It’s Halloween night and Angela is throwing a party … but this is no ordinary Halloween party. Everybody’s headed to Hull House, a deserted funeral home, formerly the lair of a mass murderer. But when the partygoers decide to have a séance, they awaken something evil … and these party crashers have a thirst for blood. Now it’s a battle for who can survive the night in Hull House.

For thoughts on Night of the Demons, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/Kzb-KRvQnOg?si=Nl9B5XL5dMrZpxBX&t=53]

Video Quality

Scream Factory presents Night of the Demons with a fabulous 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new restoration from an earlier 4K scan of the Unrated Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. This film was first released on Blu-Ray by Scream Factory in 2014 which was derived from an older master. We do not have that disc to compare as the included Blu-Ray here is derived from the brand new source, but this is almost assuredly a major boost in quality. This transfer has eliminated nearly all print damage, even if you might spot a fleeting speck here and there. The special effects are on display in all of their stomach-churning glory which makes the work all the more effective. The gains in distinct clarity cannot be overlooked and allow this film to feel brand new to longtime fans.

As we expect from the label, the sumptuous natural film grain remains untouched which brings out a world of distinct texture in the clothing, shabby production design, visceral special effects, and more. When you are surveying the demon makeup, you can make out more distinct ridges and holes in the skin. This grain resolves impeccably with nothing ever appearing frozen, clumpy, or swarming throughout either the bright convenience store scene or the murky funeral home interiors. This disc holds up well along the journey from the idyllic neighborhood to the rundown party site. Black levels are robust with no blatant crush present, and highlights never get too hot. Scream Factory has wielded a nice level of control over the encode for this one with no sudden downturns in quality spotted.

The implementation of Dolby Vision may not wow in the traditional sense due to the murky environments, but rest assured it makes a world of difference when it comes to depth and nuance. While this may not be a Technicolor feast for the eyes, there are so many unique colors in the clothing, makeup, and production design that are more boldly realized. Even early on with Suzanne in her pink outfit, you get a complex and vibrant tone to that color. There is also a greater accuracy to the ruddy colors such as the wood inside the funeral home. The new presentation reaches a level of accuracy and color detail that will knock you sideways. This is without a doubt the best the film has looked on home entertainment, and fans will be thrilled by the visual side of the equation.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc is a bit more inconsistent when it comes to the audio, but it comes with what is listed as a DTS-HD 5.1 and two 2.0 Master Audio tracks – “original stereo” and an updated version that corresponds with the 5.1 track – only one of which captures the material in the way it deserves. I’m not as familiar with this title as some fans, but it is my understanding that Scream Factory has inadvertently mislabeled the 2.0 tracks so the “Original Stereo” option actually goes to the updated track, and vice versa. While the new stereo mix (and by extension the surround sound mix) was supposed to provide a fix for some issues on previous releases, things were inadvertently made worse by the use of looped audio, out of sync issues in key moments, and other anomalies that will really jump out for audiences old and new. The previous Blu-Ray release had a 5.1 track derived from the original stereo track, so these issues were not present on that release like it is here. This was an issue that should have been caught during quality control, and hopefully a replacement program will be implemented in the future.

If we are not given new discs, fans can (mostly) rest easy knowing that the actual original stereo (once again erroneously labeled as “new”) is in pretty great shape. Dialogue comes through with great clarity even when the thrills ratchet up in the latter half of the movie. Environmental noises such as the demonic games are given a respectable presence within the mix. You do not have to worry about track stability on this one when it comes to this one even when things devolve into chaos. There appears to be the slightest bit of loose sync in a moment or two, but nowhere near as egregious as the remixed track and mostly a non-issue. There is a strong focus on music to establish the overall vibe of the film, and it comes through with impeccable fidelity. The low end of the track has a bit of weight in the original stereo track, but it is not a standout aspect of the audio experience. The audio quality is a bit disappointing for the remixed tracks, but those who crave original audio options should walk away pleased. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Disc One (4K UHD Blu-Ray – Feature Film)

Audio Commentaries: There are an array of archival commentary tracks provided in which the cast and creative team have a blast discussing how they got involved with the project, memories from the production, aspects they brought to their characters, coming up with some of the effects work, the shooting locations, the legacy of the film, and much more. Each track has a fun atmosphere that fans will love exploring.

