PopHorror Let's Get Scared
What can one say about Lamberto Bava’s (A Blade In The Dark) 1985 masterpiece Demons, and 1986’s not-quite-a-masterpiece, but equally unforgettable, follow up Demons 2 that hasn’t already been said (we’ll forget about Demons 3: The Ogre and Black Demons for now, mmm kay?)? Both films are highly rewatchable and are now receiving the 4K Ultra treatment, with a slew of new stuff, from Synapse Films!
With a producing/writing dream team of: Dario Argento (Suspiria), Bava, Dardano Sacchetti (A Bay of Blood), and Franco Ferrini (Opera), this cabal birthed a twisted, gonzo, splattery one-two punch for the ages.
With a crazy “film within a film” plot (they somehow weave Nostradamus into the proceedings…), a killer metal soundtrack (Motley Crue, Saxon, Accept, etc.) and some of the most iconic images in horror history (Geretta Geretta here’s looking at you, babe!)
Demons occupies a hallowed place in 1980’s horror, and rightfully so. Standing out amongst it’s lesser peers at the time, Demons is still an absolutely essential watch, and it has never looked better! Using Synapse’s 2014 blu-ray release as a control sample, the 4K is a very noticeable jump in picture quality. The outdoor scenes feature more depth, the dimly lit theater scenes have a new clarity and sharpness, and the overall look of the film is flat out fantastic! Exceptional job on the transfer!
Trading the silver screen for the boob tube, Demons 2 brings much of the team back, and features the cinematic debut of future dream girl Asia Argento (Land of the Dead). A high rise apartment building and a child’s birthday party are the setting for this, can you believe it, even more gory sequel to Lamberto Bava’s instant classic from the previous year.
Deadly demon dogs, mini demons, and even more dental mayhem are the order of the day in this ankle-deep-in-blood outing that somehow out crazys it’s predecessor in the plot department. Again, the transfer here is nothing short of stellar, lovingly restored and beautifully presented.
As for the discs themselves? Wow, there’s a lot going on here! Synapse went somewhat bare bones with their previous Blu-ray editions, and they more than make up for the lack of extras here. Demons features two cuts of the film, the restored Italian cut in English and Italian, the shortened US version, cleaned up audio tracks on both, commentaries from critics, Bava, Sergio Stivaletti, legendary composer/musician Claudio Simonetti (Goblin) and actress Geretta Geretta. And no less than nine, count ‘em, nine interviews/featurettes concerning the film and its legacy.
Demons 2, besides the restored audio and video, includes new commentary tracks, a Bava-centric interview with schlock master Luigi Cozzi (Contamination), 7 additional interview segments/featurettes and, of course, the requisite trailers.
Packaging is top notch, both films contain reversible artwork, (stunning on both sides!), the ever present Synapse catalog (which, for me, is a cool, retro styled touch), and each film provides a ticket and party invite, respectively, as a nice surprise for the horror geek in all of us.
With a hyper focused on the details release for each film, Synapse makes the decision to upgrade to 4K Ultra really easy to make for Demons and Demons 2. And, seriously, don’t we ALL deserve another trip to Metropol and Sally’s party?
Synapse Films’ 4K Ultra Blu-ray releases of Demons and Demons 2 are available now from fine retailers everywhere.
