Halloween night is here! Maddie (Monica Keena) is all smiles, and she’s ready to go to the big Halloween bash at The Broussard Family Mansion, hosted by Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth). Maddie arrives at the party with her friends, Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther) and Lily (Diora Baird). Loud music, drinks, an electric atmosphere, and the duo of Jason (John F. Beach) and Dex (Michael Copon) eventually joins the trio. Everything is seemingly perfect, right?
Sure, Maddie sees potential setbacks. She spots her ex-boyfriend, Colin (Edward Furlong), and the party is officially over, after the arrival of a group of police officers (Angela didn’t get a permit!). But Maddie has bigger problems to worry about, when Angela is unknowingly possessed by a demon. After a game of spin the bottle, Angela passes the demon to Dex, starting a chain reaction, that involves Dex, Lily, and Suzanne being sucked into the first round of possessions.
Facing slim hopes of making it to sunrise, Maddie is forced to fight to survive. Maddie slowly emerges as the leader. There’s two specific scenes, where Maddie aggressively speaks up as the voice of reason. Jason freaks out about a possessed Suzanne showing no signs of any damage after he stabs her with a fireplace poker. Also, let’s not forget about Maddie realizing how important it was to protect the spells written on the walls in the upstairs room.
And Maddie has to interrupt the bickering between Colin and Jason to show them a possible alternate exit in the basement. Colin starts whining about his problems, and Maddie sternly reminds him that Jason was just murdered by Angela, and he transformed into a demon. Colin witnessed a demon ripping Jason’s guts out, and he’s still only thinking about himself? Come on, man!
Maddie also plays the role of a babysitter for Jason and Colin. She’s a caring person, and you can see she still believes there’s some hope for Colin to turn his life around. Colin pleaded with Maddie to leave him alone, when he fell through the floor. Yeah, Colin turned into a demon, and she barely escaped, but Maddie still took a big risk to go down and check on him.
Eventually, the story reaches a point, where Maddie is the last woman standing. Everyone else is a demon, and Maddie realizes she can’t wait it out. No more running, or hiding. No, Maddie had to go for the last stand and fight.
One of my favorite moments in all of the Night Of The Demons films shows Maddie walking up to the camera in the dark during the finale. She scans what’s in front of her, cocks the shotgun, and she boldly says “come and get me, motherfuckers.” Truly a cool moment, daring the demons to attack her, because Maddie knew what she had to do.
Monica Keena brings a mix of a wholesome and ordinary presence to Maddie. You’d never believe this is someone, who’s capable of fighting off demons. Maddie has a perky personality, and she justifiably panics every now and then. But Maddie shows flashes of fire in certain scenes. One moment that sticks out for me happens during the scene, where Maddie slams the door in Angela’s face, because she was sick of her taunting and failed attempts to scare her. She gave it her all, but Maddie couldn’t save everyone, and you have to believe losing Colin to a demonic possession was a tough pill to swallow.
Still, Maddie fought off and outsmarted the demons to walk away as the sole survivor. For me, the best shot in the movie shows the aftermath of Maddie calmly landing on the ground after she faked an attempt to hang herself. It’s daylight outside. Maddie is standing there, exhausted, and she’s covered in blood, but she’s also smiling. Maddie, the gutsy and scrappy final girl, beat the odds to escape. No missing limbs, or serious injuries for the woman, who just wanted to hang out and have fun with her friends at a Halloween party.
The Story- Evangeline Broussard (Tatyana Kanavka) hosts a seance at her mansion in 1920’s New Orleans. Madly in love with Louis Devereaux (Michael Arata), Evangeline uses the seance to spark a romantic connection with Louis. But Evangeline is unknowingly tricked by seven demons, unleashing a massacre inside the mansion.
Eighty-five years later, Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth) hosts a Halloween party at The Broussard Family Mansion. Angela invites Maddie (Monica Keena), Lily (Diora Baird), Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther), Dex (Michael Copon), Jason (John F. Beach), and others, while Colin (Edward Furlong) bribes Diana (Tiffany Shepis) for access to the party. The police force, led by Sergeant Dawson (Lance Nichols), pulls the plug on Angela’s party, but the group has bigger problems to worry about, when Angela and Colin discover seven skeletons in the basement.
My Thoughts- Amelia Kinkade’s Angela was a goth nerd, the outsider, who was into witchcraft and the occult. Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela? She’s clearly more popular, has a wild side, and Elizabeth brings out a more cocky and confident side of herself, when the demonic possession takes over. There’s a scene, where Angela is taunting Maddie about her chances of survival and Maddie’s feelings for Colin. Good stuff from Elizabeth during this scene, as her eyes are deviously wandering around the room, with that big smirk on her face, because you can see Angela’s having fun toying with Maddie.
The remake fills out the rest of the cast with likable characters, who are easy to root for. Monica Keena’s Maddie easily leads the pack, the scrappy fighter, who slowly emerges as the leader, and a sensible voice of reason. Keena brings a wholesomeness to Maddie, but she steps up to FIERCELY fight back towards the end. “Come and get me, motherfuckers” is one of the cooler one-liners in the movie. Keena really nails the delivery for that line, and the timing is perfect, because it comes at point, where the odds are not in Maddie’s favor, but she’s not going down without a fight.
Edward Furlong’s Colin is a sad sap. He’s a struggling drug dealer, who just can’t catch a break. You get the impression life has just run him into the ground, and to make matters worse, he’s on a hit list, if he doesn’t make enough money after Angela’s party.
John F. Beach is consistently hilarious. No denying he owns all of his scenes and numerous moments throughout the movie, with nervous or spirited rants and outbursts. The paintball scene (“NO COSTUME, NO CANDY, MOTHERFUCKER!”) is a good pick, and his explanation for what happened with Lily after the lipstick scene is just priceless.
Characters with bit parts and limited screen time deliver some notable highlights here. Tiffany Shepis is good for a few laughs as Diana. She’s sneaky, and Diana doesn’t care about breaking Angela’s rules, if she can make some extra cash on the side.
I wish Jamie Harris’ Nigel had a bigger role in the movie. Real show stealing stuff from him during his scene with Furlong, while Harris is laying it on thick as this unhinged crime boss. And another thumbs up for Lance Nichols playing the grinning and smarmy cop, who gladly leads the charge to ruin Angela’s party.
Dex, Lily, and Suzanne? No complaints about the performances from Diora Baird, Bobbi Sue Luther, and Michael Copon, but I just wish their characters had a bit more depth. Dex is a normal and nice guy, and that’s it? Lily’s entire personality basically revolves around being obsessed with Dex. Suzanne is spunky and she likes to have fun. But Bobbi Sue Luther brings some good positive energy to Suzanne, and I did get a laugh out of the costume snafu with Lily, because they’re not just cats, they’re pussy cats!
