Night of the Demons (1988)

It is Halloween and a group of teens decide to break into an abandoned funeral parlour known as the Hull House for a party hosted by a gothic eccentric one named Angela (Mimi Kinkade) and her sleazy and whiney friend Suzanne (Linnea Quigley).
One of the partygoers finds an old mirror and so they all do a chant which is led by no other than Angela. Their reflection disappears and one of the kids named Judy (Cathy Podewell) freaks out when an image of a demon appears in the mirror. Their reflection appears again and the mirror falls and smashes. Angela is discouraged since it distracted everyones concentration and is convinced that the house is possessed.
Suddenly a demon comes out of a cremation oven and posesses Suzanne. Then Suzanne kisses Angela on the mouth having the demon spirit possess her too.
Both of them act unusually strange. Then they suddenly kill each of the other partygoers one by one turning them into possessed demons and they are are trapped at the Hull House.

I enjoyed the opening of this film as it showed dark looking animated features like skeletal ghosts etc flying around showing the credits as well as who starred in it which is a total 80's horror Halloween type feel and loving this. Plus showing some dorky party animals which looked like a cheesy fun ride to watch all of this.
Also there's a disturbing moment with a grumpy old man and a sweet teenage girl named Judy trying to help him but then he insults her which was nicely put in for a start of a horror film having one of those not so nice people and breaking the niceness of the other one. It was almost psychological on trying to do something nice to someone and they stab you in the back.
Also some good comedic moments with a teen bimbo named Suzanne bending down wearing a party dress making out she's browsing at a corner store while this attracts two male store employees while her friend Angels is shoplifting which seemed to work in well for the story since they're preparing a party at the Hull House. This moment showed an interesting sense of humor here.
A nicely put in scene is when one of the teens getting ready for the party named Judy is wearing a bra to get into her costume and her bratty brother Billy scares her with his Halloween mask and teasing her. Pretty convincing here since it seems to amuse anyone before the terror starts on sibling rivalry. Plus the home environment looked cozy while the Mother baked some chocolates offering Judy's boyfriend Max and the chocolates look like turd which is the first impression when we spot this. It was easy to read little Billy's mind when he says they look like sundried poddle turds as that's just what they look like.
A scene deifentely looks gloomy when Judy and her gang in their vehicle discovers the Hull House before entering in which it looks dark and foggy as this adds a perfect touch for a Halloween horror flick without a doubt.
More fun and dark moments with the gang entering the Hull House and one of the dorky teens named Stooge trying to be a shit disturber as well as a moment they discover a mirror and all try to concentrate on doing some magic in which there's a neat reflection on them vanishing as well as shwong a corpse with a dragon type head appearing which adds a perfect touch here and neat effects indeed. Of course the mirror falls down and shatters in which this also leaves a nice impression that this is not good at all on what will unravel later on.
More neat effects with a cremation oven oepning up and a fast camera shot moving out of the inside as well as nice shots on this demonic looking dragon appearing in mist while this happens with this force zooming around the people then going into the body of Suzanne. Seems impressive here in which this also gives you a bad feeling on this gal knowing that she's now possessed. Plus there's an interesting brief lesbian moment with her sucking face with Angela. Right away you know that she is too possessed and making things exciting that the terror is going to happen shortly.
Real cool moments with Angela doing a wicked dance and metal music playing which should please fans who like this kind of stuff into their horror as this scene totally rocks!
Meanwhile there's Max trying to get it on with Judy but she doesn't feel it's right with some good typical chauvinistic remarks coming from him about why he wants to get it on with her since it seems necessary for a teenage type horror flick with a popular highschool boy wanting nothing else but sex and then plans to brag to his friends about it. Very typical teenage type asshole. It works in perfectly here.
Then we have the most memorable scene with Suzanne smearing her lipstick around her breasts and then pushing it inside one of her nipples in which this was the most interesting prosthetic type of special effects in which the fans most fondly remembers in this flick which was fun to watch too.
Nice moment with Suzanne fornicating with Max and then rising her head up as you have a feeling that her face will change and it does which looks impressive on the effects here as well as her demonic looking eyes too.
Good painful and intense moments with Stooge now as one of the demons slamming a coffin against Jay's arm while he was fornicating with his girlfriend Frannie inside of it as this certainly looked incredibly painful indeed.
Plus we spot nice dark outside creepy scene's with the character Rodger trapped in a car and then spotting a dead body on the windshield of the vehicle which was another perfect horror touch to this film.
Perfect creepy camera shots with Angela looking monstrous floating in the hallway trying to attack her next victim.
The film shows a good suspenseful moment with Judy clung to the cliff of a roof at the Hull House as well as Rodger telling her to let go so he can catch her fall in which she's too afraid but yet these possessed people like Angela and Stooge are charging towards her keeps you watching wondering if she will fall into their grasp or not.
What is the most suspenseful sitatuion is when Rodger and Judy try to climb up a barb wire clung to a wall leading to the other side of the area while there's a great slow motion running on Stooge charging after them along with the other gang as the writing and scene's here really pack a punch definetely making you cringe wondering if they will make it out. There's great special effects with smoke going in the air as well as revealing that dragon type head once more which is icing on the cake here.
The real ending involving that bitter old man is a real shocker and looks quite twisted but I won't give that one away in which you will have to see for yourself. But the screen going black with the credits slwoly rolling up looked well edited for a theatrical type of release.
Bottom line is that this is one of the best party flicks ever!!!! Two thumbs up! This film is close to being reigned as a cult classic and in my books it is. It's cheesy but well done! Great make-up effects by Steve Johnson since he did make-up for other great horror flicks like A Nightmare On Elm Street 4 and Fright Night! Very influential!
This was alot like the film starring Linda Blair known as Hell Night but with demonic forces. I would consider this flick a cross between the sequels of A Nightmare On Elm Street and Evil Dead 2. A definete film to watch on Halloween and quite original too with the whole scenario that's happening on Hallows Eve. Unfortunately lots of critics bombed the film during it's Thanksgiving theatrical release in certain parts of the U.S. but I never cared for alot of critics to start with.