- Audio Commentary #1: Director Kevin Tenney, Actors Cathy Podewell, Billy Gallo, and Hal Havins, and Special Make-Up Effects Creator Steve Johnson

- Audio Commentary #2: Director Kevin Tenney, Supervising Producer Jeff Geoffray, and Executive Producer Walter Josten

- Audio Commentary #3: Director Kevin Tenney, Actors Linnea Quigley and Phillip Tanzini, And Casting Director Tedra Gabriel

See You In Hell – Interview with Writer/Producer Joe Augustyn: A new 35-minute interview with Augustyn who discusses his approach to writing about demons, his early carer efforts, his interest in possession tales, the tone he was aiming to execute, changes from the original drafts, the shooting locations, structuring the movie to stay within a reasonable budget, the casting of the character, the special effects work, the reception and success of the film, and more.

Coffins and Contortions – Interview with Actress Jill Terashita: A new 18-minute interview with the actress who plays Frannie who discusses how she got involved with the film, the elements of her character, working with Kevin Tenney, the atmosphere on set, creepy moments shooting in the house, working with makeup effects, and much more.

The Perfect Punk – Interview with Special Effects Artist Nick Benson: A new nine-minute interview with Benson who discusses his love for the film, the fandom of the movie, how he got involved with the picture, where he was at during this point in his career, memories of the premiere, and much more.

International Cut: The International Cut (1:29:46) of the film is provided here in rough standard definition upscaled to HD with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio.

Disc Two (Blu-Ray – Feature Film)

Audio Commentary #1: Director Kevin Tenney, Actors Cathy Podewell, Billy Gallo, and Hal Havins, and Special Make-Up Effects Creator Steve Johnson

Audio Commentary #2: Director Kevin Tenney, Supervising Producer Jeff Geoffray, and Executive Producer Walter Josten

Audio Commentary #3: Director Kevin Tenney, Actors Linnea Quigley and Phillip Tanzini, And Casting Director Tedra Gabriel

You’re Invited – The Making Of Night Of The Demons: A terrific 72-minute documentary in which the cast and creative team come together to tell the story of the film including how it shook up the horror genre, the journey of the production, the threat of legal action that changed the title, the special effects work, the camaraderie of the cast, the unique tone, the direction of Kevin Tenney, and so much more that fans will eat up.

Amelia Kinkade, Protean – Interview with Actress Amelia Kinkade: A nearly 23-minute interview with Angela herself who lightheartedly discusses her place within the franchise, her unique take during her audition process, choreographing her own dance scene, the tone of the film, memories of her fellow performers, and much more.

Allison’s Barron’s Demon Memories: A four-minute piece with the actress who plays Helen who shares some of the promotional material and personal photos from her collection.

My Demon Nights – Interview with Linnea Quigley: A 14-minute interview with the actress who plays Suzanne who discusses her iconic introductory scene, getting her start in the business, coming on board to the movie, working with the special effect makeup (and the guy who would become her husband), and much more.

The Halloween Party Workprint: The workprint version of the movie, known at the time as Halloween Party (1:28:03), is provided here in rough standard definition with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio.

The Halloween Party Alternate Opening Title Sequence: The nearly four-minute opening sequence is provided with the alternate title The Halloween Party along with different music.

Alternate R-Rated Scenes: A three-minute look at specific scenes in their censored R-rated form.

A Short Night Of The Demons: An eight-minute version of the film is provided here which was used to pitch to distributors.

Trailers: This disc provides the Theatrical Trailer (1:28) and the Video Trailer (1:55)

TV Spots: A minute-and-a-half-long collection of TV Spots is provided here.

Radio Spots: A 35-second radio spot is provided.

Promo Reel: A four-minute promo reel is provided.

Still Galleries: There are four galleries provided including Behind The Scenes, Special Effects and Make-up, Photo Gallery, and Posters and Storyboards.

Final Thoughts

Night of the Demons is an insane bit of ‘80s horror that goes heavy on the squirm-inducing thrills while also delivering some demented humor to lighten the emotional load. The pacing can be the slightest bit tedious after the initial character introductions until we get to the demonic chaos, but things rarely let up once they get going. This movie feels distinctly ‘80s in the best way, full of unknown possibilities just waiting to blow past the boundaries of good taste. If you haven’t experienced it for yourself and you consider yourself a major horror fan, you need to rectify that. Scream Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a tremendous visual presentation but inconsistent audio. The disc also showcases a stellar array of new and archival special features that fans will devour with glee. Even if you already own this one on Blu-Ray, this new presentation is worth a spot in your collection. Recommended

Night of the Demons (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.