No more Hull House! If I’m being honest, I actually prefer the dark history and the lore behind Evangeline, her disastrous seance, and The Broussard Family Mansion over Hull House and “Old Man Hull.” Everything behind Evangeline and the demons feels more sinister. The thought of this seemingly innocent woman going to extraordinary lengths to chase the man of her dreams, and her quest for love blowing up in her face in the worst possible ways, is more of an impactful story.
I’m always a sucker for fine details, and there’s no denying The Broussard Family Mansion has a rich history. The secret room in the basement, underground tunnels, the protective spells written on the walls by Evangeline’s maid (Tiffany Billiot) in the safe room, and they drop a few hints for bootlegging runs throughout the mansion during prohibition. If we’re talking about overall visuals, I guess you could make the argument for Hull House (limited to the original Night Of The Demons and Part 2 only) being more spooky, but Broussard Manor still works as a death trap that you’d want to avoid at all costs.
The demons! The designs and the makeup for the demons in the remake are far more grotesque and bizarre. Boobs with tentacles, horns, and bloody, decaying flesh? Oh, the horror! I never had any real problems with the designs for the demons in the original trilogy, but the demons in the 2009 film are more believable as monstrous creatures.
Going back to the lore behind the demons and details reinforcing the demons as serious threats, after doing some research, Maddie reveals the seven demons were cast out of hell, because they were too much to handle. Imagine that. You get kicked out of HELL, because you can’t follow the rules.
The front gate is a problem here. Again. It’s one of those strange plot holes, and I’m wondering if they did it intentionally as a weird wink to the original, and the problems with the gate in that film. One gate is capable of causing so much trouble? Sorry, not buying it.
The stuff with the gate is still annoying, but Night Of The Demons 2009 is a good remake. The 1988 original works as the quintessential 80’s horror film. But NOTD 2009 proves you can still make an entertaining film, without settling for a lazy shot for shot remake.
Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson created their own version of Night Of The Demons, while still paying homage to the original. Angela is different, Linnea Quigley’s cameo is a callback to the convenience store scene in the original, and Suzanne’s disappearing lipstick scene makes a comeback! But the magic trick with the tube of lipstick goes a few steps further in this one. The puddle of blood on the floor, and Lily’s blood soaked hand, when she yanks the tube of lipstick out is something else. Also, a big thumbs up for all the effort they put into Evangeline’s backstory. Starting things off in 1925 with the old style black and white silent films era was a nice touch for something unexpected.
New Orleans! During, the opening there’s some short highlights of Halloween festivities in New Orleans. Before the cops show up, Angela’s Halloween party is a big bash. Remember, in the ‘88 original it was just supposed to be a little get-together between a small group of friends at a dusty old funeral home. Nigel briefly mentions how New Orleans is still struggling after Hurricane Katrina, but it’s not a big plot point for the story.
Night Of The Demons 2009 is truly different, because you can see a lot of noticeable changes. They left out the underground stream acting as a barrier that prevents demons from leaving the property. More graphic gore, a lot of blood, and overall, NOTD 2009 is a more extreme film, if we’re comparing it to the original. There’s also more sexual innuendos and jokes. NOTD 2009 also reveals it’s possible to pass demonic possessions through anal sex. So, yeah, that’s a thing here.
NOTD 2009 delivers consistent humor and laughs, including the post-credits scene, and all the bickering between Maddie, Colin, and Jason, when things go south. It’s a bloody and fun horror remake, good practical effects, a hefty amount of gory violence, and there’s one really good jump scare that plays around with the usual tropes for mirror jump scares.
As far as the music goes, I’ll give the edge to the original for the overall better soundtrack, and how they used each song from that soundtrack. But Night Of The Demons by 45 Grave is a perfect fit for the remake. It’s catchy, campy, and it’s a good choice for the fight scene after the demons invade the mansion.
The Story- Evangeline Broussard (Tatyana Kanavka) hosts a seance at her mansion in 1920’s New Orleans. Madly in love with Louis Devereaux (Michael Arata), Evangeline uses the seance to spark a romantic connection with Louis. But Evangeline is unknowingly tricked by seven demons, unleashing a massacre inside the mansion.
Eighty-five years later, Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth) hosts a Halloween party at The Broussard Family Mansion. Angela invites Maddie (Monica Keena), Lily (Diora Baird), Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther), Dex (Michael Copon), Jason (John F. Beach), and others, while Colin (Edward Furlong) bribes Diana (Tiffany Shepis) for access to the party. The police force, led by Sergeant Dawson (Lance Nichols), pulls the plug on Angela’s party, but the group has bigger problems to worry about, when Angela and Colin discover seven skeletons in the basement.
My Thoughts- Amelia Kinkade’s Angela was a goth nerd, the outsider, who was into witchcraft and the occult. Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela? She’s clearly more popular, has a wild side, and Elizabeth brings out a more cocky and confident side of herself, when the demonic possession takes over. There’s a scene, where Angela is taunting Maddie about her chances of survival and Maddie’s feelings for Colin. Good stuff from Elizabeth during this scene, as her eyes are deviously wandering around the room, with that big smirk on her face, because you can see Angela’s having fun toying with Maddie.
The remake fills out the rest of the cast with likable characters, who are easy to root for. Monica Keena’s Maddie easily leads the pack, the scrappy fighter, who slowly emerges as the leader, and a sensible voice of reason. Keena brings a wholesomeness to Maddie, but she steps up to FIERCELY fight back towards the end. “Come and get me, motherfuckers” is one of the cooler one-liners in the movie. Keena really nails the delivery for that line, and the timing is perfect, because it comes at point, where the odds are not in Maddie’s favor, but she’s not going down without a fight.
Edward Furlong’s Colin is a sad sap. He’s a struggling drug dealer, who just can’t catch a break. You get the impression life has just run him into the ground, and to make matters worse, he’s on a hit list, if he doesn’t make enough money after Angela’s party.
John F. Beach is consistently hilarious. No denying he owns all of his scenes and numerous moments throughout the movie, with nervous or spirited rants and outbursts. The paintball scene (“NO COSTUME, NO CANDY, MOTHERFUCKER!”) is a good pick, and his explanation for what happened with Lily after the lipstick scene is just priceless.
Characters with bit parts and limited screen time deliver some notable highlights here. Tiffany Shepis is good for a few laughs as Diana. She’s sneaky, and Diana doesn’t care about breaking Angela’s rules, if she can make some extra cash on the side.
I wish Jamie Harris’ Nigel had a bigger role in the movie. Real show stealing stuff from him during his scene with Furlong, while Harris is laying it on thick as this unhinged crime boss. And another thumbs up for Lance Nichols playing the grinning and smarmy cop, who gladly leads the charge to ruin Angela’s party.
