Demons

Rating:
Summary: Very 80s Horror
Review: This film was produced and co-written by Dario Argento and directed by Lamberto Bava (son of horror maestro Mario Bava). It stars Argento's daughter Fiore, who visits an old cinema called the Metropol in Berlin, and once inside it is not long before hordes of crazed demons start to show up. It also features some good mid 80s songs from artists like Billy Idol, Go West, Motley Crew and others. The picture in widescreen 1.66:1, and the sound in Dolby digital 5.1 are both good. The commentary is ok from the three Italian guys. The extras show some scenes of the makeup effects and some other info. The menus are impressive; each time you access a menu a demon roars and comes out the screen at you. It is a disc worth adding to your collection.

Rating:
Summary: Potentially good remake
Review: I've never seen the film but it sounds like the plot would make a good remake just like the remake of Dawn or Day of the Dead. It would be cool if it could attempt to be scary rather than the old 80's type horror movies which were ok, but not scary.

Rating:
Summary: When demons walk the earth
Review: "Demons," directed by Lamberto Bava, is a horror film that tells a fairly straightforward story. A mysterious man in a metal mask hands out film tickets to unsuspecting commuters. This sets in motion a chain of events that leads to the unleashing of a plague of demons upon the earth.

Bava cleverly uses the film-within-a-film motif to comment upon the horror film genre (this device is more extensively used in the "Scream" trilogy, which I recommend to fans of "Demons"). Also well-used is the claustrophobic movie theater setting. The film is gory and violent, with some real gross-out elements. Although the film's imagery can be absurd, at its best it is exciting, inventive, and genuinely horrific.

Rating:
Summary: Great gore effects, but otherwise unremarkable zombie fare
Review: Produced by Dario Argento and directed by Lamberto Bava, this hyper-gory Italian film is about a group of people who are all given free tickets to a horror movie. Soon after it begins, the unsuspecting moviegoers, like the characters in the film, start turning into flesh-hungry zombies. It all sounds promising enough, but that's where the originality ends. The audience inexplicably finds itself trapped inside the theater and the rest of the movie is pure formula: a group of anonymous, one-dimensional characters is picked off one by one by the zombies, only to become zombies themselves, who (you guessed it) pick off the remaining anonymous, one-dimensional characters. Of course, Bava knows that it's all about the gore and, on that score at least, Demons really delivers. There's enough gut munching, eye gouging and scalp tearing to satisfy even the most hardened gorehound, and the special effects (courtesy of Argento regular Sergio Stivaletti) are about as good as they come. Thirty-something types will also appreciate the early '80s heavy-metal soundtrack, which features Mötley Crüe ("Save Our Souls") and Accept ("Fast as a Shark"), among others.

Two and a half stars out of five.

Rating:
Summary: One hell of a ride!
Review: To say the least, I was totally rocked by this film! I loved the story about people being trapped in a movie theater as a demon is running around turning other members into demons. It's a hell of a claustrophobic thriller! Sure the film lacks some logic and sense in some parts, but its not enough to drive you away from enjoying the movie. Very stylish directing by Lamberto Bava and superb special effects! Gore junkies will not be disappointed. The head bangin' soundtrack is also great. One can't resist to get rocked as the hero is riding a motorcycle through the theater lopping heads off of demons with a sword while Accept's Fast as a Shark is blastin' in the background. A truely memorable scene! The ending is also superb! So don't hesitate to pick up this film; it's one hell of a ride! One of the best and most entertaining horror films to be imported from Italy!

Rating:
Summary: Demons
Review: I think this is a great premise for a horror movie. It consists of a great story, great gore effects, inventive camera work, and a soundtrack full of 80s rock and metal... what more could you ask for? The plot is straight-forward.(unlike many Italian horror films) and I feel that this is one of Bava's best. If you're a fan of Italian horror or just want to try something different, go pick up a copy of Demons. The sequel is quite good as well.

Rating:
Summary: Dario Argento at his best.
Review: I do not understand some of the reviews dario argento's movies receive. First of all you do not get horror movies with creativity as you do with the Maestro movies.This movie has beautiful color the whole theater thing was just amazing. The guy with the silver mask just was awesome and it clearly shows the artistic ways of dario argento.Anyhow I really love this movie. Also check out Stagefright by Michele Soavi.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Horror Film
Review: Demons centers around a woman given a ticket to an unnamed film by a mysterious stranger. After arriving at the theater with many other patrons, a film with no title begins to play that shows a pair of couples finding a demon mask in a crypt that supposedly belongs to Nostradamus. (It is learned that the seer predicted the rise of the demons.) One person puts on the mask and turns into a demonic creature who, in turn, infects others. In the movie theater, a prostitute who scratched her face with an identical mask in the lobby turns into a creature depicted on the film. Horror and mayhem insue as panicked patrons try to leave the building only to find out that the doors have vanished. With enough over-the-top special effects to please any gore fan and horror for fear film buffs, Demons is one of the best horror films to come out of the 1980's.

Rating:
Summary: When demons walk the earth
Review: "Demons," directed by Lamberto Bava, is a horror film that tells a fairly straightforward story. A mysterious man in a metal mask hands out film tickets to unsuspecting commuters. This sets in motion a chain of events that leads to the unleashing of a plague of demons upon the earth.

Bava cleverly uses the film-within-a-film motif to comment upon the horror film genre (this device is more extensively used in the "Scream" trilogy, which I recommend to fans of "Demons"). Also well-used is the claustrophobic movie theater setting. The film is gory and violent, with some real gross-out elements. Although the film's imagery can be absurd, at its best it is exciting, inventive, and genuinely horrific.

Rating:
Summary: A GOOD/BAD movie??? No, just a BAD movie.
Review: Being a big fan of Italian HORROR- Argento, Soavi, Fulci, I decided to give the DEMONS series a try due to the fact that Argento's name is stamped on it. First things first, Argento DID NOT direct this, Lamberto Bava did. Which helps in explaining the below average standard of this film.

The story deals with several people attending a free screening of a Horror film in some mysterious theatre in Germany. One of the patrons foolishly tries on a mask that's on display inside the theatre and is accidently scratched by it. She soon discovers that the wound becomes infected with puss and before you know it she becomes a DEMON. The theatre patrons- who are somehow unexpectedly locked in, are soon infected, one by one. I have to frankly admit that I originally liked the idea of this film. Since ZOMBIE/LIVING DEAD movies have been done to death, this DEMONS premise is rather original and a refreshing change or should I say it would have been if it was BETTER DONE. The entire film is a sloppy mess. You do get some interesting DEMON transformation scenes but for the most part the whole film makes no sense, has no scare logic, is very poorly constructed and executed. At least the zombies in ZOMBIE flicks kill for a reason, they need to eat and us humans are what they like best. The DEMONS in this film just go around scratching, biting and pulling the hair off people for no apparent reason. There is no reason for their madness. They're just annoying, unintelligent killing machines with green faces and very long nails. Despite the tremendous amount of slaughter displayed, it's all done jokingly. The DEMONS themselves have a constant grin on their slimey faces which renders them laughable and pathetic creatures- NOT threatening in the least.

IF you can put up with 90 minutes of this type of brainlessness than go ahead and purchase this movie. For those who want something that's actually scary, well done and intellegent- look elsewhere. It's a shame Argento's name is forever linked to this mess. This just proves no one is perfect.