night of the demons 2

Audio

Rapture

TRACK #308:

Rapture by Morbid Angel

When it comes to moments that embody the 3 principle of The Shindig – Halloween, Horror and Music – nothing quite combines them all like Angela’s dance from the original Night of the Demons. Set as it is on Halloween and to Bauhaus’ Stigmata Martyr, you can read me drool over his classic moment here.

So when Brain Trenchard-Smith and company we’re asked to take a trip back to Hull House and to, hey, why don’t you

bring Amelia Kinkade along with you while you’re at it – fans assuredly wondered if Angela would dance again.

The answer was “yes.” And an empathic “yes” at that, as they upped the ante in a few way, as a sequel is wont to do.

First and foremost, they gave Angela a larger crowd. Secondly, they put her up on a table in front of a banner that says “Happy Halloween.” Thirdly, they gave her a dance partner in the form of beautiful, genre staple, Zoe Trilling. And lastly, they slapped a Morbid Angel song on that motherfucker.

This dance however, is a microcosm of the film itself, at least in relation to the original Night of the Demons. Bigger doesn’t always mean better.

As a result, this dance (this scene…this movie) is less elegant, less important, less interesting, less sexy, less creepy and above all, less memorable.

But that won’t stop Morbid Angel from making the playlist. No way. Cause when you’re the backing track to any Angela dance sequence, you’re in.

Well, I shouldn’t say that, cause that song from Part 3 is absolutely atrocious and will never grace this playlist. I’m not even sure what the producers where thinking with that one. Was that the only song they could actually get the rights to play? Was it on some generic, royalty free CD they had lying around the editing bay? Had they never seen the other 2 Night of the Demons films? It’s almost laughable how at odds it is with the other 2 Angela tracks.

Then, there’s still the matter of the dance from the remake to consider, which despite my hesitance, has a couple compelling things going for it:

  1. It still happens on Halloween.
  2. Though played by Shannon Elizabeth, it’s still technically Angela and
  3. It’s set to a Type O Negative song. A song which is already under yearly consideration for being a Halloween song in its own right.

However, despite all of that, and the fact that I’ve already included 45 Grave’s Title Track Night of the Demons from the very same film, I still don’t think Type O is making the cut. At least not this year. Sorry gang.

Morbid Angel on the other hand? Well, pick em up!

Here comes Rapture.

Trick or treat, suckers!

 

Oct. 18th: Night of the Demons 2 (1994)

One of my favorite Halloween movies of all time is easily Kevin Tenney’s Night of the Demons. However, as with most sequels, my love for Night of the Demons 2 is decidedly less than.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Brian Trenchard-Smith’s follow-up. It has a some great Halloween atmosphere and a feeling somewhat similar to its predecessor, but in comparison it falls dramatically short.

Kids from a catholic boarding school want to rebel on Halloween. So they hook up with some local burnouts to go party down at notorious Hull House, where apparently Angela still resides.

Since Hull House is never a good idea on Halloween, things go berserk. This time however, the terror stretches out from the funeral home and toward the Catholic school.

There’s a lot of callbacks. There’s a tit gag (which is a great effect) a lipstick gag, Angela dancing, and lots of possession. So this is pretty worn ground for the most part, but this isn’t a horrible sequel. There’s some fun, new characters, an ambitious snake transformation and a Halloween dance party.

If you have to watch 1 Night of the Demons movie this Halloween, The Shindig recommends the original Night of the Demons. But if you have to watch 2 Night of the Demons movies, you might as well watch just Night of the Demons 2 too.

I give it 2 stretchy titty-hands up.

Designation: Treat