Dex, Lily, and Suzanne? No complaints about the performances from Diora Baird, Bobbi Sue Luther, and Michael Copon, but I just wish their characters had a bit more depth. Dex is a normal and nice guy, and that’s it? Lily’s entire personality basically revolves around being obsessed with Dex. Suzanne is spunky and she likes to have fun. But Bobbi Sue Luther brings some good positive energy to Suzanne, and I did get a laugh out of the costume snafu with Lily, because they’re not just cats, they’re pussy cats!
Maddie is the sole survivor! Obvious? Yes, Maddie narrowly escaping wasn’t a big shocking surprise, because you could see it coming. There’s a good effort for teasing Maddie possibly committing suicide by hanging herself, similar to what Evangeline did in the 1920’s. Lining up the flashbacks with Evangeline’s suicide, while Maddie is preparing to jump off of the balcony with the rope around her neck ALMOST works as a good nail-biter. They wanted to give you the impression that Maddie would sacrifice herself to stop the demonic invasion, while showing you how Evangeline did it step by step, but it just wasn’t believable.
Still, it’s an excellent final girl ending for Monica Keena. Maddie, clothes torn and covered in blood, and beaten up during sunrise, but also smiling and relieved that it’s finally over and she survived. That is truly a great visual.
No more Hull House! If I’m being honest, I actually prefer the dark history and the lore behind Evangeline, her disastrous seance, and The Broussard Family Mansion over Hull House and “Old Man Hull.” Everything behind Evangeline and the demons feels more sinister. The thought of this seemingly innocent woman going to extraordinary lengths to chase the man of her dreams, and her quest for love blowing up in her face in the worst possible ways, is more of an impactful story.
I’m always a sucker for fine details, and there’s no denying The Broussard Family Mansion has a rich history. The secret room in the basement, underground tunnels, the protective spells written on the walls by Evangeline’s maid (Tiffany Billiot) in the safe room, and they drop a few hints for bootlegging runs throughout the mansion during prohibition. If we’re talking about overall visuals, I guess you could make the argument for Hull House (limited to the original Night Of The Demons and Part 2 only) being more spooky, but Broussard Manor still works as a death trap that you’d want to avoid at all costs.
The demons! The designs and the makeup for the demons in the remake are far more grotesque (faceless demon Suzanne is truly impressive) and bizarre. Boobs with tentacles, horns, and bloody, decaying flesh? Oh, the horror! I never had any real problems with the designs for the demons in the original trilogy, but the demons in the 2009 film are more believable as monstrous creatures.
Going back to the lore behind the demons and details reinforcing the demons as serious threats, after doing some research, Maddie reveals the seven demons were cast out of hell, because they were too much to handle. Imagine that. You get kicked out of HELL, because you can’t follow the rules.
The front gate is a problem here. Again. It’s one of those strange plot holes, and I’m wondering if they did it intentionally as a weird wink to the original, and the problems with the gate in that film. One gate is capable of causing so much trouble? Sorry, not buying it.
The stuff with the gate is still annoying, but Night Of The Demons 2009 is a good remake. The 1988 original works as the quintessential 80’s horror film. But NOTD 2009 proves you can still make an entertaining film, without settling for a lazy shot for shot remake.
Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson created their own version of Night Of The Demons, while still paying homage to the original. Angela is different, Linnea Quigley’s cameo is a callback to the convenience store scene in the original, and Suzanne’s disappearing lipstick scene makes a comeback! But the magic trick with the tube of lipstick goes a few steps further in this one. The puddle of blood on the floor, and Lily’s blood soaked hand, when she yanks the tube of lipstick out is something else. Also, a big thumbs up for all the effort they put into Evangeline’s backstory. Starting things off in 1925 with the old style black and white silent films era was a nice touch for something unexpected.
New Orleans! During, the opening there’s some short highlights of Halloween festivities in New Orleans. Before the cops show up, Angela’s Halloween party is a big bash. Remember, in the ‘88 original it was just supposed to be a little get-together between a small group of friends at a dusty old funeral home. Nigel briefly mentions how New Orleans is still struggling after Hurricane Katrina, but it’s not a big plot point for the story.
Night Of The Demons 2009 is truly different, because you can see a lot of noticeable changes. They left out the underground stream acting as a barrier that prevents demons from leaving the property. More graphic gore, a lot of blood, and overall, NOTD 2009 is a more extreme film, if we’re comparing it to the original. There’s also more sexual innuendos and jokes. NOTD 2009 also reveals it’s possible to pass demonic possessions through anal sex. So, yeah, that’s a thing here.
NOTD 2009 delivers consistent humor and laughs, including the post-credits scene, and all the bickering between Maddie, Colin, and Jason, when things go south. It’s a bloody and fun horror remake, good practical effects, a hefty amount of gory violence, and there’s one really good jump scare that plays around with the usual tropes for mirror jump scares.
As far as the music goes, I’ll give the edge to the original for the overall better soundtrack, and how they used each song from that soundtrack. But Night Of The Demons by 45 Grave is a perfect fit for the remake. It’s catchy, campy, and it’s a good choice for the fight scene after the demons invade the mansion.
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!
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!
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, 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.
Angela Franklin's (Amelia Kinkade) sister is a real troublemaker, right? A real hell-raiser, someone, who's not afraid of trouble, or danger! Well, if that's what you're expecting from the younger sister of the demon villainess, then you're in for a big surprise.
Melissa Franklin (Merle Kennedy) is not a rebel, a free spirit, or a loose cannon. She's a geeky outcast at St. Rita's Academy (a Catholic school for troubled teenagers), and to make matters worse, Melissa is the primary target for Shirley Finnerty's (Zoe Trilling) wrath. Melissa trusts Bibi (Cristi Harris) as her best friend on campus, and Sister Gloria (Jennifer Rhodes) plays the role of a watchful protector for Melissa, but Shirley devises a plan with her boyfriend Rick (Rick Peters), and Rick's best friend, Z-boy (Darin Heames) to lure Melissa into a devious prank/trap.
Terri (Christine Taylor) is a proud member of the "Bullying Melissa brigade," but after a reassuring seal of approval from Bibi, Melissa accepts Shirley's invitation to a special Halloween party. Johnny (Johnny Moran) is looking for a romantic night with Bibi, so he joins the party, and Johnny's best friend, Kurt (Ladd York) follows the group for spooky fun. The big surprise for Melissa? The party is at Hull House, the home of Angela's disastrous Halloween party. The sight of her sister's final resting place sends Melissa into a panic, but Z-boy (wearing a Halloween a mask) forces Melissa into the house after a surprise scare.
Perry (Robert Jane, credited as Bobby Jacoby) uses his rich knowledge of demonology to lend a helping hand, but a suspicious Sister Gloria is running out of time, and an inept Father Bob's (Rob McCary) arrogance complicates any plans for an immediate rescue mission. Melissa is on a collision course for a deadly reunion with her demonic sister, and the situation takes a bizarre turn for the worst, when Angela uses a tube of lipstick as vessel to crash the Halloween part at St. Rita's Academy.
