I have a very vivid memory of my sister Louise returning from her friends house one night, ashen faced and silent. I asked her what had happened and she told me she had watched a movie called ‘Demons’ and it had simply terrified her. I asked what happened in it and her reply haunted me for literally years..”you don’t want to know”.

Is there ever a more enticing sentence?? probably not for me. I must confess, when I read a movie review that says this movie will stay with you, hurt you, scar you, I wanna see it!

After that fateful night I saw the vhs at the video store many years over my youth and teen years (even when I was at film school, perusing the shelves with friends in a slightly drunken giggly stupor) but never quite had the nerve to watch it.

Until now.

Off to a friends house with my super-girlfriend miss kitty on Saturday I couldn’t help but see that particular movie option sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the many more admirable choices and declared this was the time to view it.

The essential story is all 80’s retro fashion and cheese which is a-ok for this little black duck. A mixed-bag of victims are trapped in a movie theatre while the ‘demon virus’ gradually spreads amongst them so they are either dinner or a demon.

Directed by Lamberto Bava (son of Mario) and screenplay written by Dario Argento, this ‘Evil Dead’-style gore-fest has quite an impressive pedigree, but apart from some nicely composed artistic shots it is essentially popcorn horror for the masses and was a huge hit when it came out spawning a moderately successful sequel.

The soundtrack is rocking and deserves the surround sound treatment and the effects are surprisingly effective but the acting leaves quite alot to be desired as does the dialogue; and the ‘locked room’ setting can get a little boring to look at but the thrills do keep you somewhat on your toes.

Overall not a film deserving of my sister’s trembling big-eyed fear, but what horror could live up to that chilling and yet alluring sentence??

I’ll keep looking for it……