DEMONS (1985) (Synapse Films Blu-ray Review)

Title: Demons
Director: Lamberto Bava 
Writer: Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Dardano Saccehti, Franco Ferrini
Cast: Urbano Barberini, Natasha Hovey, Karl Zinny, Fiore Argento, Paola Cozzo, Fabiola Toledo  
Year: 1985
Min: 88

Blu-ray released by: Synapse Films 

Specs:  

Sound: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (Stereo)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (Mono)
Image: 

Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Plot- On the Berlin subway Cheryl (the lovely Natasha Hovey, below on the left) gets off her stop and is followed by a mysterious, and admit ably creepy masked man (Michele Soavi, who would go to direct some excellent Italian horror of his own). He does so to hand her tickets to a free screening at the Metropol, a newly opened movie theater. She goes to the movie with her pretty friend Kathy (Paola Cozzo). At their seats they are joined by too super preppy guys, who are attracted to both girls and flirt with them. They all sit down to watch the movie with the rest of the movie theater's audience, which include a bunch of different folk including a blind dude and his cheating wife and a pimp and two of his hookers. One of these said hookers, Rosemary (Geretta Geretta) earlier put on a demonic mask that was on display on a mannequin in the theater lobby. 

The movie soon starts, and it is an ultra-violent slasher flick. In this movie, a dude puts on a similar mask to one Rosemary cut herself with, earlier; and the movie character cuts himself, too. And, as he bleeds on camera, so does Rosemary in the theater. And, as he ends up becoming a demon in the movie, so does she. When the other hooker goes to check on her, she slashers her. Soon, others fall victim to this as they become demons themselves and turns others into demons, with the movie theater audience is trapped in the theater. There is no way out, and no way to stop the ever growing demon horde.

Review- Demons is an 80s Italian, headbanging, classic gorefest. A full throttle, non-stop assault on the senses, it's one of the most fast paced, unrelenting horror movies ever made. It's a cult classic, and a true heavy metal horror masterpiece. I first saw it when I was a kid and fell in love it from the first viewing I had renting it. It has everything I could ask for then and now: nonstop action, graphic gore, gorgeous European women, and, of course, kick ass metal music. A couple of years later, I would buy it on VHS and watch it ad nauseam, eventually getting the Anchor Bay DVD (one of my earliest DVD purchases due to my love of the movie).

Admit ably the movie isn't perfect. The acting ranges from OK to pretty bad. The plot is pretty straightforward and not the most complex. However, it is in its simplicity that the movie truly succeeds. Once it starts (which really doesn't take that long), it NEVER stops and is always exciting and fun. Bava keeps the momentum up and, somehow, it never tires you out. In fact, you are always involved and entertained, a true adrenaline rush, of which many actual action movies could only dream of being.

Being a righteously unrated gorefest, the bloodletting is awesome and truly graphic. Among the acts of mayhem are: eye gouging, throat ripping, hangings, slashings, stabbings, slicings, impaling, pulsating and oozing transformations, and lots more blood and slime spilled, sprayed, and splattered. This all handled excellently by Sergio Stivaletti who does some truly spectacular practical FX work. Aside from the amazing splatter, the demons, themselves, look awesome and frightening.

They add to appealing look of the movie. Bava makes a great use of colors, with reds and shadows playing a big part in adding some visual flair and style to the proceedings. But, with him and Dario Argento producing (as well as them both being involved in script, along with others), how can this movie not look great?

 

Speaking of looking great, holy crap, is there ever a bevy of beauties in this movie! Aside from Hovey and Cozzo as the two female friends, who we mainly follow through the course of the flick, there are quite a few stunners in small roles. Among them is the absolutely gorgeous Nicoletta Elmi as Ingrid the usherette (above). With her long legs and long, fiery, red, wavy hair she ranks among the most beautiful women in Italian genre cinema. There is some skin thrown in, as well. Memorably giving some very nice boobage is Bettina Ciampolini as punk/ rocker chick Nina (below). I recall the first I saw this as a kid, I got, as Beavis would say, a stiffee!

The heavy metal and rock music is fucking killer. Let's not kid here, the metal music is a big part as to why this gore loving headbanger loved this movie so much. Kick ass songs from Motley Crue, Accept, Saxon, Billy Idol and more drive this movie to the motherfucking stratosphere. That is conjunction with the thumping and driving musical score by Claudio Simonetti. In all, it is one of the finest horror soundtracks ever!

Picture- Holy fuck, does this Blu-ray look great!! This is a stunning transfer from a movie that is over two decades old. The colors are rich and vibrant, with deep blacks and constant and excellent flesh-tones. It ranks among the best looking 80s horror titles ever!

Sound- You can watch it either in the original mono or stereo. Both sound great, but unless you are a purist, stereo is the way to go. The action scenes and the thrilling and rocking soundtrack will have your system thumping and pumping along. This disc sounds as amazing as it looks and vice versa.