Mouse? It's a suitable nickname for Angela's little sister. She's tiny and soft spoken, but Melissa has a "MY NAME IS!" moment during the big finale (more on that later). It's easy to feel sympathy for Melissa, because she's a lonely outcast. Melissa receives support from Bibi, Perry, and Sister Gloria, but Shirley and her minions launch an attack to make Melissa's life a living hell.
For me, the relationship between Angela and Melissa is the major highlight in Night Of The Demons 2. Why? Because Night Of The Demons 2 puts a noticeable amount of effort into Melissa's backstory. More often than not, low budget horror sequels take the lazy approach to capitalize off of the name value from a successful or praised original, and the end result is a cheap and forgettable knock-off, with a shabby story and a terrible cast.
Anyway, at St. Rita's Academy, the sight of Angela frightens Melissa (for obvious reasons), but Angela reassures Melissa with a hug (luckily, Angela's hug obstructed Melissa's view of Angela's demonized face). Melissa wants to believe in Angela's promise for a second chance at a happy relationship with her big sister. Technically, Angela is the only living family member in Melissa's life, because Angela and Melissa's parents committed suicide after the horrifying sight of a special Halloween card from Angela.
Angela uses her powers, and her demonized followers (Shirley, Z-boy, and Rick) to eliminate members of the rescue team (Father Bob and Perry). In the end, Sister Gloria, Johnny, and Bibi are the remaining survivors in the fight to save Melissa.
Sister Gloria goads Angela into trading places with Melissa on her death bed. Angela pushes Melissa to murder Sister Gloria with her sword (still one of my biggest pet peeves for 2, because they never explained the origins for the sword). If Melissa murders Sister Gloria, Angela will complete her mission to demonize Melissa with evil powers. Melissa flashes a devilish smile, while an antsy Angela pushes Melissa to finish off Sister Gloria.
"NOW MOUSE!!!" That's one of Angela's final warnings to Melissa. Melissa's retaliation? "MY NAME IS MELISSA!!!" Melissa turns the tables on Angela with a hard stab to the gut, and Sister Gloria reduces Angela to a gooey puddle with some help from a super soaker (with holy water as the secret ingredient). Of course, Angela returns as a giant snake during sunrise.......and after her "demise," she returns as a snake inside a tube of lipstick to close out the movie.
Melissa Franklin is a memorable character in the Night Of The Demons franchise. Merle Kennedy provides a handful of laughs, and she's a front-runner for the best performance in the sequel. It's an impressive feat, when you consider a returning Amelia Kinkade in top form, as a darker and more confident version of Angela, and Jennifer Rhodes' hilarious parody performance as a strict nun.
Unfortunately, Melissa is a one and done deal for Night Of The Demons. It's a shame, because a storyline for a returning Melissa in Night Of The Demons 3 is loaded with potential. Imagine the possibilities. Melissa returns for a little sister vs big sister showdown at Hull House, and you can't rule out the possibility of Angela using her sword. But it's all in the past now, and we'll never know.....
If you're interested, you can follow this link to read my spoiler review for Night Of The Demons 2-
Eighty-five years later, Angela Feld prepares to throw a Halloween party
at The Broussard Family mansion. Angela needs the money and her friend,
Diana collects the cash and she gives out hand stamps for admission.
Suzanne has known Angela since high school. Maddie and Lily are friends
of Suzanne. They join the party, but a few odd encounters with
ex-boyfriends could change everything. Lily still has feelings for her
ex-boyfriend, Dex. Dex’s friend, Jason doesn’t want to ruin anything, so
he leaves Lily and Dex alone, and Jason befriends Maddie. A ruthless
drug lord named Nigel gives Maddie’s ex-boyfriend/drug dealer, Colin a
life-or-death ultimatum, so he must sell all of his merchandise to the
party guests.
Angela’s party is a money-making success, but eventually, the police
pull the plug. Failing to show the proper permit, the police shut down
Angela’s party. Diana sees an easy opportunity during the confusion, and
she decides to steal all the money. Fearing an arrest and Nigel’s
wrath, Colin hides his drugs in the basement. After the cops and the
majority of the party guests leave, Maddie, Lily, Jason, and Dex return
to the mansion to find Suzanne, who appears out of nowhere after passing
out from too much alcohol. With Angela’s help, Colin retrieves his
drugs from the basement, but at the same time, Angela and Colin
accidentally discover a secret room that contains a group of skeletons.
Angela tries to remove a gold tooth from one of the skeletons, but the
skeleton suddenly bites her finger. Maddie, Lily, Suzanne, Colin, Jason,
and Dex try to leave, but the entrance gate mysteriously locks by
itself. Unable to find another exit, the group returns to the mansion
for drinks.
Meanwhile, Angela is slowly possessed by a demon, and once she realizes
her powers, Angela possesses Dex during a game of spin the bottle. Dex
takes advantage of Lily’s desires for a second chance, and he possesses
her during an awkward moment. Plus, Angela mutilates and possesses an
unsuspecting and drunk Suzanne. Maddie, Colin, and Jason will have to
fight for survival until sunrise, as demonized versions of Angela, Lily,
Suzanne, and Dex reek havoc throughout the mansion.
Character Rundown
Angela Feld (Shannon Elizabeth)- Angela is a wild party girl with
an aggressive attitude. The hardcore punk rock look is a perfect fit
for this character, and Elizabeth brings some sex appeal to Angela.
Shannon Elizabeth is known for the Nadia character from the American Pie
films (the REAL American Pie films, not the shitty straight-to-video
releases), and she delivers a solid performance as Angela here.
Maddie (Monica Keena)- Remember Monica Keena? She played Lori in
Freddy VS Jason, and Keena brings the same kick-ass attitude to the
Maddie character. Maddie is down-to-earth, and she’s a fearless fighter,
who refuses to give up. Keena delivers the best performance in this
film, and the Maddie character has a few memorable moments.
Colin (Edward Furlong)- Nope, that’s not a typo, and you aren’t
seeing things. Edward Furlong, the same man, who starred alongside
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2, and the same guy, who delivered a
very solid performance in American History X, has a part in this
straight-to-video horror release. Colin is a
miserable drug dealer, who can’t catch a break, and his constant
setbacks continue to sink him into a deeper hole. He’s a screw-up, but
Furlong’s performance is entertaining, and he provides a few laughs.
Suzanne (Bobbi Sue Luther)- Suzanne? She's just eye candy for the most part. She’s the ditzy and busty woman, who likes to drink, and that's about it Lily (Diora Baird)- Lily has a bubbly personality, and she clings
to the hopes of starting a new relationship with Dex. Baird’s
performance is decent enough, but her character doesn’t have any
dialogue as a demon. And if I’m not mistaken, a stunt double portrays
the demonized version of Lily, so Baird doesn’t have a significant
amount of screen time here.
