…is the greatest movie title ever!
Nah, not really. But give me some points in the creativity department.
Please?
Not all horror movies get Halloween/October releases. I saw Rob Zombie’s first Halloween remake on a hot day in the middle of summer in 2007. We all watch horror movies regardless of the time of year, but October/Halloween is generally regarded as the best time to see these movies.
In 2007, I was copying commercials from a WPIX airing of Iron Eagle sometime in the fall of 1988 (I think mid-November, because of a Thanksgiving advertisement), and came across a trailer for a movie I’d never heard of before.
I don’t claim to know all horror movies, but I do know bad movies (you all know I’m a MSTie, right?), and this certainly looked to be of that caliber (at least by 1980s horror movie standards, since many of them were the stuff of cheese).
Anyway, click play below, and witness one heck of a party!
My apologies about the sound on the video – the tape was almost 20 years old when I copied it, and the volume got really low in one spot right in the middle of this preview. My recommendation? Turn the volume up considerably high, you just might catch the dialogue!
Night of the Demons starred Amelia Kinkade (credited as Mimi Kinkade) as Angela Franklin, the oh so lovely demonic villainess. It is a role she would play through the film’s sequels (oh yes, there were several of these movies!).
She is a dancer and appeared in (notably) Breakin’ 2: Electric Bugaloo, Body Rock, and many music videos. She is also the niece of actress Rue McClanahan. The film also starred 1980s “scream queen” Linnea Quigley.
The film was released regionally in different markets beginning on September 9, 1988, opening throughout the country until June 1989. My tape is from the New York market, and it looked to be taped sometime around Thanksgiving. Since the movie was opening on a Wednesday, my guess is that this was probably the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Night of the Demons grossed $3.1 million during its run, and has been released to VHS (May 1989), and later to DVD and Blu-Ray. Initially, it received negative reviews, but over the years has seen in a more favorable light. Two sequels were released in 1994 and 1997 (respectively), but by the third movie, the series had strayed too far from the original. A remake was made in 2009, but unfortunately, a Kickstarter campaign to fun a sequel was unsuccessful.
I guess its safe to say we can file this one under cult favorite, right?
And there you have it, folks. Another week, another Throwback/Flashback done. And this is only the first week of the Throwback/Flashback Halloween celebration. Remember, every Thursday features a “spooky” Not Halloween commercial from the archives, and on Friday we’ll watch a horror movie trailer from the 1980s, and not necessarily ones for good movies.
We’re just getting the party started!
Have a great weekend!