin Tenney won’t shut the fuck up about Witchboard on the DVD commentary, so I decided to give it a try a few years ago. It’s a decent film at best. Please don’t buy into Tenney’s bullshit, and don’t listen to his loyal and blind followers who praise this film, because Witchboard is far from a cult classic.

My Overall Thoughts

Night Of The Demons features one of my favorite intros of all time. This intro has a genuine old school feel to it. It’s spooky, and the gothic theme music is just fantastic:

Night Of The Demons is an outstanding horror/comedy. It’s a campy 80’s horror flick, and the jokes are SUPPOSED to be corny. I love the cheesy humor, and this film provides a good mix of spooky horror and laughs, but Night Of The Demons never reaches a point, where you can’t take the story seriously. It’s not too silly, and you can thank Joe Augustyn’s (who is also the producer for this film) script for that. Augustyn’s hokey jokes provide some good comic relief, but he never forgets the horror side of this film, as the survivors struggle to fight for their lives.

And Hull House is the perfect setting for Night Of The Demons. Hull House is isolated in the middle of nowhere, so the teens can’t run to any neighbors for help. It’s an old, creepy abandoned funeral home, with a chilling atmosphere, and Hull House really enhances feelings of fear and desperation.

After the first possession, Angela explains the difference between “haunted” and “possessed.” Ghosts aren’t causing the problems in Hull House. An evil demon stalks the teens, and Hull House is controlled by mysterious evil forces (they can trap their victims by closing doors, locking doors, blocking other exits, etc.) This crucial piece of information separates Night Of The Demons from other ordinary haunted house films, and the idea of a possessed house feels more refreshing.

Remember that sexy moment I alluded to earlier? Suzanne and Frannie aren’t the only pieces of eye candy here, and for a brief moment, Angela sheds her creepy goth chick persona. Angela‘s bizarre dance in this clip is my favorite scene in the entire series. It’s seductive and dazzling, and Billy Gallo’s “WTF???” reaction is just priceless. Night Of The Demons is loaded with great music and graphic gore, and this scene gives you a taste of both. Oh, and you should skip over this clip, if you can’t handle bloody and disgusting violence, because things get pretty messy towards the end!

Like most horror films from the 80’s (especially horror comedies), Night Of The Demons receives harsh treatment from critics. But most critics, who bash this film can’t take the sticks out of their asses, or they really can’t comprehend the COMEDY side of this film.

Yeah, as far as horror goes, you’ll find a lot of bad films and predictable slashers from the 80’s, but Night Of The Demons is a true gem. This film features a few annoying characters, but they can’t ruin the movie for me. Also, an unexpected survivor escapes from Hull House.

**SPOILERS**

ROGER and Judy make it all the way to the end, and they are the only living survivors in this film. Judy was predictable, because she is the squeaky clean good-girl, but Roger? He’s such a wimp, and he constantly bails on Judy during life-threatening situations. Roger’s survival is the true shocker here, because the cowards usually don’t make it to the end.

**End spoilers**

Technically, there are two versions of Night Of The Demons: the 1988 theatrical version and the unrated DVD version. Although, I’ve seen both versions, and I never noticed a big difference. The unrated DVD version is three minutes longer, it features more graphic gore and violence, but still, you won’t see any major changes between both versions.

Final Rating: 10/10