HORROR TEN SPOT: Best Cinematic Demons (Part 1)

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

Looks like it’s Darren Lynn Bousman week here at AITH. Just yesterday, the director of SAW 2-4, REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA and MOTHER’S DAY was kind enough to grace our Podcast with his presence. During the episode, Mr. Bousman touched on his new piously-tinged horror outing 11-11-11, which comes out the day of. And that got me to thinking. Since, in conjunction with that silly movie THE RITE, we already ran a Top Ten list of religious horror films, I thought, let’s take it a step further. 11-11-11 more or less centers on the malefic presence of a demon, a specific kind of horror villain we think warrants celebration. You ready? Here now is my top ten list of cinematic demons. Enjoy!

WARNING: MINOR TO MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW!

#10. ENTRAILS OF A VIRGIN (Mud Demon)

HOLY SHIT! Please tell you’ve seen this film, or at least promise to seek it out immediately if you haven’t. As part of my 31 Days of Horror viewing this year, I got down with one of the sleaziest Japanese exploitation films I’ve ever thought could exist. And that’s saying something! Made in 1986, Kazuo ‘Gaira’ Komizu’s ENTRAILS OF A VIRGIN is essentially a soft-core horror film. The gist? A gaggle of debauched Japanese perverts shooting a skin flick in an isolated warehouse are unceremoniously felled one by one. The culprit? A giant-cocked mud demon who harbors a soft spot for the abused women in the film. “A Murderer” as he is credited, skulks around in the warehouse (which he lives in) and discriminately kills the men, rapes the women. Dude’s like HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP…but with Dirk Diggler junk! Not a terribly fine film, in fact it borders on the X-rated a bit much, but wow…still worth seeing at least once. If only to verify this kind of shite exists!

#9. DRAG ME TO HELL – GYPSY DEMON 

Raimi sure as shite loves his demons, ay? In Sam’s long awaited and much appreciated return to the genre that put him on the map, Lorna Raver plays a pretty damn compelling Gypsy-demon who cast evil spells and rocks the broken beer bottle teeth of a stevedore. Lovely! I think what works so well here is the sympathy conjured for the character, in human form, early in the film. When Alison Lohman’s character publicly rejects her bank loan (a topical subject mind you), we really do feel badly for her. This despite the fact she looks bedraggled and portentously dangerous. Of course, when the irreversible deed is done, the Gypsy woman goes berserk…unleashing all hell on the poor girl and all her closest acquaintances. Of course, there’s a pivotal séance that takes place in the middle of the film, the result of which summons a shadowy demon that wreaks utter havoc on the place. Simple yet effective, Raimi once again demonstrated why he catapulted to A-list visionary.

#8. DEMONS 2 

When a film unabashedly rocks DEMONS in the title, it’s difficult to single out an award winner among the undead horde. So, with that in mind, I’m calling out Lamberto Bava’s highly-charged 1986 sequel DEMONS 2 as a whole. Or, if you want, I could spotlight Sally Day, birthday-girl extraordinaire. To those who have not seen this kinetic example of first rate Italian sleaze, it follows a group of people trapped in a high-rise infested with blood-parched demons. Sally, wanting everything perfect on her birthday, throws a tantrum and retreats to her room to watch a scary movie. When a putrid ghoul pushes its way through the television screen, Sally has nary a chance to escape. She ends up getting bitten, and soon it’s her who becomes the primary flesh-fiend. But like I said, it’s really not about one demon in this flick. With such a multitude of them running around, comported in such over the top fashion, you could probably randomly pause the film and land on a contender.

#7. INSIDIOUS (Lipstick Faced Demon) 

Mad props to James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the two gents behind the most profitable film so far of 2011. INSIDIOUS, made for a paltry $1 million, is the latest example of ingenuity taking precedent over senselessly bloated budgets. And an essential part of the creativity? You know it…the ruddy, sharp-chinned, bird-nosed demon that terrorizes the piss out of the Lambert family. Now, I know many took umbrage with the sharp left turn the film takes toward the third reel, but that can’t really diminish how gnarly the hell-dwelling ghoul comes across. By my research, the demon in question was played by Joseph Bishara, who, as coincidence would have it, actually composed music for Bousman’s 11-11-11. Go figure. Truth be told, it’s been awhile since seeing a hardened demon in a successful mainstream film…which is all the more reason to celebrate this lipstick faced bastard!

#6. GHOSTBUSTERS – GOZER 

Alright, this chick is TOAST! Had to do it folks, had to throw in a little demonic levity, for variety if nothing else. But honestly, this is the first time in all the Ten Spots I’ve written that I get to mention GHOSTBUSTERS, and with good reason. Not only Ivan Reitman’s 1984 hit one of my all time favorite films (I rock a framed, autographed poster in my room), the characters have become so iconic as to become pop cultural mainstays. Why else is a third GHOSTBUSTERS film still being bandied about almost 30 years later? But as much as we love Venkman, Stantz, Spengler, Winston, Tully, Barrett and Janine…let’s not forget about Gozer the Gozerian…the ultimate shape-shifting demon the boys come face to face with in the final act. Naked, androgynous, bloody-eyed…the soaped up seductress demonstrates time and again she’s not to be fucked with. That is, until our boys cross the mothafucking streams…then the shit’s good night Irene!

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2!