Some fo the acting is cheesy but some not too bad (Alot of the actors in this flick were virtual unknowns).
William Gallo (Sal Romero) as a scumbag teen is not too bad too and knew his character fairly well since he has had alot of experience acting in cheesy sitcoms like his semi-regular role in Who's the Boss. He really knew how to come across as a typical teenage bad ass creep. He definetely has a good Bronx type of tough speaking accent on his behalf along with the perfect teenage tough guy looks too which really adds to his character big time. Good forceful speaking with him in one of his first scene's towards a younger kid as he does well getting aggressive.
Cathy Podewell (Judy Cassidy) shows a perfect innocent girl next door type of attitude with her soft speaking voice in which she drew this all in quite well. She also had a nice clean cut look to her which really fits in too. Plus shows a good calm attitude along with showing off some frightened type of emotional attitude too passing okay by performing this when the terror strikes her.
Alvin Alexis (Rodger) has alot of energy and it really shows too bringing plenty of action and lots of anger and aggression too by trying to survive the terrors bringing everything together and proving himself to be a worthy character actor. He has a great soul speech to his voice and knew on how to act heroic when it was necessary to portray this type of attitude too and can be well remembered for his part in the story.
Former dancer/actress Mimi Kinkade (Angela) is the one who stood out the most in this film as an outcast teen and shows that she is gifted in her character too but unfortunately only did a handful of other projects (Mainly small roles like a dancer in the TV series Fame) and then quit acting for good to become an animal communicator. She really seems very sharp with her speaking before turning posessed especially by showing atttiude or her frusterated aggressions after a mirror breaks duduring a chanting scene acting believeably arrogant. She also really getting into her part by acting believeably possessed later on acting smooth and cool plus doing well by acting vicious too. Also does a terrific job with her evil type of dancing as this really shines off greatly in her performance.
Hal Havins (Stooge) as a typical party clown though I never found to be a good actor as he tries too hard and never comes across doing well seeming way too melodramatic and way over the top. However, after he turns into one of the demons he does a good job by acting very menacing.
Scream queen Linnea Quigley (Suzanne) has great timing at being funny as the whiney teen bimbo as she knew how to pull off a snobby attitude and bring lots of humor to the full screen too. She was quite a character and was perfect to have her in a film like this one. Shows a good wide eyed shocked expression after putting on some lipstick after an evil force goes inside of her. Also does well showing a bad ass attitude during this moment. Looked good suddenly acting insecure when one of the guy's are making out with her. She also does well acting possessed speaking very sharply and clearly too in which she certainly studied her part perfectly well.
Philip Tanzini (Max) certainly had a nice preppy clean cut type of appeal into his role and seems okay with his performance butneeded a bit more energy into what he did in his role. He wasn't overly bad at all but needed a bit of a push. He does come across as one of those deceiving nice guys who stab you in the back later on.
Jill Terashita (Frannie) is quite good too playing an outgoing partygoer as she showed alot of spunk to her part in the film acting very bubbly and full of life too. She has a good charisma with her speaking and knew on how to act as someone who enjoys having a good time at parties.

