The 80's was without a doubt one of the best decades in horror cinema, from the great slasher boom to some of the genres finest examples of practical effects, even today it proves to be one of the most influential decades in the history of horror films. A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, Cronenberg's The Fly, these are just some of the most iconic and most beloved horror films from the 80's, but for me there is one particular film that never gets enough recognition.
The year is 1985 and so far it has been a great year for horror. Already the world had been treated to the likes of George Romero's Day of the Dead, Tom Holland's Fright Night, and Dan O'Bannon's Return of the Living Dead. However, on October 4th 1985, Italy was treated to a really special horror film from director Lamberto Bava and producer Dario Argento. Set in a seemingly gargantuan Berlin cinema, the film saw a group of innocent moviegoers become the target of demonic forces from beyond the big screen, one by one turning them into horrific monsters. That film was, of course, Demons.
Demons, for me is an essential 80's horror, and despite its seemingly mediocre Rotten Tomatoes score (56% are you for real?) stands out as a crowning achievement in Italian horror cinema. The film was directed by Lamberto Bava, son of the great Italian horror maestro Mario Bava (A Bay of Blood, Black Sabbath), who wanted to put his own mark on the world of Italian horror. Bava collaborated on the script with screenwriters Dardano Sacchetti and Franco Ferrini, as well as acclaimed director and the films producer Dario Argento. It was shot in both Berlin and Rome, with the cinemas interior being that of an actual abandoned cinema. As a homage to both countries involved in the production, two posters decorate the cinemas lobby: Four Flies on Grey Velvet to represent Italy, and Nosferatu the Vampyre for Germany. A fitting tribute to the two nations involved, and to the filmography of Argento himself.
So, what makes Demons so great, I hear you ask? Well first of all a major credit is owed to the films special effects team for creating some of the most blood-curdling and horrific practical effects of their time. The film is packed full of wonderful gore that feels very lifelike and very unique. One particular sequence sees a character transform into one of the titular demons, with a new set of sharp teeth slowly protruding from their gums, knocking out their pre-existing teeth, and a new set of nails piercing through their fingers. It's incredibly detailed and downright horrific, but you just can't look away from all the bloody brilliance. There is another notable sequence in which another character becomes infected, causing them to drop to their hands and knees before a demonic creature tears their back open from the inside and crawls out, like some sort of satanic birth. The practical effects in Demons are some of the best that I have ever seen, even by today's standards, and are one of the main components that make the film so terrifying. If you want a run down of some of the films goriest moments then have a look at the video below:
The film isn't just all gore however, it's also a biting piece of meta-horror that pokes fun at the genre and plays with the concept of the cinema-going experience itself. The cinema has always been a sanctuary where we can go to enjoy these fantastical stories from a safe environment. In the case of horror films, we go to the cinema so that we can be scared without any real risk to our own lives. Demons however, turns this whole concept on its head. In this film, the cinema is no longer a safe-haven, but the center of evil itself and the place where the majority of the action takes place. We begin to get a sense of how dangerous this place really is when the events in the horror film playing there begin to correspond with the events taking place in the cinema. The presence of the demonic mask, a character becoming infected, the eventual transformation, it soon becomes clear the film-within-a-film has more governance over these peoples lives than they think. Horror has always thrived off making harmless things threatening, but Demons takes that a step further to make the cinema itself the threat.
Of course, along with its meta-commentary and spectacular use of gore, Demons is also a balls-to-the-wall action film as well. From the moment the patrons enter the theatre and see the model of the motorcycle in the foyer, it's obvious that it will somehow come into play later on. Naturally a character later rides through the labyrinthine picture house on the bike, slaughtering demons like some comic-book antihero. It's as heart-racing as it is stomach-turning, as our protagonists always seem to be constantly running from hordes of recently-turned demons. The film even has its own action-hero archetype in the form of Tony the pimp, played by Bobby Rhodes. The jive-talking tough guy is a central character among the patrons and when his two working girls become infected, he takes charge of the group himself. He's easily the films standout character and is given some of the funniest pieces of dialogue.
Finally, like many 80's horror films, Demons has a cracking soundtrack, with an original score by Goblin's Claudio Simonetti and a collection of 80's chart tunes and rock songs. Simonetti's synthy number that kicks off the film is a brilliant piece of horror film music, and after that it's just banger after banger. From Billy Idol's 'White Wedding', to 'We Close Our Eyes' by Go West, and a healthy dose of Saxon, the film is packed with a diverse number of recognisable 80's hits that will have you bopping away amidst all the terror.
Demons is a fantastic piece of meta-horror that goes beyond playing with genre tropes to target the whole concept of the cinema itself. It made going to the movies feel scary in the way that Jaws made going to the beach feel scary. It's the type of film that has something for everyone, practical gore effects, a catchy soundtrack, hardcore action, and even a little bit of romance. If you don't like any of that however, you will at least get a laugh out of some of the films questionable dubbing, a staple of any well-respecting Italian horror film.
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