Good Demon Movies

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 4:45 pm

With so many motion pictures featuring the Devil as the antagonist, it stands to reason that some good demon movies would also be making their rounds on DVD and Blu-ray. After all, what’s the Prince of Darkness without his evil minions? And make no mistake about it, the horned or otherwise misshapen creatures included on this list are evil to the core. It’s not enough for them to peel the skin off mortals, but they also want to doom the mass of humanity to an eternal swim in the legendary lake of fire.

For the best selection of good demon movies, be sure to become a member of Netflix. They offer plenty of supernatural films, plus everything from slapstick comedies to tearjerkers. There are never any late fees to worry about, and selections can either be received through the mail or viewed online. If there’s one thing that the forces of Heaven and Hell can agree on, it’s that Netflix rocks.

Demons (1985) – With plenty of gore, a straightforward plot, and music from the likes of Motley Crue and Accept, the Italian horror film Demons has long been a favorite of gorehounds around the globe. It starts with two female friends receiving free tickets to a screening at a new Berlin movie theatre known as The Metropol. Plenty of other patrons show up for the free flick, including a blind man and his adulterous wife, a tough-talking black guy, and a number of clueless twenty-somethings. They should’ve seen a Michael Bay film instead, as soon demonic creatures are running amok, vomiting pus and bile, and poking out people’s eyeballs. Come to think of it, they probably still made the right decision. Directed by Lamberto Bava.

Night of the Demons (1988) – Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) and pal Suzanne (Linnea Quigley) throw a Halloween party at Hull House, a notorious and long-abandoned mortuary where a series of murders were committed. All the usual horror movie clichés show up, including the nerd, the jock, the virgin, and the lone black guy. When the power goes out, Angela suggests holding a séance for fun, and that’s when the crap really hits the fan. They accidentally awaken a demon that’s been dormant down in the crematorium, and soon Angela and her pals are meeting their maker in the most graphic ways imaginable. When it originally came out, no distributor wanted to touch it due to all the sex and gore, but it’s since went on to spawn two sequels and a 2010 remake.

The Exorcist (1973) – When I think of creepy movie kids, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) is the first name that comes to mind. A once-normal 12-year-old kid who’s suddenly become violent and deranged, Regan leaves both scientists and physicians scratching their heads. But Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) knows what the score is, even if he’s suffering through his own doubts about God: Regan is possessed by a demonic spirit. An exorcism is arranged, and veteran priest Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) is called in to perform the ritual. All hell breaks loose, of course, and the film is filled with crucifix masturbation, levitation, demonic taunts, and plenty of pea soup being barfed up. Also staring Ellen Burstyn and Lee J. Cobb, The Exorcist remains an undisputed classic in the horror genre.

Constantine (2005) – A lot of people like to rip on the acting abilities of Keanu Reeves, but he of the deadpan delivery is more than adequate in this film about a supernatural detective with the ability to see angels and demons in their true form. While the original John Constantine in the comic Hellblazer was blonde and British, that doesn’t diminish the crazy-ass plot involving the mythical Spear of Destiny and a scheme by the Antichrist to come to Earth. The special effects and action are solid, and the supporting cast is tremendous. Rachel Weisz is an LAPD cop investigating the apparent suicide of her twin sister, Shia LaBeouf is Constantine’s cocky sidekick, Tilda Swinton is the angel Gabriel, Peter Stormare is Lucifer, and Djimon Hounsou is the owner of a club that caters to supernatural creatures.

The Keep (1983) – A malevolent force known as Radu Molasar is trapped in a Romanian keep, but the arrival of German soldiers during WWII unleashes him. He starts gobbling up the life energy of those he comes across, but an opposing force of good (Scott Glenn) moves to stop him. The plot is all over the place, but Molasar looks cool as hell, and just check out the rest of the cast: Jurgen Prochnow, Gabriel Byrne, and Ian McKellen. Besides, how many movies can boast both Nazis and a soundtrack by Tangerine Dream?

For more good demon movies, click here to become a member of Netflix.

Paranormal Activity (2009) – Filmed on a shoestring budget of $15,000, this Oren Peli film went on to gross over $193 million worldwide thanks to word-of-mouth and viral marketing. The story revolves around Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat), a couple who come to believe that they’re living in a haunted house. But there’s a lot more going on than just a simple haunting, and the video camera set up nightly by Micah captures creepy thumps, ominous footsteps, and Katie getting out of bed and standing in place for hours. While there are no big-budget effects, the film is still remarkably creepy. Watch it late at night with all the lights out for maximum effect.

Fallen (1998) – The characters portrayed by Denzel Washington over the years have faced many challenges, but none as great as a serial-killing demon with a love for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and The Rolling Stones’ “Time Is on My Side.” To make matters worse, the creature known as Azazel can hop from body to body, making it nearly impossible to track him, But if you’ve ever seen a Denzel Washington movie, you just know the unflappable actor will find a way. Co-starring John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, James Gandolfini, and Elias Koteas.

Hellraiser (1987) – Based on the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, this first film in the long-running franchise finds young Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) moving into her uncle’s abandoned house with her father (Andrew Robinson) and evil stepmother (Clare Higgins). But it turns out that her uncle Frank (Sean Chapman) was heavily into the occult, and a mysterious puzzle box he left behind soon results in murder, betrayal, and the appearance of the demonic Cenobites (led by Pinhead, the much-loved movie monster portrayed by Doug Bradley). Barker also made his directorial debut on the film, and its popularity on the home video market spawned a whopping seven sequels and a 2011 reboot.

Evil Dead II (1987) – Part sequel and part remake, Evil Dead II rocketed director Sam Raimi into the upper echelon of horror movie directors thanks to a combination of over-the-top gore, creative camerawork, and darkly slapstick humor. The return of Bruce Campbell didn’t hurt, either, as his Ashley “Ash” Williams arms himself with a chainsaw and sawed-off shotgun to battle the otherworldly demonic forces knows as Deadites. Along the way, he’ll try to shoot his own severed hand, temporarily lose his marbles, and join forces with a pair of rednecks and the busty daughter of a professor. If you enjoy Looney Tunes and lots of gore, then this is the movie for you.

The Ninth Gate (1999) – Roman Polanski and Johnny Depp team up for this supernatural tale of a rare-book dealer, Dean Corso (Depp), seeking to authenticate a tome said to be written by Satan himself. As he crosses the globe to compare the book to other existing copies, he runs afoul of bizarre characters and plenty of dead bodies. Luckily, there’s a mysterious woman (Emmanuelle Seigner) who shows up to protect him from time to time, though her true motives won’t be revealed until the film’s final minutes. An engrossing tale of the occult, with supporting roles played by Frank Langella and Lena Olin.

Whether you’re looking to entertain a bunch of friends during Halloween or scare your girlfriend into holding your hand, these good demon movies will do the trick. Netflix carries way more than what we’ve listed, and their overall film library numbers above 100,000. Become a Netflix subscriber to see what all the fuss is about, and the small commission we receive will help us keep our doors open.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 at 4:45 pm and is filed under Good Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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