A Brilliant Conflict

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

While more than a little inspired by Return of the Living Dead and The Evil Dead, NOTD is a very well-made, fun and clever 80s movie. Director Kevin S. Tenney gives the somewhat predictable action a post-modernist twist; succeeding in spoofing tropes and breaking expectations. Think the same style of Alred Hitchcock, Brian DePalma or Quentin Tarantino, but given to teenage slasher movies: a zippy humorous script, offensive humor, racial and gender subtext, vulgar sexual references, a paced and well-structured story and lots of camera tricks. Its style over substance popcorn filmmaking that is more about showing something than saying anything. A very fun time.

After watching the horror masterpiece DEMONS (1985) and its sequel, DEMONS 2 (1986), I was recommended this film (and its sequels). I decided to give this movie a shot in the hopes of something new yet still possessing the same qualities of the previous films mentioned.To put it mildly, it was a let-down. The "film" didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. Was it a horror? I should say not. Comedy? I hope not, nothing was too amusing.The characters were very uninteresting and annoying. Within less than a minute of being introduced to them, I couldn't care less if they died immediately. In fact, that was what I was hoping.The only good thing about this movie was that it finally ended.Avoid.

'80s horror flick about a group of teenagers having a séance at an abandoned funeral parlor and becoming trapped inside with an evil force hell-bent on killing them. It's a fun movie of its type, helped by a lot of humor and a nice cast. Cathy Podewell is a good 'final girl' but Amelia Kinkade and scream queen Linnea Quigley are the real stars. Some decent gore, nudity, and many funny scenes (fudge log, sour balls, and "maybe I'm in the mood for pork tonight" to name just a few). It's one of those movies you'll either get the appeal of instantly or you never will. It's an entertaining movie that's about as deep as a puddle and that's just fine with me. Best scenes are Kinkade's sexy dance number and Quigley's inventive use of lipstick. Followed by two sequels in the '90s and a really crappy remake in 2009.

the 80s were bombarded with moody horror flicks loaded with gruesome blood and gratuitous nudity and while there are some better than others, Night of the Demons got plenty of rewatch value out of me during my teens and now, upon its blu-ray release, i can't help but rekindle my love of this excellent crap. the nostalgia alone keeps me longing for the days when horror was at its peak and not marred by a limp PG13 rating or the lame prospect of a remake. this was remade a few years ago to shoddy effect, which only raises the value of this fun original. a ghost story that sticks to an old-school formula that's seemingly extinct today, it's mixture of dark fun and blood thirst brings out the best in any horror fan. from its animated opening titles segueing into the spooky, yet serene atmosphere, landing right on top of its monkey pit variety of characters, it's got a little bit of everything that should help any viewer smile once or twice. it's Halloween night and at the invitation of goth fox Angela (Amelia Kinkade), a small group of teens have gathered to party the night away at the infamous Hull House, a long abandoned mortuary with a scary presence and an even scarier past. you'd think there would be safer and more productive ways to spend Halloween in the name of fun. but not these morons. the line-up of victims consists of your garden variety of misfits that have become routine for every standard horror flick: there's Judy (Cindy Podewell), your obligatory, adorable, blonde sweetheart; frightened Rodger (Alvin Alexis), who's the first to sense something's wrong; Stooge, (Hal Havins) the loud-mouthed jerk; Helen (Allison Barron), she who's easily bored by Stooge's abrasive attitude; Sal (William Gallo), the immature prankster/party crasher; Suzanne (Linnea Quigley), Angela's sexpot best friend; Jay (Lance Fenton), Judy's lecherous preppie date, and cute couple Max (Phillip Tanzini) and Frannie (Jill Terashita). some seem nice enough, some (like Stooge) are just asking for it. sure, there's drinking and partying and cavorting, but when Angela and the crowd participate in an amateur séance, they awake the evil scariness within the frightening structure and that's when things get nasty. one by one, the teens become demon-fleshed ghouls, either mauled or possessed by the demonic beasts, while the untouched aim to escape with their lives. delivering on all fronts, Night of the Demons was brought to life by 80s horror director Kevin Tenney (Witchboard), who could be the one guy who paid attention when taking in the calm chilling mood of John Carpenter's Halloween. alongside Halloween and Michael Dougherty's Trick R Treat, this is one movie that best captures the stillness of Halloween, the darkness enveloping you in autumn night feel. yeah, it maybe lightweight in the acting department, but some manage to add a little to their craft. Kinkade has an insane sexy dance number to Bauhaus's "Stigmata Martyr" and Quigley, in all her naked goodness, has fun creeping out the masses while locked in her seduction mode. but people don't watch horror movies for the performances. they go for the jumps and the carnage and Night of the Demons effortlessly provides both. even if you get that "been-there/done-that" feeling, you'll at least enjoy the ride. by no means is it the best of anything and the ending's a little simple, but it's definitely one for autumn season. that's right, loyal horror fans, this is a blast.