A
group of graduates and scientists lead by
a man named Professor Howard Birack
(Victor Wong) discover a closed down
cathedral that has an evil looking liquid
with strange people staring at them.
They bring along a preacher named Father
Loomis (Donald Pleasance) to help them
out but he tells them that there was evil
in the place they're doing research but
some of the people don't believe him and
thinks that he is crazy.
Well one of the graduates named Etchinson
(Thom Bray) goes outside down a stairway
where he meets a strange man who looks
like a Street Schizo (Alice Cooper) and
plans to kill him. He tries to escape but
other locals there that don't look human
in fact look totally dead corners him as
this Street Schizo does his nasty deed.
Next, one of the people exploring the
cathedral named Susan Cabot (Anne Marie
Howard) encounters the basement where
this liquid is as it comes to life and
spits down her throat as she gags and
falls to the ground. Later she is
resurrected into a demonic zombie and
does her nasty deeds to tohers by
spitting venom into them.
Father Loomis tries to find some way to
destroy these evil events along with the
help of Brian Marsh (Jameson Parker) and
Catherine Danfourth (Lisa Blount) before
they become next as Satan is released
paving the way for the return of his
father - the all powerful Anti-God
through a mirror reflection.
Some great shots with certain
people like Prof. Howard Birack and Father Loomis staring at the cathedral
with good shots on them as well as the
gloomy looking sky. Plus we have great
shots on demonic looking people like a
bag lady pacing around.
We have a good scene with this bag lady towards Loomis telling him
that it's good that he's reopening the
church which was done creepily.
Thyere's also good shots on the other group of people unloading
computer and other electronic equipment
out of a van with a Street Schizo evilly staring at them along with a
perfect close up shot on this person.
Good conversation sequences with Loomis and Howard at a table discussing
to the others about the going on's at the
cathedral.
We have a perfect shot on Ethchinson trying to spot something on the bottom of
the stairs outside behind the cathedral
with a good close up shot on a pigeon
murdered on a mini crucifix. Then
there's a good shot on the street schizo wobbling nearby in a dark alleyway and
then picking up a wheel of some sort with
a sharp object heading towards him. A
good look onthis schizo right next
to him with a menacing look on
his face while stabbing this guy with this object and then looking up in
the air.
We spot some good shots on Susan Cabot near a basement type area of
the cathedral staring at an object full
of liquid and looking nervous. There's a
good shot of liquid pouring down her
mouth and her hacking like crazy.
A good shot on Susan rising
up from the basement as if she returned
from the dead with her wide eyes and then
standing on a balcony of the cathedral
staring expressionless towards Frank Wyndham along with good shots on
ants swarming her and then a good shot on Frank's legs with ants
surrounding him and him looking paranoid.
Then a great shot on the bag lady coming up to him and brutally stabbing
him with awesome close up shots on the
knife.
There's a good shot on a window with Frank standing there talking to them and then
good shots on his body falling apart with
the bugs around him.
A good presence by Mullins approaching the basement and
then Susan turning around and
twisting his neck.
Good shot on Susan crawling up towards Lisa in
bed and then spitting venom in her mouth.
We see a good shot on some of the liquid
falling from the top of the wall and then
pouring down into Kelly's throat which was a neat effect.
We have a good shot on Kelly typing away on the computer staring into
space with Walter approaching her
mysteriously and then Susan knocking him down and a struggle happens.
We have a great approach by Calder battling
with Kelly and Susan as well as
being pinned to the ground with them
spitting venom into him.
A perfect and creepy moment with Calder walking up the
stairs with sweat puring on him singing
"Amazing Grace" sadly and then
a close up shot on him crying and then
sticking a sharp wooden object into his
throat which looked really twisted.
We have a good shot on Walter locking
himself in a room and staring through a
see through clip in the door trying to
talk and a great shot on both Lisa and Susan standing there
staring lifelessly which looked quite
evil.
We have a nice shot on Kelly rising
up from her bed with her evil looks and
then staring into a mirror of a make up
kit with the mirror lighting up and then
pointing her finger inside the reflection
along with her upsetting features and
freaked out actions then smashing the
mirror.
A good shot on Calder cackling and crying at the same time
walking around as well as staring at a
mirror with upsetting expressions.
We have a good shot on Loomis sitting in a corner hiding trying to pray.
We also have a good shot on him holding an axe and trying to act menacing
towards Kelly while she puts
her hand in the mirror calling to Satan
and spotting a satanic hand she's pulling
along with Catherine Danfourth going in
a rage and pushing her into the
reflection and then Loomis screaming and throwing the axe to the
mirror as I found this to be the best
moments in ever in any of the story that we've watched.
