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It Came From Shudder | Demons

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5 years ago

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Some movies attempt to craft an elegant narrative filled with well-rounded characters that foster a connection with the audience in order to leave a lasting impression. Then there are those films that only come up with a plot as a vehicle to show images that will leave an imprint.

The streaming service Shudder has plenty of both, but the abundance of those in the latter camp make it a go-to for genre fans. Now, with Lamberto Bava’s Demons it has another film that may lack substance, but more than makes up for it with style.

The film wastes little time with preamble. The audience is quickly introduced to our protagonist Cheryl (Natasha Hovey) who is being hunted by a man desperately yearning for her to know about the grand opening of a new theater in town. Somehow not dissuaded by the man’s haunting silence and menacing metal mask, she accepts the invite and convinces her friend to accompany her to the show. What starts out as an honest midday matinee soon spirals into a nightmare as the real world begins to mirror the events of those on screen trapping the #filmfans with demonic forces looking to multiply.

There’s no way around it, Demons has a thin narrative. Outside of the initial setup to get our characters into the theater there isn’t much going on. In fact, there is more of a foundation in the made-up movie playing in the theater than Demons itself, the former is the only one willing to provide an explanation for its demonic uprising.

Yet this disinterest in a narrative story line allows it to focus on what Bava clearly was more excited to bring to the screen – gore, chaos, and rock and roll. Once he gets the necessary setup out of the way Bava and his team let it rip. The demons bring with them beautifully distressing practical effects. Watching a woman’s fingernails and teeth split and fall out to make way for replacements more suitable for tearing flesh is a visual that will be burned in my brain for weeks to come.

The camera and effects team work in perfect tandem to showcase the brutality of the titular characters. Numerous scenes delight in showcasing the severing of flesh and the pulsating and popping of boils. As Nickelodeon-green pus oozes out to mix with each victim’s blood it’s difficult not to feel equal parts grossed out and elated.

Demons embraces that notion every step of the way attempting to spark joy just as often as it seeks to frighten. Its characters are all amped up and playing to the rafters. There’s Tony (Bobby Rhodes), a pimp accompanied to the theater by his two working girls, who shouts his lines with an enthusiasm hinting that he’s aware of the film’s exploitative aims, and a greased up group of punks who snort cocaine out of a Coke can while Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” blasts from their speakers. Many of the theatergoers are given moments to shine, even the milquetoast bros of the film leave their mark with a samurai sword (in two very different ways).

All of this is contained in the isolated cinema called the Metropol. Cinematographer Gianlorenzo Battaglia pulls a lot of beauty out of a small theater that could have otherwise felt repetitive. Gorgeous, smokey color hues are put on display bouncing off of the theater halls and bathroom stalls, and the lobby of the place would fit right in at a modern day fashion show. A lot of effort was put in to deliver a memorable vibe, and it comes through.

Demons leans into the desires of its director Lamberto Bava, son of famed cinematographer Mario Bava, who has a taste for the aesthetic and vibe of a movie. Sure the film lacks a bit in the logic department, but once the Metropol has been overrun and Bava and his team lean into the chaos logic will be the last thing on your mind.

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Paramount+ Reveals Official Main Title Sequence for the Upcoming Series TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

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13 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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During the TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES panel earlier today at San Diego Comic Con, Paramount+ revealed the official main title sequence for the series. The sequence is composed by EMMY® nominee, Matt Mahaffey, known for his work on Sanjay and Craig, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie and much more. 

From the studios of the Mutant Mayhem film, the all-new Paramount+ original series TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES explores the adventures of everyone’s favorite pizza-loving heroes as they emerge from the sewers onto the streets of NYC. Leo, Raph, Donnie and Mikey are faced with new threats and team up with old allies to survive both teenage life and villains lurking in the shadows of the Big Apple. The series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation and Point Grey Pictures.

TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES is executive produced by Chris Yost (The Mandalorian, Thor: Ragnarok) and Alan Wan (Blue Eye Samurai, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [2012 Series]). Production is overseen for Nickelodeon by Claudia Spinelli, Senior Vice President, TV Series Animation, Nickelodeon, and Nikki Price, Director of Development and Executive in Charge of Production.

In addition to the upcoming new series, stream all things Turtles on Paramount+.

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Comic-Con 2024: Those About to Die Activation

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16 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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DISNEY+ CASTS DANIEL DIEMER AS FAN-FAVORITE ‘TYSON’IN SEASON TWO OF “PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS”

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16 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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 in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con, Rick Riordan and Disney+ revealed that Daniel Diemer (“Under the Bridge”) will star as fan-favorite cyclops “Tyson” in the epic adventure series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” Diemer joins Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth Chase) and Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood) as a series regular. The Disney+ Original series from Disney Branded Television and 20th Television will start filming its second season next week in Vancouver.

Season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is based on the second installment of Disney Hyperion’s best-selling book series titled “The Sea of Monsters” by award-winning author Rick Riordan. In the new season, Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-Blood one year later to find his world turned upside down. His friendship with Annabeth is changing, he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover has gone missing, and camp is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon.

Diemer stars as Tyson – a young Cyclops who grew up all alone on the streets, and finds it difficult to survive in the human world.  Shy and awkward, with a heart almost as big as he is, Tyson soon discovers that Poseidon is his father, which means Percy Jackson is his half-brother… and that Tyson may have finally found a home. 

Diemer recently starred in the Hulu limited series “Under the Bridge” based off the critically acclaimed book of the same name and a tragic true story of a missing teen girl in Vancouver in 1997. He will next star in the indie “Thug” opposite Liam Neeson and Ron Perlman for director Hans Petter Moland. Daniel was recently seen as the lead in the indie “Supercell” opposite Alec Baldwin and Skeet Ulrich and the lead in the film “Little Brother” opposite Phil Ettinger and JK Simmons. Daniel can also be seen in the Netflix series “The Midnight Club” and recently starred as the male lead in the breakout hit Netflix feature “The Half Of It” from producer Anthony Bregman and director Alice Wu. He is a graduate of Victoria Academy of Dramatic Arts in Vancouver.

Created by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg, season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is executive produced by Steinberg and Dan Shotz alongside Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Albert Kim, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson.

The first season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is available on Disney+

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