Regarded by horror fans the world over as two of the greatest Italian horror films ever made, Lamberto Bava’s Demons films are not only major cinematic nightmare fuel, but also hugely entertaining splatterfests of the highest order. Synapse’s 2013 Blu-rays remain two of their most popular releases, and now they’re bringing these favorites to 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray in brand-new spectacular 4K restorations! These horrific splatter classics produced by Dario Argento (Suspiria) have never looked or sounded better and are packed with hours of special features, making this the ultimate home video release of these horror favorites.
Demons (1985)
In Demons, a masked man offers tickets to a horror movie sneak preview at the mysterious Metropol cinema. When a patron is scratched by a prop displayed in the theatre lobby, she transforms into a flesh-ripping demon! One by one, the audience members mutate into horrible creatures hell-bent on destroying the world! Can anyone escape this gory orgy of terror?
Director Lamberto Bava had a large legacy to live up to as the offspring of Mario Bava (Black Sunday), one of the foremost trailblazers of the horror genre that we know and love today. Fortunately for audiences, skills behind the camera apparently run in the family, and it is especially fruitful when it is guided by another horror icon, Dario Argento. While he has not had the prolific output that fans may want, the younger Bava made a classic in the genre with 1985’s Demons. The plot is not especially important, and when you think about it for too long it all becomes a bit silly. The purpose of this story is to get a wide array of bodies into this movie theater so carnage can ensue, and ensue it does! Compared to many films of its ilk, Demons seems almost proud to not have any kind of a major arc for the characters. The lead girl played by Natasha Hovey is lovely enough to keep our attention, but to pretend like she has some major impact on the narrative would be an exaggeration. These two-dimensional characters are just fodder for the slaughter.
Why then is it considered a classic? It has a unique style and a disgusting penchant for gore that certain audiences love to devour. From the moment the jovial prostitute gets scratched on her face by a cursed mask, things begin hitting the fan in pretty rapid succession. At just under 90 minutes, this movie hums along at an excellent pace with plenty of patrons to meet their doom in gloriously brutal ways. It would be a lie to say that the lack of character development does not lessen the impact of certain moments a bit because you never really care about the characters. The special effects work from Sergio Stivaletti is so impressive that you will be left marveling at the claws growing out of fingers and skin being sliced to ribbons to pick apart the lapses in logic. While the plot is straightforward, there is something really intriguing about the film-within-a-film aspect of the story that puts you on your heels as an audience member. You have been in the same place hundreds of times, and it is a nightmare to think of your safe space being invaded by these ghouls. Bava created a grotesque and atmospheric tale which still has teeth to this day.
Demons 2
In 1986’s ambitious sequel Demons 2, the apocalyptic terror continues! A televised horror film spells doom for the residents of a luxury high-rise apartment, as demons are unleashed through the TV screen at a young girl’s birthday party. As more and more residents are infected and transformed into blood-thirsty demons, a young couple fights to survive as they try to escape Hell on Earth.
With the success of the first film, Demons 2 seemed like an inevitability. Just a year later, the follow-up would hit the big screen following much of what was laid out by the original film with an increased budget in tow. While some elements of the film are improved this go around, overall there is a slight decline in overall effectiveness of this effort. Instead of turning a movie theater into a living nightmare, this time the creatives bring the scares to your living room. You better keep an eye on that television set in your living room because the terror on screen might not be as contained as you might hope! Compared to the first film, Demons 2 actually seems to be trying when it comes to getting you invested in the characters, which makes it extra disappointing that none of them really seem to connect. There is more attention paid to the plot and there are proper set-ups and payoff, but the particulars of the writing is so uninspired that you rather go back to how things used to be.
This sequel is more than a bit looney, but it never matches the easy fun the first one relished in offering up even in the more baffling moments. The first film had a real zip that kept you clutching your armrest, but the pacing seems slightly less feverish this go-around. These gory special effects continue to be the most delightful parts of the experience. Sergio Stivaletti plays in the same sandbox that was so effective the first time, but without raising the bar significantly the effort feels a bit less impressive. The dialogue will not register as anything worthy of holding onto for the long run, and the performances mostly feel lacking in the same respect. The expanded scope from a movie theater to an apartment building provides a lot with which to work, but it does not reach its full potential. The film is still quite a bit of fun, but when compared to Demons it cannot stack up.