Bottom line is that this is a dark, evil and weird movie. Not the greatest
film of all time as Carpenter
will probably admit that this is his
worst horror film he's ever done. It's
cheesy but at the same time very dark,
depressing and evil too. It's very similar to the lyrics to Alice
Cooper's song by the same names that
Prince of Darkness spits on death for you
and me.... There's some resemblance to those George
A. Romero's zombie flicks with
people that look like locals are demonic
and total killing machines with their
zombielike actions. Some good effects for this low
budgeter and some shocking moments too on
what is happening. Although the story isn't that great the
other elements are fairly well done which
saves this flick from being below average
and it opens the door for a sequel which
never arose as the story sort of wasn't
done just yet. But yet this film bombed
at the box office. Oh well... this film
was never close to being a cult classic
or groundbreaking hit.
The acting is not
too bad as lead actor Donald
Pleasance (Father Loomis) of course shows his
intensity like he did in
Halloween of course his
character name is the same reference but
this time he plays a preacher. He shows a
good menacing attitude and nice crying
as well as upsetting emotions too.
Jameson Parker (Brian Marsh) is another actor who
stands out not too badly with decent
energy to his role and a nice charming
attitude too.
Victor Wong (Prof. Howard Birack) was one of the best
known one's in this film as a scientist
as he brings out his character very
strongly as he seems a little strange
with his behavior too.
Lisa Blount (Catherine Danfourth) has the right looks to
her part and acts good being heroic too.
Dennis Dun (Walter) did okay playing an
outspoken young one in the film as he
shows a good outgoing attitude too for
his role which is perfect for a horror
film like this.
Susan Blanchard (Kelly) really proved her
talents as she portrayed a nice calm type
of person who is kind and caring. Then
after she is poisoned by the venom really
knew how to sound screechy and act evilly
demented.
Anne Marie Howard (Susan Cabot) was just as
terrific for the first victim to be
poisoned as she has a great non
expression look on her face with her wide
eyes too. Kind of like that Sleepaway
Camp Angela type of feel to it.
Dirk Blocker (Mullins) shows a nice appeal
to his role as he looked like a brawling
gentle giant and came across well after
being poisoned with his demonic menacing
attitude.
Jessie Lawrence Ferguson (Calder) does a good
job with his loudness in his role and
really knew how to lose after being
poisoned with his cackling and crying
emotions. For sure came across dysfunctional as well as cracked while behaving like this. He was believeable being insane
that way and deadly too.
We have a nice character performance by Robert
Grasmere (Frank Wyndham) as he really knew how to
act hyper and closed minded about stuff.
We can't forget our memorable cameo by
shock rocker Alice Cooper (Street Schizo) from the living dead as he
looked just perfectly evil in his role
and had a few very brief scene's. Stood out nicely in his cameo though and the die hard fans like myself can fondly remember him in it.
We have a bit part performance by Joanna
Merlin (Bag Lady) who played a great demon
zombielike homeless person and does well with
her croaky words and menacing actions. She knew on how to stab someone numerous times just rolling with the punches here.
There's a dead pigeon
stabbed on a small crucifix
A street schizo bloodily stabs Ethinson
in the stomach with a sharp obect
connected to a wheel of a bike.
There's a bag lady bloodily stabbing
Frank Wyndham with a dagger.
Frank returns from the dead with bugs all
over him and his body falls apart.
Calder stabs his throat with a sharp
wooden object.
Kelly's skin peels off showing some
bloody gruesome results as well as having
her arm and head chopped off.
John Carpenter
of course composes the music for this
film along with Alan Howarth as
it sounds cheesy but dark too which was
approapriate for the film. He shows some
dark pounding music for most of the
scene's especially for the opening of the
film as well as some high and low
synthesizer soundings along with a touch
of fantasy style keyboard playing.
There is a scene
where Alice Cooper's character
is going to kill the first victim and if
you listen very carefully you can vaguely
hear his title song from the movie. I was
thinking why isn't it played louder but
yet it's a little creepy too hear it very
quiet. This song is from his 1987 album
"Raise Your Fist and Yell".
Kelly:
Hello? I'm opening the door, if you want
to stop what you're doing and put your
clothes on!
[Wyndham
is being consumed by beetles]
Wyndham: I've got a message for
you, and you're not going to like it.
Brian: Look at his chest!
[Wyndham's suit coat opens to reveal
swarms of beetles]
Wyndham: Pray for death!
[Wyndham's head falls off, and his
body starts coming apart]
Brian: [in horror] Jesus
Christ!
Father
Loomis: [hiding in a room,
reciting verses from the Bible]
[wipes tears from his eyes and looks
up]
Father Loomis: Where are you...?
Christ?
[as
possessed Kelly is reaching into the
mirror]
Father Loomis: [uncovers an axe]
I could...
[picks the axe up]
Father Loomis: I could. |