There are various nude scenes mainly by Linnea Quigley when she smears lipstick all over her body including her breasts. She also lifts up her dress and her vagina is briefly exposed.
Jill Terrashita shows off her breasts as well when she tries to seduce Phillip Tanzini's character in a coffin.

Many gory scenes like when Angela bites Stooge's tongue off
Suzanne crushes Jay's eyeballs inside his head
Possessed Stooge slams the coffin door on Phillips arm causing it to fall off as well as twisting Frannie's head around
A stick goes through Sal's chest after he falls to the ground.
Some more but these are the main gory details.

The music is done by director Kevin's brother named Dennis Michael Tenney and he did a great job with this one, especially for the opening of the film having creepy and dark sounds with it with some screeching noises and chiming types of sounds. Also there's good stynthesizer music used throughout the film which suits the low budget feel to everything along with good hissing moments too.

Not only that, he performed three songs for the film as they have a metal edge to them. His best song was the one used for the closing credits titled "The Beast Inside" which is a classic. Great heavy guitar riff and perfect vocalising too.
Good guitar tapping and hyped music with a song titled "Computer Date" which was played when someone turns on their ghetto blaster and we spot the character Suzanne in her party dress shaking her butt and getting down to the music. The song works in well for this scene and what everyone's actions were.
For the beginning of the story there's a song titled "Victims of the Press" as it shows the character Rodger driving a van with Stooge acting like a goof which the song has a nice touch to a cruise type of feel with the wild guitar licks and of course the vocalising too. It certainly leaves an impression that the film will have more wild rockin' tracks later on in the story and it sure does.
There's only one song by another group which is called Bauhaus with their song "Stigmata Martyr" during when the character Angela does some crazy possessed dance and the vocalising has a voodoo type of chant which belnds in perfectly and this was the song that stood out the most in the film as well as more perfect guitar riffs here.

To his credit, he also composed for other cult horror flicks like Witchboard, Witchtrap, The Prophecy and Pinocchio's Revenge.

Frannie: Oh Max, I don't bend that way.

Helen: Typical.

Stooge: Typical... Shut up and drive bitch!!!

Stooge : Ang, you can't really believe this place is posessed.
Sal : Nah, just reposessed!

Stooge : Eat a bowl of fuck! I am here to PARTY!

Suzanne: Maybe I'm in the mood for pork tonight!

Suzanne: Run Judy run! See Judy run!

Angela: Oh don't tell me you're leaving? Sal wanted to go... but he decided to stick around! [shot of Sal with a wooden stake through his heart]