Video Quality
Synapse Films presents Demons & Demons 2 with a stunning 2160p transfer in their original aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the 35mm original camera negative. The level of detail and clarity is stunning with the perfect amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves well with no fluctuations detected at any point. The texture on display in the costumes and within the setting are a revelation. Even the makeup effects blend naturally which conjures something beautifully grotesque. The special effects work from Sergio Stivaletti is a nasty sight to behold. This transfer does not register anything in the way of print damage. This presentation is true to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more natural. There does not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. There is some brief instability in the image of Demons 2, but as the transfer notes point out this is due to the original film stock and nothing to do with the restoration. Most probably would not take not as it stands.
One of the most impressive aspects of the disc is the application of the Dolby Vision for increased color output that deserves to be admired far and wide for its stunning output. This presentation has a spot near the top of the best that I have seen on the format. The new restoration features some colors in the confined settings and effects such as a crimson blood that pops off the screen with a vibrant intensity. This disc handles the dramatic lightning and ghoulish hues with ease with stability being a paramount issue. The black levels are outstanding with nothing in the way of crush present, and white levels are solid as a rock with no evidence of blooming. These films are incredibly dark which makes this transfer all the more appreciated for providing the depth it needs. This presentation is a five-star effort from the crew at Synapse Films.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs come with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track in English and Italian. The U.S. version of Demons contains alternate voices, dialogue and music cues. These tracks provide an expansive soundscape that perfectly captures the artistic intent while harnessing the technology of the present. These are sonically extremely intricate films and the surround track goes a long way towards making the world sound fuller. These two iconic scores have never sounded better and are used impeccably to establish the mood of the story. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The environmental sounds such as the chatter of the patrons and the sequences of violent attacks are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Synapse Films has given this film a perfectly preserved audio presentation that brings the movies to life in a thrilling manner.
Special Features
The Limited Edition Collector’s Set of the Synapse Films 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Demons & Demons 2 comes beautifully packaged with a slipcover featuring new artwork by Juan José Saldarriaga and Chris MacGibbon along with reversible cover art. Included inside the case are reproductions of the movie ticket from Demons and the invitations to Sally’s birthday party from Demons 2, both with information about the transfers on the other side. This package also includes a foldout poster of Demons artwork from Wes Benscoter. The on-disc special features are as follows:
Demons
- International English Version (1:28:22), Italian Version (1:28:22) and US English Version (1:28:29)
- Audio Commentary #1: Film Historians Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain provide a fun and informative commentary track in which they discuss the place of this film in Italian horror cinema, the background of the creatives and performers, the differences between Lamberto Bava and his father, the film within a film, the special effects works, the public reception of the feature and much more that provides nice insight.
- Audio Commentary #2: Director Lamberto Bava, SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti, composer Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta provide a more personal account of the film with many anecdotes about working with Dario Argento, how the music of the film came about, the difficulty of pulling off certain sequences and more. There are English subtitles provided for the Italian that is spoken pretty consistently throughout if you flip through the subtitle options.
- Produced By Dario Argento: A 27-minute visual essay by Michael Mackenzie which charts Argento’s career developing into a successful filmmaker and subsequently a hit producer with films such as Dawn Of The Dead and Demons. There are many compelling bits of information included throughout which go beyond his hits and explore some lesser excavated projects.
- Archival Special Features
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- Dario’s Demon Days: A nearly eleven-minute archival interview with Dario Argento in which he discusses joining the project by request of Lamberto Bava, assisting with the script, the use of his name in the marketing materials, the production of the film, his thoughts on Bava as a director, the difficulty of Demons 2 and more.
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- Defining An Era In Music: A ten-minute archival interview with composer Claudio Simonetti in which he explains coming to the sound of the film, his collaboration with Bava and Argento, the freedom he felt with this piece, technical limitations of the time and more.
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- Splatter Spaghetti Style: A nearly twelve-minute archival interview with long-time Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi in which he discusses the works of his friend and the unique aspects he brought to the horror genre.
