Let’s just say it. George Romero and Die Hard stole from this film. George, we expect. His relationship with producer Dario Argento and how they worked together make the sort of cross-pollination inevitable. Argento probably laughed his ass off when he saw Land of the Dead (a great film you should see if you haven’t) which this film takes liberally from.
Basic non-plot, residents of a hi-tech high-rise apartment structure are attacked by a Television signal while watching a Demon/Zombie Movie (which is the sequel to the Demon/Zombie movie from the first film) only to become Demons themselves. The various residents fighting for their lives include a husband and pregnant wife, a businessman, a group of gym rats in a gym, and a girl (though she’s played by a thirty-year-old actress) having a birthday party and all of the attendees of said birthday party. All hell breaks loose as Videodrome… I mean the signal unleashes all manner of imps and demons. It all culminates in a Demons vs Humans standoff. Oh, yeah, and a demon baby whose screams are so blood-curdling you will have to turn down your home theater if you don’t have soundproofing.
Demons II has director Bava wanting to go further than he had in the last film but adding a huge dollop of humor to the gore. There’s a boldness to the FX and makeup work here that makes one feel like the intent was always to go big and grand. By default, making it more comedic. Either intentional or unintentional, one can never surmise with Italian Genre Films, the comedy is the difference needed in the sequel.
One only needs to witness the Gym Rats fend themselves against the demons which is something both hilarious and frightening. Hilarious because these Gym Rats are Let’s Get Physical – inspired cast is in leotards, short shorts, lycra, spandex, and the united colors of neon Exercise fashion of the era. Frightening because these Let’s Get Physical–inspired cast are asked to do all their stunt work in leotards, short shorts, lycra, spandex, and the united colors of neon Exercise fashion of the era.
Like any good sequel Demons II manages to outdo its predecessor in just how loud, gory, funny, demented, and ultimately fun it can be. If you’re a new convert to Demons then Demons II will only reaffirm and deepen that love.
The Transfers
The wow can be doubled for the transfer done for Demons 2. The upgrade/new 4K transfer from the original elements has benefited the sequel more than the original. The Dolby Vision encoding gives the film an added bump in color reproduction and contrast levels that give the image an almost three-dimensionality. Again, here as with the original the image itself is a beautiful representation of the 35mm image shot by returning cinematographer Gianlorenzo Battaglia. The benefit and consequence are that because of the better contrast and black levels the “seams” can be seen on some of the puppet work and makeup work that “murkier” degeneration (of film prints) helped hide. Though one will gladly pay this price (it adds to the charm) to finally have the infamous “screaming baby demon” scene in pretty much perfect clarity.
The Extras
They include the following;
Two versions of the film: the Italian version and the English Language Version
New audio commentary by film critic Travis Crawford
Together and Apart
Creating Creature Carnage
The ‘Demons’ Generation
Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2
A Soundtrack for Splatter
Original theatrical trailer
English international theatrical trailer
The all-new commentary track by journalist and programmer Travis Crawford begins with his admission that it is one of the “strangest” Italian Horror Sequels which makes it one of the strangest films ever. Some of the details include that fact this isn’t really a direct sequel but a thematic one, the initial reception, the critical reappraisal, influences as wide as Dante’s Gremlins, Cronenberg and other films, an account of the productions of both films, the box office reception of both films, the stylistic changes made, the use of New Wave music, the score by Simon Boswell (taking over from Claudio Simonetti), an account director Lamberto Bava’s career and where he was during the production of both Demons and Demons 2, an account of Dario Argento’s produced films, a discussion of the 7 various Demons “sequels” including 3 part 3’s, the original setup for Bava’s Demons 3, and much more. Crawford brings a vast knowledge of Demons 2 but the entire series and Italian horror in general.
Together and Apart (26:36) – is an all-new visual essay on the space and technology in DEMONS and DEMONS 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. Heller-Nicolas does a great job of discussing the legacy and theme of the first two of this legendary series, how the public and private space effects the first film, how this changes in Demons 2 with the use of TV, the similarities and differences between the two sequels, modern concerns that move in with the themes of these two films and much more.
Creating Creature Carnage (20:29) – is an archival interview with Makeup FX supervisor Sergio Stivaletti which opens with just how he got the job. Some of the details include how the FX work was achieved, the various aspects of what was required of him, the inspirations of other FX-heavy films at the time, and much more. In Italian with English Subtitles.
The ‘Demons’ Generation (34:50) – is an archival interview with the second Trainee Assistant Director/Second Assistant Director Roy Bava. Some of the details include that though uncredited he was working on Demons, which happened literally after high school, his interest in post-production, his love of the music, what he did on set, the different Bava directors, and how they approached direction and production, the various talents that both Mario and Lamberto had and worked on with on other Argento productions, learning about the filmmaking process early in life, working in Berlin, and much more.
Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2 (15:59) – is an archival interview with director Lamberto Bava. Some of the details include his father preparing him for a future as a director, working with Dario Argento, working on Demons and Demons 2, how the script was developed and the idea he had, and more. In Italian with English Subtitles.
A Soundtrack for Splatter (27:08) – is an archival interview with composer Simon Boswell opens with how he got involved with Italian Pop stars which led to a chance encounter with Dario Argento which led to his work on various projects including Demons 2. Some of the other details include Bava not being involved with the scoring, his work as music supervisor on the project changing the needle drops from Metal to New Wave, a specific now found out to be a racist popstar, and how they got his band’s song on the soundtrack, his only work in Rome being for Argento’s Phenomenon, the freedom both Bava and Argento afforded him, how his work brought him to the attention of Danny Boyle, Quentin Tarantino and others, and much more.
Original Italian theatrical trailer (2:56)
English international theatrical trailer (2:55)
The Final Thought
Demons 2 is a must-buy release. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS!!!