Jason (John F. Beach)- He’s the goofiest character in this film. Jason provides the majority of laughs, and Beach is just hilarious.
Dex (Michael Copon)- Dex is just there. He doesn’t have a personality, and once Dex becomes a demon, Copon doesn’t have any spoken dialogue.
Diana (Tiffany Shepis)- Diana has an attitude, and Shepis brings
some believable cockiness to this character. Diana only has a few scenes
here, but Shepis is pretty solid during her short screen time.
Nigel (Jamie Harris)- Nigel has a dark sense of humor, and he’s a
cold-hearted drug lord, who torments Colin. Harris only has two scenes
here (one scene in the beginning, and the post-credits scene), but he
provides a few laughs.
Evangeline Broussard (Tatyana Kanavka)- Kanavka’s character is
important. Initially, Evangeline is the person, who releases the demons
into the living world, but you’ll only see her during the intro and
flashbacks.
Louis Devereaux (Michael Arata)- Another important character. But
Louis only has a few scenes, and most of them are flashbacks of the
same material. Also, Arata is one of the producers for this film.
Who's Behind The Camera?
Adam Gierasch brings a brutal and grotesque style for Night Of The
Demons 2009. The gore is graphic, bloody, disgusting, and Gierasch
provides a few jump scares. And it doesn’t last long, but Gierasch
creates a vibrant party atmosphere to this film.
My Overall Thoughts
Adam Gierasch and Jace Anderson wrote the screenplay for this film.
Night Of The Demons 2009 features a more thorough backstory, and you’ll
get an in-depth explanation for the origins of the demons. The story is
loaded with some good humor, and there’s a nice surprise at the end.
Great music gave the 1988 original an extra boost, and the remake
features a solid soundtrack. 45 Grave provides the title track for this
film. “Night Of The Demons” really complements the hardcore punk rock
vibe, it’s catchy, and this song is a perfect fit for the Halloween
theme in this film:
As the story progresses, Monica Keena, Edward Furlong, and John F. Beach
develop some good chemistry, and they provide some hilarious moments
together. Plus, after the first set of possessions, Keena, Furlong, and
Beach really carry this film.
Night Of The Demons 2009 was a straight-to-video release. It was
supposed to have a limited theatrical run, but Seven Arts International
(the distributor) decided to go with a DVD/Blu-Ray release. And
Entertainment One re-released the 2009 remake on DVD and Blu-Ray this
September. Also, Kevin Tenney returns to lend a helping hand, as a
producer.
Night Of The Demons 2009 is a bloody and gruesome horror comedy, that
features some genuine gross-out moments. You’ll see a few jump scares
here and there, and the cast is solid. Plus, Linnea Quigley has a brief
cameo here. Still, Night
Of The Demons 2009 is a solid remake. Night Of The Demons 2009 delivers
plenty of gore, laughs, and the fight scenes are decent enough.
Oh, and Night Of The Demons 2009 features some of the funniest video
commentary you’ll ever hear. Adam Gierasch, Jace Anderson, Monica Keena,
Bobbi Sue Luther, and John F. Beach provide the commentary. It’s
hilarious from beginning to end, and the video commentary is a great
bonus attraction for the DVD or Blu-Ray.
Comparing & Contrasting The 1988 Original With The 2009 Remake
Well, I’ll get the most obvious changes out of the way first.
-Angela’s last name changes from Franklin to Feld
-In the original, the family maid is slaughtered with the Hull Family.
But in the remake, Evangeline’s maid survives the demon attacks, and her
spells protect the modern-day survivors.
-An underground stream prevents the demons from leaving Hull House in
the original, but Broussard House isn’t surrounded by an underground
stream, forcing the survivors to fight the demons.
-The survivors really don’t have a surefire defense against the demons
in the original, but in the remake, rust becomes an effective weapon.
-There’s no abandoned funeral home here. Instead, Broussard Mansion is used as the main setting for this film.
-The story for the remake has more depth. In the original, they provide
some information for Hull House’s history, but the details are very
vague.
-The demons are more vicious and violent.
-The Halloween party in the 1988 remake starts out as a small and
friendly get-together, but Angela’s Halloween party is a big-time event
with more people.
-In the 1988 original, Angela is a weirdo and an outcast, but in the
2009 remake, Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela is promiscuous and flirty. She’s
a party girl, who wants to have fun, and Angela 2009 has an attitude
BEFORE her possession. Also, both Angelas have a completely different
look.
Pics!
1988 Angela
2009 Angela
Judy is sweet and innocent, and she becomes a leader during the final
moments of the original. So it’s easy to draw comparisons between Maddie
and Judy, because Maddie emerges as the strongest character in the
remake, but Maddie is tougher. She’s more rugged, and Maddie turns into a
real bad-ass during the final showdown.
Pics!
Maddie
Judy
Keena brings more emotion and aggression to Maddie, but Podewell carries the original by herself most of the time.
Gierasch and Anderson deny any comparisons between 1988 Suzanne and 2009
Suzanne, but the similarities are so obvious. Bobbie Sue Luther’s
bigger tits are the only main difference, and in the end, Luther’s
Suzanne is just a modern-day version of Quigley’s Suzanne.
More Pics!
1988 Suzanne
2009 Suzanne
A pic of Quigley's 2009 cameo!
The performances in the remake are solid, but when it comes to acting, I
have to give the edge to the 1988 original. Shannon Elizabeth’s Angela
is darker and more violent, but Kinkade really nailed the outcast side
of Angela, and Kinkade brings more humor to Angela’s demonized form.
Every member of the supporting cast from the original has
characteristics of a hip 80’s teen (especially the dialogue), but the
supporting cast from the original provides more entertaining
performances. The supporting cast for the remake isn’t bad, but Baird
and Luther can’t rise above the status of eye candy, and Michael Copon
doesn’t help anything. And with the exception of Baird and Elizabeth,
the post-possession forms of the main characters don’t receive any
spoken dialogue, so everyone falls into the category of a “bloodthirsty
killer.” They don’t have a real chance to standout.
Overall, the 1988 original is still the better film. It‘s a fun and
campy 80‘s horror comedy, with disgusting gore and great music. The 2009 remake has a more serious tone. The violence is more brutal,
and the gore is more graphic and bloody. It’s a respectable remake, and
Night Of The Demons 2009 is better than most shitty straight-to-video
horror releases.
