DEMONS (1985)

I vaguely remember watching this many years ago and being disappointed.  Watching it again, last night, for this review...I'm still disappointed.

An attractive young lady (who never gets naked) is walking through a Berlin subway station when a creepy dude in a goofy mask gives her two tickets to a movie screening.  She takes her friend and they, along with about 40 other people, are treated to a low-budget horror flick about four nerds rummaging around Nostradamus' tomb.  For some reason, the events happening onscreen mirror what happens in real life in the theater.  And before you can say "Mephistopheles testicles" six hundred three score and six times, all kinds of demon possession shenanigans start popping off.  Clawing, biting, teeth falling out, gallons and gallons of pus and blood, glowing eyes, torso ripping, scalp removing, etc.  The action moves along at a steady pace (a lot of it accompanied by 80's rock by Motley Crue, Billy Idol, Accept and Saxon), but unfortunately the whole thing left me feeling "blah".  There was just something about the way the movie was made that left me flat.  The character development was weak, the sets were lame, the story was silly, the demon reveal scenes were telegraphed as fook and the way that one guy turned into Rambo was bizarre.  One minute he's cringing like H.R. Pickens at the horror movie and then 45-minutes later he's riding around on a dirt bike (inside the theater!) swinging a samurai sword around like he's friggin' fuckin' Michael Dudikoff in AMERICAN NINJA!

DEMONS is definitely worth a watch for horror fans since it is mildly influential and mildly entertaining, but it wasn't my cup of tea in 1985 and it still isn't now.  That said, I own, at least, 5 different copies of it on various formats simply because I like the covers.

Part 2 - Demons 2 (1986)

SHOW PEOPLE (1928)

What a fun movie.

Marion Davies plays a naive young woman who travels to Hollywood to be a actress in serious movies, but instead ends up getting splashed in the face with seltzer water and chased around in slapstick comedies.  While making these films she makes a loyal group of friends, including William Haines who is secretly in love with her.  Soon though, she gets a chance at becoming a serious actress.  She does so and becomes a big star, which for some reason causes her to purse her lips up like a rabbit and turn her back on her friends.  You can probably guess what happens next.

King Vidor's SHOW PEOPLE is a treasure.  The story might sound serious, but it's actually very funny.  Marion Davies' performance is totally charming, the pace is quick, the story has a modern feel to it, the cameos are impressive and the behind-the-scenes feel to the whole thing is fascinating.  I enjoyed it so much that I actually watched it twice!  Although I do wish that the script had been beefed up a bit.  A longer time spent showing her working in the low-budget comedies would have helped.

But it is what it is and I was smiling from beginning to end.  And that scene where Marion Davies' character sees the real life Marion Davies is absolutely adorable.  Highly recommended for fans of silent movies.

Great scene where Marion Davies' character sees the real life Marion Davies and doesn't approve...