Demons 2 4K Blu-ray Review
Written by Robert Gold
Blu-ray released by Synapse Films
Directed by Lamberto Bava
Written by Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Franco Ferrini and Dardano Sacchetti
1986, 91 minutes, Not Rated
Released on August 13th, 2024
Starring:
David Knight as George
Nancy Brilli as Hannah
Coralina Cataldi Tassoni as Sally
Bobby Rhodes as Hank
Asia Argento as Ingrid Haller
Virginia Bryant as Mary the Prostitute
Marco Vivio as Tommy
Review:
It’s Sally’s birthday and a group of her friends come to her high-rise apartment to celebrate. Various other tenants go about their lives, including an expecting woman and her husband; a claustrophobic prostitute; a young girl and her parents; and a fitness guru in the complex’s gym. Many residents, including Sally, are watching a movie on television about a plague of demons. Terror strikes when a demon emerges from Sally’s TV and mayhem ensues as she and all her friends become ravenous monsters traveling floor to floor wreaking havoc. Can anyone escape or is this the end of civilization?
When director Lamberto Bava (A Blade in the Dark) teamed with producer Dario Argento (Two Evil Eyes) for 1985’s Demons, audiences worldwide were treated to a terrifying, gory masterpiece of modern horror. The movie was an instant smash and unsurprisingly a sequel went into production right away. The original is set in a movie theatre, where patrons are infected by demons just like the characters in the film they are watching. Demons 2 spins this scenario to the small screen, as a movie on television releases monsters into an apartment building. It is unclear if the creatures emerge from every TV or just Sally’s, but regardless, the demonic surge is overpowering.
Just as there are a number of films set inside movie theatres, there is a subgenre in which television plays a key element. Some prominent 1980s horror movies of this variety include Poltergeist, Videodrome, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, TerrorVision and Shocker, with additional non-genre offerings, including Pleasantville, Stay Tuned and Amazon Women on the Moon. Demons 2 also makes excellent use of the high-rise apartment building setting, as do titles like Shivers, Troll and more recently, Evil Dead Rise.
Returning from the first picture are director Lamberto Bava and writers Dario Argento, Bava, Franco Ferrini and Dardano Sacchetti and special make-up effects artist Sergio Stivaletti. The filmmakers went with a slightly softer touch to secure a lower rating for the sequel, backing off on bloodshed by having the demons ooze green fluids. There is gore, it’s just not as over-the-top as its predecessor. The soundtrack is also noticeably different, with the heavy metal music from before replaced with New Wave/Goth musicians, including Peter Murphy, Love and Rockets, Dead Can Dance, The Art of Noise, Gene Loves Jezebel and The Smiths!
Just as Demons features Dario Argento’s daughter, Fiore, Demons 2 marks the debut of his other daughter, Asia, who would go on to star in several of her father’s films. The always-watchable Bobby Rhodes’ pimp character may have been killed off by demons in the first film, but he returns for the sequel as a fitness trainer you do not want to cross. I can easily recommend this picture, as Demons 2 is a fun companion piece making for a sure-to-please double feature. It is not as strong or as wacky as the original, but succeeds in entertaining.
Video and Audio:
Newly remastered in 4K from the original camera negative in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) and presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the sequel looks every bit as fantastic as the original. Colors are vibrant and well-saturated while black levels are bottomless. There is plenty of small-object detail particularly in hair and fibers.
Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 5.1 & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes derived from the original archival audio masters and an uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 true stereo theatrical mix more than get the job done. Music and sound effects are powerful and never intrusive. Optional English subtitles are included for anyone in need.
Special Features:
Film critic Travis Crawford provides a detailed account of the production in his audio commentary, filled with information on the director and producer as well as members of the cast and crew. There is an emphasis on breaking down the numerous unofficial sequels within the franchise and a list of movies in which television plays a prominent element. The discussion is informative and worth a listen.
Together and Apart: Space and Technology in Demons 1 and 2 (27 minutes) is a new visual essay on the use of space and technology in these films by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. She offers an insightful study of various themes, the characters, the mingling of fiction and reality within the films and the loss of innocence. This featurette is in English.
Creating Creature Carnage (20 minutes) is an interview with special effects artist Sergio Stivaletti, conducted in Italian with English subtitles. He discusses his early work and influences and says Demons came as a deliberate effort to step away from popular zombie subgenre. He also talks about his push for realism in the effects.
In the featurette Bava to Bava (17 minutes), filmmaker Luigi Cozzi talks about the history of Italian horror. This segment is in Italian with English subtitles.
Demonic Influences: Federico Zampaglione Speaks (10 minutes) catches up with the director of Shadow, in which he reflects on the impact the Demons films and the special effects had on his work. He also tells of his time working with Lamberto Bava. This interview is in Italian with English subtitles.
In the English language featurette The Demons Generation: Roy Bava discusses a Legacy in Lacerations (35 minutes), Lamberto Bava’s son tells of his experience as a trainee assistant director on the original Demons and as assistant director on the sequel. He tells stories from the set, his history with Dario Argento, and working with Michele Soavi and Sergio Stivaletti.
The New Blood of Italian Horror: From Demons to Dellamorte Dellamore (16 minutes) featuring Sergio Stivaletti allows the artist to discuss the style of filmmakers like Lamberto Bava and mostly working with Soavi.
The interview segment Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of Demons 2 (16 minutes) finds Lamberto Bava reflecting on working with his legendary father, Mario. He goes on to discuss writing this film, and working with Argento and Soavi on The Church. This interview is in Italian with English subtitles.
A Soundtrack for Splatter (27 minutes) is an interview with composer Simon Boswell, who remembers meeting Argento and working on Phenomena, his first film score. He admits he hadn’t seen Demons when scoring the sequel. Other topics include selecting artists for the rock soundtrack and working with Bava on the score. He also touches on additional work on films, including Stage Fright, Hardware, Dust Devil and Shallow Grave and other Bava films
Original Italian and English theatrical trailers are also included.
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