(Sorry, but I couldn't find an English language trailer for NOTD 3) The Story
Alone and bored, Officer Larry (or Unit 66) is patrolling Hull House on
Halloween night. The night watch is quiet at first, but a strange noise
catches Larry’s attention. Larry investigates, but once he enters Hull
House, Angela suddenly appears. Larry tries to convince Angela to leave,
but she refuses. Larry asserts his authority as a police officer, but
Angela uses her powers to grab Larry’s badge. She catches it, turns it
into a weapon, and Angela kills Larry with his own badge.
Meanwhile, Holly, the popular and successful cheerleader, and her geeky
friend, Abbie are stranded on the side of the road. They’re on their way
to the high school Halloween dance, but some unexpected car problems
create a serious dilemma. Noticing the broken down car and two women,
who need help, a group of friends on a joy ride in a van decide to help.
Orson is the driver, Vince and his girlfriend, Lois are the
troublemakers, Reggie sees an easy opportunity for a one-night stand,
and Nick is trying to control his urges to punch Vince in the face.
Holly is skeptical at first, but Abbie quickly accepts the offer for a
free ride. Holly reluctantly joins Abbie for the ride, but a slight
remark from Nick angers Holly.
Vince wants a pack of cigarettes, so the group stops at a gas station.
Reggie tries to buy alcohol with a fake ID, but the clerk, Mr. Morris
won’t accept the phony identification. Reggie reaches for his wallet,
but Mr. Morris suspects something fishy, so he threatens Reggie with a
shotgun. While Mr. Morris aims the shotgun at Reggie, Vince takes
advantage of a lackadaisical mistake from Morris, and he snatches the
shotgun. Vince turns the tables on Morris, but two armed policemen
interrupt the tense situation. Vince panics, so he aims the shotgun
towards the cops. During the standoff, Morris grabs Vince, the shotgun
goes off, and Vince accidentally shoots one of the officers. The other
cop returns fire, and during the shootout, Reggie suffers two gunshot
wounds to the stomach. During the escape, Orson secretly steals a gun
from one of the officers.
Armed with a shotgun, Vince declares himself the leader, but the group
must face some serious problems. They’re losing fuel from a damaged gas
tank, and Reggie is bleeding to death. Vince tries to figure out a
solution, but he can’t think of a safe hideout….until Lois suggests Hull
House. Vince forces the uncooperative witnesses (Abbie, Holly, Nick)
inside Hull House, and everything is calm and quiet at first.
Eventually, Angela shows up and Vince tries to secure another hostage,
but Orson proudly flaunts his new gun, and he volunteers to keep a close
eye on Angela.
Lieutenant Dewhurst is hours away from retirement, but he has one more
case to solve before he turns in his badge for good. Dewhurst is
assigned to the case of the gas station shoot out, but Angela begins to
hatch another sneaky plan. The underground stream will protect the
survivors from any demon attacks, but time is running out. Dewhurst will
have to find Vince and the other witnesses quickly, or Angela will
complete another Halloween massacre at Hull House.
Character Rundown
Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade)- For the first time, Angela
loses the black wedding dress. Instead, she wears a more provocative
black dress. Still, Kinkade is devious and evil, and as usual, Kinkade
provides an enjoyable performance for this character.
Holly (Stephanie Bauder)- She’s supposed to be the likeable, hot
cheerleader, but Bauder’s performance is rigid and contrived. Bauder is
an attractive woman, but her terrible performance kills any interest in
this character.
Abbie (Patricia Rodriguez)- Rodriguez is believable, as the shy and
soft-spoken geek. Her character makes a few stupid mistakes, but there’s
nothing wrong with her performance.
Vince (Kristen Holden-Ried)- He’s a jackass. Vince tries to be this
hip and cool bad boy, with a mean streak, but Holden-Ried’s performance
isn’t convincing. His performances feels forced, and Vince is easily the
most annoying character in this film.
Lois (Tara Slone)- Lois continues the pattern of promiscuous women
for this film series. But Slone can’t act to save her life, and she
joins a pretty lengthy list of annoying characters here.
Nick (Gregory Calpakis)- Nick is one of the good guys. He stands up
to Vince, and Nick refuses to put up with his constant bullying. Nick
and Vince develop a rivalry throughout this film, but Calpakis’ dull
performance is painful to watch.
Reggie (Joel Gordon)- Reggie is supposed to be the “funny guy” in
the group, but he’s a terrible comedian, and you’ll hear a bunch of
lame jokes from this character. Fortunately, once Reggie suffers the
gunshot wounds, you won’t hear too much dialogue from this character,
and this IS a good thing.
Orson (Christian Tessier)- Orson is a nervous wimp, but when he
steals the gun, Orson develops a dark side. Orson is pretty gullible and
stupid, but Tessier’s performance pulls a few laughs out of me.
Lieutenant Dewhurst (Vlasta Vrana)- Dewhurst has a good sense of
humor. He’s an easy-going veteran, and Dewhurst tries to lend a helping
hand towards the end. Vrana delivers a solid performance, and the
Dewhurst character has some funny moments here.
Mr. Morris (Ian McDonlad)- He’s a fat slob, who works at a gas
station. Morris is the catalyst for the teen’s downward spiral, but
McDonlad’s character is only shown in two scenes here.
Officer Larry/Unit 66 (Larry Day)- Well, Angela kills Larry in
the opening scene, but he makes a return as a demon. In his demonized
form, Larry becomes this hyper and obnoxious goofball. Day’s performance
is too over the top, and most importantly, he’s NOT funny at all.
Who's Behind The Camera?
Jim Kaufman’s terrible directing really hurts this film. His style is
bland and unappealing, and Kaufman is easily the worst director in this
entire franchise. Plus, Night Of The Demons 3 isn’t scary at all, and
any sort of tension is non-existent in this one.
My Overall Thoughts
Kevin Tenney returns to write the screenplay, and Joe Augustyn’s absence
from the writing department is noticeable here. Augustyn provides some
hilarious hokey humor for the first two films, but Tenney’s jokes are
just awful. In Night Of The Demons 3, the comedy devolves into a painful
barrage of unfunny “yo momma” jokes. But more importantly, there’s one
too many unlikable and stupid characters here, and the ending is beyond
silly.
Night Of The Demons 3 features more nudity and sex. The nude scenes feel
so random, and the sex scenes are unnecessary. I guess they needed a
few reasons to distract the audience from the horrible plot, but the
extra nudity and sex doesn’t help Night Of The Demons 3, because this
film has too many obvious flaws.
The story doesn’t maintain continuity. What happened to Melissa, Johnny,
Bibi, and Sister Gloria? They actually survived Angela’s attacks, and
there was a cliffhanger at the end of Night Of The Demons 2. During the
opening scene, Larry alludes to the “kids from St. Rita’s Academy,” but
still, they don’t provide a thorough explanation for their whereabouts. I
don’t have a big problem with Bibi, Sister Gloria, and Johnny, but
Melissa? Come on, she’s Angela’s sister! Night Of The Demons 3 feels
like a stand-alone film most of the time, because a real connection to
the previous films doesn’t exist.