Extras- This is a budget version of Demons. There is a limited edition steelbook version of it, also from Synapse Films, packed with extras. It runs at a much higher price (of course). Anyways, this version only comes with the rather cool trailer. If you are OK with not spending a lot and forfeiting the extras, then go for this. There has a been a recent price drop, making it an even cheaper disc to own, hence (part of) the reason for me reviewing it, now.

Final Thoughts- One of the finest Italian horror flicks, and one of the best 80s horror movies from anywhere in the world, Demons is an essential splatterfest. Sure it is kind of empty headed, but it is so much fun and action packed that any normal fan won't give a flying fuck. Further fuel injected by graphic gore and kick ass heavy metal music this fucker just plain rocks! With a flawless looking picture and killer sound the disc's specs are simply phenomenal. If you are OK with not spending the dough on the limited edition steelbox, and thus not having the special features, then this is the absolute and inarguable way to go.

Movie: 4.5 out of 5
Picture: 5
Sound: 5
Extras: 1

GODZILLA 1984/ THE RETURN OF GODZILLA (Blu-Ray Review)

Title: Godzilla 1984/ The Return of Godzilla
Director: Koji Hashimoto 
Writer:  Hideichi Nagahara, Tomoyuki Tanaka (story "The Resurrection of Godzilla") 
Cast: Ken Tanaka, Yasuko Sawaguch, Yôsuke Natsuki, Shin Takuma, Keiju Kobayashi,  
Year: 1984
Min: 103

Blu-ray released by: Kraken Releasing 

Specs:  

Sound: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Image: 

Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Plot- Some 30 years after the original attack on Toyko by Godzilla in 1954, he returns! A boat is missing and a reporter goes looking for it. When he does find it, he discovers its' crew slaughtered, and only one survivor, who claims to have seen the Big-G. And, that it is in fact giant monster that attacked the boat. To ease fears the Japanese government decides to keep things hush-hush. However, a Soviet sub is soon sank by Godzilla, prompting the Japanese to release the truth as tensions had begun to mount between the US and the USSR. Both governments want Japan to nuke Gozilla, however they refuse to confirm. They must find another way to stop the monster, as he reaches land and demolishes Toyko.

Review- American audiences best know this movie as Godzilla 1985, where it was edited and had a bunch of Raymond Burr shit added (basically the same shit that they did when they released the original classic Gojira, here as Godzilla: King of the Monsters). I actually caught it when it played in the movies as a small child. I was so pumped to see it! I was a huge Godzilla fan, and I remember loving it. I would watch it again when it aired on TV. However, it was never released on DVD, only VHS. In fact it was forever on Horrorhound magazine's list of horror movies not on DVD/ Blu-ray.

Thank Godzilla, then for Kraken Releasing who have not only put it out, but in it's uncut original non-Raymond Burr edit. It would've been nice to have them both on one release, but fuck it. This version rocks! The movie is darker, and more violent, in its original cut. In fact, so good  is this version, that it definitely places it among the best Godzilla flicks, something that many say the American cut just isn't.

The acting is solid, and the human interactions are well handled. We care what they have to say, and that is many times one of the harder things the weaker entries in franchise have conveying. The pacing is pretty good, as it builds up to Godzilla coming on land. Once he does, the movie is just awesome.

 The destruction scenes are rousing and violent. There is lots of humans dying onscreen, including a brutal scene where Godzilla immolates a group of soldiers with his fire breath. The miniature work is solid, as well. And, the Super-X is a kick vehicle introduced to do battle with him. I always loved this scene and vehicle as a kid. It still holds up, well today.

Sadly, after this battle is over the movie flatters a bit. The way that they choose to deal with Godzilla isn't terribly bad, but it does feel a little lackluster. The other problem is Godzilla, himself. Mind you the suit looks great, but the mechanical Godzilla debuted for this movie doesn't. He looks decidedly fake. Which is a shame, because the movie is meant to be a return to the more horror aspects of the first film, with Godzilla's first heel role in ages (for those of you keeping score the last movie before this one was the kick ass The Terror of Mechagodzilla, wherein the King of the Monsters was playing babyface to a tagteam of evil).

Picture- The pic quality here is good, but not great. Night and dark scenes look too soft and grainy. However, day time scenes look very good. In these scenes, there is some good rich colors with solid skin tones.

Sound- You can watch this one in Japanese or English DTS Master Audio 5.1. The dubbing is fucking terrible, of course. But, the action scenes sound killer in either version. Explosions and roaring will make your fucking unit rumble. It's a hell of a sound mix!

Extras- Sadly, it is pretty barebones, as we only get the Japanese trailer, and nothing else. The American trailer ain't here, cause, well we already discussed that that version ain't here either.

Final Thoughts- A superior edit to the American cut, the coming of this movie is long overdue. The fact that it is on Blu-ray is enough of a reason to celebrate. Violent, dark, and, mostly serious, it ranks among the best films in the franchise. The pic quality is good, but I do wish it could've been a little better. However, the sound is fucking devastating. Genre and Godzilla fans take heed and buy this one. Since you can get it a cheap price (10 freaking bucks!), there is no excuse for not owning it.

Movie: 3.5 out of 5
Picture: 3
Sound: 4
Extras: 1