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- Carnage At The Cinema: A 36-minute featurette in which director Lamberto Bava reflects back upon the production of the film from his early days in the business to the conception of this feature to the special effects, casting, reception of the film and much more. The scope occasionally expands beyond Demons, but every moment is filled with fun insights.
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- Dario And The Demons: Another 16-minute interview with producer Dario Argento which covers many of the same topics as the featurette above with a bit more exploration of the Italian film industry.
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- Monstrous Memories: A 30-minute interview with filmmaker and Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi in which he discusses the production of Demons, the wave of imitators it spawned, the place of this film in the careers of those associated with it and more.
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- Profondo Jones: An 18-minute featurette in which author Alan Jones in which he wades into the history of Demons with analysis of various themes and inspirations.
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- Splatter Stunt Rock: A nine-minute interview with stuntman Ottaviano Dell’Acqua in which he discusses his early film career, his work with Argento and Favo, the figures who paved his way to being a stuntman, the state of the Italian film industry and more.
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- Stivaletti Q&A: A 36-minute Q&A with SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti from The Festival Of Fantastic Films in 2019. Stivaletti shares a lot of great anecdotes from his work on Demons and from his life in general that makes for a wonderful listen.
- Promotional Materials: This disc includes a Italian Theatrical Trailer (2:09), International English Theatrical Trailer (2:09) and a US Theatrical Trailer (1:32).
Demons 2
- English Version (1:31:02) and Italian Version (1:30:59)
- Audio Commentary: Travis Crawford delivers a pretty informative commentary track in which he talks about the place of this feature in the franchise, the few returning faces in the film, the film-within-a-film aspect of the narrative, the complicated matter of further sequels, the careers of some of the talent involved, comparisons to other works and so much more that adds to your edification on the film.
- Together And Apart: A 27-minute visual essay on space and technology in Demons and Demons 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. There are many points explored here about the relationship between the viewer and the film that you may not think of otherwise.
- Archival Special Features
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- Creating Creature Carnage: A nearly 21-minute interview with SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti in which he discusses working with Bava, his inspirations as an artist, how he worked to make Demons memorable for the audience, elements of the sequel he is unhappy with and more.
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- Bava To Bava: A 17-minute interview with long-time Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi in which he explores the history of Italian horror.
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- Demonic Influences: A ten-minute interview with director Federico Zampaglione in which he speaks to how Demons impacted him on an artistic level, his friendship with Bava, the Italian horror culture and more.
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- The Demons Generation: A 35-minute interview with Roy Bava, son of Lamberto Bava and trainee assistant director on Demons and a second assistant director on Demons 2. This young Bava is able to provide a new perspective on these films including how he juggled school with working on the set, how he contributed to the creative process, the casting process, working in Germany and more.
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- The New Blood Of Italian Horror: A 16-minute piece with SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti in which he discusses the differences between Lamberto Bava and Michele Soavi and his career around this time.
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- Screaming For A Sequel: A 16-minute interview with director Lamberto Bava in which he touches a bit on Demons 2 while comparing his work to that of his father Mario Bava, along with the expanded scope of Demons 2 and the ways in which the story was meant to continue.
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- A Soundtrack For Splatter: A 27-minute interview with composer Simon Boswell in which he discusses how he got into working in film, evolving the sound for Demons 2 having never seen the original, working to make his mark on the soundtrack, his thoughts on the film and more.
- Promotional Materials: This disc includes an Italian Theatrical Trailer (2:56) and an International English Theatrical Trailer (2:55).
Final Thoughts
Demons & Demons 2 are two entertaining, unhinged entries into the Italian horror genre that does not break its back when it comes to plot, but works quite well in providing nasty, ghoulish thrills. Director Lamberto Bava captures some striking imagery throughout these two and proves to be a formidable filmmaker away from the legacy of his father. The sequel might not be quite as good as the original, but both are worthy of checking out at least for the visual effects work of Sergio Stivaletti. Synapse Films has released a limited edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray set featuring both films with a stunning A/V presentation and more special features than you would probably ever need. If you are a fan of these two films, this release should be considered a must-but. Recommended
Demons & Demons 2 (Limited Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Synapse Films has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