The lack of continuity is annoying, and the shitty acting in this film
is just dreadful. Kinkade, Vrana, and Rodriguez tried to save this one,
but the bad performances outweigh the enjoyable ones here.
And they tried to recreate Angela’s dance scene from the first film
AGAIN. The second attempt in Night Of The Demons 2 was embarrassing
enough, but Angela’s third attempt is just pitiful. She does this slow
and awkward sensual dance for Orson, and for some odd reason, Angela
performs fellatio on Orson’s gun. Of course, Angela wanted Orson to
lower his guard. She wanted to distract him, and it worked, because
Angela uses her tongue to kill/demonize Orson (it’s similar to Stooge’s
death in the “Angela’s Dance” clip). Still, the dance is just atrocious,
but Angela’s third attempt is laughably bad.
What the fuck happened to Hull House? In the first two films, Hull House
is a creepy, old funeral home. Hull House provides the perfect spooky
atmosphere, but in Night Of The Demons 3, Hull House is actually clean
and neat? Hull House ’97 is a perfect candidate for a home decorating
magazine, and that’s a major problem. In the first two films, Hull House
enhanced feelings of desperation and fear, but in Night of The Demons
3, Hull House becomes a future dream home for any happy family.
Oh, and I know I’m suppose to use suspension of disbelief for movies,
but Reggie’s survival after the gunshot wounds is unbelievable. He takes
multiple shots to the STOMACH, is bleeding profusely, and somehow he
survives well past the halfway point of this film without medical
attention? Please.
No tension, no real scares, and horrible writing. Night If The Demons 3
is an absolute travesty. Night Of The Demons 2 was a straight-to-video
release, but it didn’t feel like a straight-to-video release. Well,
Night Of The Demons 3 was a straight-to-video release…..and it feels
like a straight-to-video film, a bottom of the barrel straight-to-video
film. It’s not even worthy of Wal-Mart’s five dollar bin. Yeah, it’s
that bad.
Two versions of this film exist, the R-rated version and the unrated
version. Although, you won’t see a big difference between both versions.
The unrated version is a little bit more gory, that’s all.
Sorry, I love Amelia Kinkade, but I can’t push myself to give this film a
one rating. Besides a select few, the acting is shit, the production
values are shit, the directing is shit, and the writing is shit. It’s a travesty, and Night Of The Demons 3 provides one of the most disappointing finales for any franchise.
(This is a trailer for NOTD 2. The title is just different, that's all)
The Story
It’s been six years since the infamous Hull House massacre. Presumably,
Judy and Roger were the only living survivors from Angela’s Halloween
party. The cops recovered the remains of the dead teens, but they
couldn’t find one person…Angela. Most people believe Angela descended
into hell. Here, her powers grew stronger, and the evil villainess still
lurks inside the abandoned funeral home. After the party, Angela’s
parents received a Halloween card, but this wasn’t a normal Halloween
card. The card was covered in blood and dead bugs, and this card
included Angela’s signature. The shock was too much to handle, and
Angela’s parents committed suicide.
One day, two unsuspecting door-to-door Jehovah’s Witnesses visit Hull
House. The door mysteriously opens by itself, and Angela greets the duo.
Noticing their creepy surroundings, Albert and Linda quickly refuse a
simple offer for a slice of cake. They try to escape, but Angela
slaughters both of them with a sword.
Before I continue, I have to point out the stupidity of Angela’s
visitors. You willingly walk into an abandoned funeral home after the
door opens by itself. Then, you trust this strange woman in a black
wedding dress? Seriously? You have to see it to believe it:
Anyway, St. Rita’s Academy is a Catholic boarding school for teens. Now
an orphan, Angela’s younger and nerdy sister, Melissa (or “Mouse”) is
constantly picked on and bullied as a student. Her best friend, Bibi
tries to provide some comfort, but Bibi’s friend, Terri (or Teresa)
isn’t so understanding. Shirley Finnerty is a rebellious bully, and
torturing Melissa becomes her number one priority. The strict head nun,
Sister Gloria tries to protect Melissa, but Shirley devises the ultimate
prank.
Johnny and Kurt are best friends. Johnny has the hots for Bibi, and Kurt
is seduced by Shirley. With their help, Shirley tricks Bibi into
inviting Melissa to a “Halloween party” at Hull House. Rick and Z-Boy
are Shirley’s trusted cronies. They help set up the prank, but when they
catch Angela’s attention, the group runs into some unexpected trouble.
Z-Boy disappears, and using a tube of lipstick as a conveyance to
protect her from the underground stream, Angela secretly escapes Hull
House.
Back at St. Rita’s Academy, Angela possesses Shirley. Perry is a geeky
student, who is obsessed with demonology. He tries to offer his help,
and while Perry is able to convince Sister Gloria, the naive Father Bob
refuses to buy into the story of a demon attack. Tempted by an offer to reunite
with her demonized sister, Melissa leaves St. Rita’s Academy, and she
follows Angela to Hull House. Sister Gloria, Perry, Bibi, Johnny, and a
reluctant Father Bob try to rescue Melissa from a planned sacrifice, but
they will have to fight off Angela’s possessed victims, and evade the
deadly traps of Hull House.
Character Rundown
Melissa Franklin/Mouse (Merle Kennedy)- Melissa is a shy and
jumpy geek, and you’ll quickly be able to see why she earned the
nickname “Mouse.” Melissa is forced to live the lifestyle of an outcast.
Melissa is Shirley’s number one target, and Terri takes her fair share
of shots at her. It’s easy to feel sympathy for Melissa, because she
endures some pretty rough hazing throughout this film. Also, Melissa’s
parents are dead, and her long-lost sister is a sneaky and evil demon.
When it comes to acting, Kennedy actually outshines Kinkade in this
film. She provides a few laughs every now and then, and Kennedy is very
convincing as Melissa.
Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade)- Angela is more confident in
this film. She’s wickedly evil, and for some unexplainable reason,
Angela uses a sword as a weapon here. Her powers are stronger, and
Kinkade did bring a very believable devious side to this character.
Sister Gloria (Jennifer Rhodes)- Rhodes provides a hilarious
parody performance of a strict, no-nonsense nun. Sister Gloria tries to
protect Melissa from any bullying, and she becomes a leader in the fight
against Angela and her minions during the final showdown. Rhodes
delivers the majority of laughs, and Sister Gloria is one of the more
entertaining characters in this franchise.
Bibi (Cristi Harris)-Bibi is hot, but unlike Shirley, it’s not in a slutty
way. Cristi Harris brings a strong sense of innocence to this
character. In a lot of ways, Bibi is Melissa’s REAL big sister, and
Harris’ performance is enjoyable.