Lamberto Bava’s insane fevered nightmare horror sequel Demons 2 gets a single disc remastered 4K UHD edition from Synapse Films.
The Films
Let’s just say it. George Romero and Die Hard stole from this film. George, we expect. His relationship with producer Dario Argento and how they worked together make the sort of cross-pollination inevitable. Argento probably laughed his ass off when he saw Land of the Dead (a great film you should see if you haven’t) which this film takes liberally from.
Basic non-plot, residents of a hi-tech high-rise apartment structure are attacked by a Television signal while watching a Demon/Zombie Movie (which is the sequel to the Demon/Zombie movie from the first film) only to become Demons themselves. The various residents fighting for their lives include a husband and pregnant wife, a businessman, a group of gym rats in a gym, and a girl (though she’s played by a thirty-year-old actress) having a birthday party and all of the attendees of said birthday party. All hell breaks loose as Videodrome… I mean the signal unleashes all manner of imps and demons. It all culminates in a Demons vs Humans standoff. Oh, yeah, and a demon baby whose screams are so blood-curdling you will have to turn down your home theater if you don’t have soundproofing.
Demons II has director Bava wanting to go further than he had in the last film but adding a huge dollop of humor to the gore. There’s a boldness to the FX and makeup work here that makes one feel like the intent was always to go big and grand. By default, making it more comedic. Either intentional or unintentional, one can never surmise with Italian Genre Films, the comedy is the difference needed in the sequel.
One only needs to witness the Gym Rats fend themselves against the demons which is something both hilarious and frightening. Hilarious because these Gym Rats are Let’s Get Physical – inspired cast is in leotards, short shorts, lycra, spandex, and the united colors of neon Exercise fashion of the era. Frightening because these Let’s Get Physical–inspired cast are asked to do all their stunt work in leotards, short shorts, lycra, spandex, and the united colors of neon Exercise fashion of the era.
Like any good sequel Demons II manages to outdo its predecessor in just how loud, gory, funny, demented, and ultimately fun it can be. If you’re a new convert to Demons then Demons II will only reaffirm and deepen that love.
The Transfers
The wow can be doubled for the transfer done for Demons 2. The upgrade/new 4K transfer from the original elements has benefited the sequel more than the original. The Dolby Vision encoding gives the film an added bump in color reproduction and contrast levels that give the image an almost three-dimensionality. Again, here as with the original the image itself is a beautiful representation of the 35mm image shot by returning cinematographer Gianlorenzo Battaglia. The benefit and consequence are that because of the better contrast and black levels the “seams” can be seen on some of the puppet work and makeup work that “murkier” degeneration (of film prints) helped hide. Though one will gladly pay this price (it adds to the charm) to finally have the infamous “screaming baby demon” scene in pretty much perfect clarity.
The Extras
They include the following;
The all-new commentary track by journalist and programmer Travis Crawford begins with his admission that it is one of the “strangest” Italian Horror Sequels which makes it one of the strangest films ever. Some of the details include that fact this isn’t really a direct sequel but a thematic one, the initial reception, the critical reappraisal, influences as wide as Dante’s Gremlins, Cronenberg and other films, an account of the productions of both films, the box office reception of both films, the stylistic changes made, the use of New Wave music, the score by Simon Boswell (taking over from Claudio Simonetti), an account director Lamberto Bava’s career and where he was during the production of both Demons and Demons 2, an account of Dario Argento’s produced films, a discussion of the 7 various Demons “sequels” including 3 part 3’s, the original setup for Bava’s Demons 3, and much more. Crawford brings a vast knowledge of Demons 2 but the entire series and Italian horror in general.
Together and Apart (26:36) – is an all-new visual essay on the space and technology in DEMONS and DEMONS 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. Heller-Nicolas does a great job of discussing the legacy and theme of the first two of this legendary series, how the public and private space effects the first film, how this changes in Demons 2 with the use of TV, the similarities and differences between the two sequels, modern concerns that move in with the themes of these two films and much more.
Creating Creature Carnage (20:29) – is an archival interview with Makeup FX supervisor Sergio Stivaletti which opens with just how he got the job. Some of the details include how the FX work was achieved, the various aspects of what was required of him, the inspirations of other FX-heavy films at the time, and much more. In Italian with English Subtitles.
The ‘Demons’ Generation (34:50) – is an archival interview with the second Trainee Assistant Director/Second Assistant Director Roy Bava. Some of the details include that though uncredited he was working on Demons, which happened literally after high school, his interest in post-production, his love of the music, what he did on set, the different Bava directors, and how they approached direction and production, the various talents that both Mario and Lamberto had and worked on with on other Argento productions, learning about the filmmaking process early in life, working in Berlin, and much more.
Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2 (15:59) – is an archival interview with director Lamberto Bava. Some of the details include his father preparing him for a future as a director, working with Dario Argento, working on Demons and Demons 2, how the script was developed and the idea he had, and more. In Italian with English Subtitles.
A Soundtrack for Splatter (27:08) – is an archival interview with composer Simon Boswell opens with how he got involved with Italian Pop stars which led to a chance encounter with Dario Argento which led to his work on various projects including Demons 2. Some of the other details include Bava not being involved with the scoring, his work as music supervisor on the project changing the needle drops from Metal to New Wave, a specific now found out to be a racist popstar, and how they got his band’s song on the soundtrack, his only work in Rome being for Argento’s Phenomenon, the freedom both Bava and Argento afforded him, how his work brought him to the attention of Danny Boyle, Quentin Tarantino and others, and much more.
Original Italian theatrical trailer (2:56)
English international theatrical trailer (2:55)
The Final Thought
Demons 2 is a must-buy release. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS!!!
Synapse Films 4K UHD edition of Demons 2 is out August 13th
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