PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Demons have become one of the more popular subjects in horror over the past seventy years, ranging from dark supernatural possession to gore-laced giallo to comedic spoof. Demons also make great antagonists, as proven in Donald Farmer’s (Shark Exorcist 2015) newest addition to his iconic legacy, Debbie Does Demons. Let’s take a demonic dive into the soul of this movie and see what keeps its heart pumping.
Debbie Does Demons was written and directed by Farmer, who has amassed quite a cult following throughout his previous forty directing credits. It stars Jessa Flux (Shingles: The Movie 2023) as Carmilla Karnstein, the daughter of a powerful witch who is out to possess and destroy anyone in her path to avenge her mother’s suffering. Morrigan Thompson (The Sluagh Awakens 2022) portrays Lauren, a descendant of Carmilla who makes the mistake of summoning her, unleashing a storm of sexuality and bloody bodies that pile up all over town. Now they must find Debbie (Angel Bradford: Backwoods Bubba 2021), who tries to stop Carmilla before it’s too late.
Debbie Does Demons succeeds in a few places where other films in the demon lore fail. From the opening moments, Jessa Flux commands the screen as the charismatic Carmilla. This movie has the strong vibes of a 1970’s lesbian vampire flick, and Flux leans into that. From embracing the sexual nature of the character to the over-the-top moments of bathing in the power of her actions, you can truly tell that Flux relishes being Carmilla.
The rest of the cast shine in their chemistry, too. Thompson’s Lauren gets to show some depth with a character change in the third act, while Bradford’s Debbie plays a knowledgeable horror host akin to Peter Vincent in Fright Night (read our retro review here).
From Elvira to Night of the Demons‘ Angela Franklin, you can see a lot of homages and influences in this script, but not in a way that feels like theft. You can tell that everyone in the Debbie Does Demons cast genuinely loves the genre. While there may be some moments of schlock or confusing intentions, the environment just feels like a fun place to be.
With a title like Debbie Does Demons, you know there’s going to be some exploitation. Fans of cult horror films will surely be satiated with the balance of boobs and blood on display. The special effects are practical, and Carmilla’s costume leaves little to the imagination. The score also adds a lot to the ambiance, as a well-timed guttural groundswell of music that lets us know that evil lurks around the corner.
But unlike some lesser entries in the subgenre, Debbie Does Demons doesn’t just rely on these horror failsafe tropes to get them by. The audience has a bit of meat in the story to follow, while also leaving enough room to expand on the characters’ interests in the future.
Debbie Does Demons is now available on Blu-Ray, exclusively at Walmart.com and Cultureshockreleasing.com.