Shirley Finnerty (Zoe Trilling)-
She’s a trashy skank. Sorry, but this is the best way to describe Ms.
Finnerty. Shirley is nothing more than a petty bully, and her 50’s
hipster persona is kind of annoying. Shirley is a rebel, but she’s not a
cool anti-hero, because her character is too unlikable. Trilling is
decent enough on the acting side of things, but her body is the main
attraction for this film. In her demonized form, Shirley’s breasts
become deadly weapons. Shirley provides one of the most gruesome and
bizarre kills in this series, but when Trilling transforms into a demon,
she loses her sex appeal. The loss of sex appeal kills any interest in
Shirley, because Trilling’s acting skills (or lack there of) can’t save this character.
Johnny (Johnny Moran)- Johnny is kind of goofy. Moran is supposed to
be this pretty boy/jock, but this character is a klutz at times. His
“karate moves” aren’t suppose to be taken seriously, but Johnny is just
like a chicken with its head cut off throughout this film. Moran is
funny, but the Johnny character sends out too many mixed signals.
Kurt (Ladd York)- Kurt is a brainless meathead. Kurt fits the
profile of the popular guy/alpha male in high school. He’s good at
sports, the women like him, and he’s a bit of a bully. York is
believable, but he’s more entertaining as a demon. Eventually, he
develops a dark sense of humor, and Kurt’s brief screen time as a
beheaded demon provides a few cheap laughs.
Father Bob (Rod McCary)- McCary really nails this character, and
Father Bob is an ass. Father Bob is inept and arrogant, and he almost
ruins Melissa’s rescue mission.
Perry (Robert Jane, credited as Bobby Jacoby)- Perry is obsessed
with demons, and he is determined to prove Father Bob wrong. Perry is a
geek, so of course, Kurt sees an easy target for bullying. Jane’s
performance is quirky and funny, and Perry shows some bravery towards
the end.
Terri/Teresa (Christine Taylor)- Terri is just a hot blonde. She’s a
mean girl, who occasionally joins the “let’s pick on Melissa” gang.
Taylor is good eye candy, but towards the end of the film, her character
just disappears. She becomes a demon, tries to kill or possess (it‘s
hard to tell) Bibi and then poof, she’s gone. But Taylor’s disappearance
didn’t bother me, because in the grand scheme of things, her character
is pretty irrelevant.
Rick (Rick Peters)- Rick is supposed to be Shirley’s boyfriend,
but nothing is confirmed. As far as relationships go, Shirley never
shows any sort of true allegiance to her male friends in this film.
Anyway, Rick is a loser. He’s one of Shirley’s cronies, and Rick is the
type of guy, who dropped out of high school, and never moved on with his
life. Peters’ ego is believable, but in the end, Rick is just a
douchebag.
Z-Boy (Darin Heames)- As far as personality goes, Z-Boy is just a
goofy version of Rick (minus the ego), and he’s another one of
Shirley’s cronies. Heames is a comedy character, and he has a few funny
moments. He’s one of the bad guys, but they do take a lighthearted
approach towards this character.
Who's Behind The Camera?
Brian Trenchard-Smith is the director for Night Of The Demons 2.
Trenchard-Smith provides some spooky atmospherics. The gore is more
graphic, and the bloody kills are pretty gruesome. Trenchard-Smith
delivers brutal violence, but his comical approach adds some necessary
humor during the grotesque moments in this film. Overall,
Trenchard-Smith was the right choice for director. His style might feel
pretty basic most of the time, but Trenchard-Smith is the second best
director in this franchise (Tenney is still #1).
My Overall Thoughts
Joe Augustyn returns to write the script, and James Penzi helped with
the story. Night Of The Demons 1988 provided a good balance of laughs
and spooky horror, but Night Of The Demons 2 is more comedy driven.
Humor triumphs over horror here, but I can’t complain too much, because
the jokes are still funny. You can sense Augustyn’s campy humor, and
Augustyn’s return really helps the screenplay. After all, Augstyn did
create the original story, so he knows what it takes to produce the
right blueprint for any Night Of The Demons film.
The demons aren’t unstoppable, because the survivors have a dangerous weapon this time around: Holy water.
Yeah, it’s simple, but the holy water is effective. The holy water is a
refreshing addition to this film, because it gives the survivors a
fighting chance. In the previous film, the survivors spend a lot of time
running from demon attacks, because they can’t find any weaknesses.
As I said before, Night Of The Demons 2 puts more focus on comedy. Water
balloons and super soakers are used as weapons, and Sister Gloria
becomes a swashbuckler, but instead of a sword, she uses long rulers.
But Night Of The Demons 2 isn’t a horrible film. They just decided to
take a different approach here, and I enjoy most of the changes. The
introduction of holy water gives the survivors a weapon, so you don’t
have to sit through a bunch of chase scenes. Bibi and Shirley show some
skin, but as far as nudity goes, you won‘t see any major changes between
Night Of The Demons 2 and the original.
They tried to recreate Angela’s dance scene from the first film,
but the second attempt just falls flat. The music played a big part in
Angela’s dance scene from Night Of Demons, but in Night Of The Demons 2,
Angela dances to this awful generic rock music. And to top it off, she
inexplicably pours a bowl of punch on herself. Angela’s dance scene from
Night Of The Demons 2 provides a jaw-dropping moment, but not for good
reasons, though.
Oh, and I can’t get over Angela’s sword. Angela’s sword is a deadly
weapon, but we don’t know where it came from, or who gave it to her. The
sword gives Angela a bad-ass edge, and she’s a lot more dangerous with
this weapon. Still, when it comes to the origins of the sword, the
audience has to assume everything. Sorry, but this important detail
really bothers me.
Unlike the 1988 original, Night Of The Demons 2 wasn’t a theatrical
release. This was a straight-to-video film, but Night Of The Demons 2
doesn’t feel like a straight-to-video release. The awful CGI snake at
the very end is the only downside for the special effects, because the
production values are noticeably better. And unlike most
straight-to-video horror films, Night Of The Demons 2 isn’t held down by
shitty acting.
Night Of The Demons 2 is a respectable follow up to the 1988 original.
The story maintains continuity, and they did a good job of building up
Angela’s character. Angela Franklin is a dark and evil legend, and
Terri’s stories/explanations of her past provide the essential mystique.
As far as quality goes, it’s a step down, but if you enjoyed the first
film in this series, Night Of The Demons 2 should provide some
entertainment for you. Merle Kennedy is fantastic as Melissa, Amelia
Kinkade is still sharp as Angela, Christi Harris and Jennifer Rhodes
provide a few good performances, and the rest of the cast is solid.
Night Of The Demons 2 is gory, funny, and yes, this film is scary at
times.
Along with the
original and the 2009 remake, Night Of The Demons 2 provides plenty of
rewatch value for me. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about
Night Of The Demons 3.
