Review: Demons 1 & 2 Limited Edition UHD
Demons is a film that I’ve loved since I first rented it on VHS many years ago, and then bought the ex-rental VHS for a price that would now get me this fantastic 2 disc UHD blu-ray set from Arrow Films. So the fact that it (and its sequel) is now available in the best possible physical format is great news for all fans.
It’s been a pleasure to review all of Arrow’s UHD releases so far, and while we don’t go into the minutiae of the technical details of picture and sound, both Demons 1 and 2 absolutely astounded me in both the visual and audio department. Both films have numerous sequences that are set either during the nighttime or in an environment where there is little light, and scenes where in previous viewings a lot was lost in the darkness, it is here revealed in all its glory. The colours pop like never before…with ‘Demon pus’ looking even more disgusting, while the 5:1 mix pumps out the superb music score/soundtrack and adds a low end punch that really adds to the atmosphere.
The narrative of both movies are basically the same: people get trapped in an enclosed space (Demons = movie theatre, Demons 2 = apartment block) after a demonic possession, sparked by an onscreen event they are watching, starts to spread across everyone and a mass killing spree begins.
In both movies there is also a gang of wild ‘hoodlums’ driving around outside who inevitably get caught up in the events too…neither gangs are particularly safe drivers either. Though their carefree driving is far less dangerous than the demon-clawed, throat ripping monsters they will encounter later down the line.
Both movies also have returning cast members, with Bobby Rhodes being my absolute favourite and playing a ‘take no shit, kick ass pimp’ in Demons, and a ‘take no shit, kick ass fitness instructor’ in Demons 2. I also love the cheesy voice he is given in the dubbed version of both movies too.
Lamberto Bava directs everything at a breakneck pace, which fits the pumping soundtrack and the crazy blood splattered events that play out onscreen, and while everything is completely over the top (Demons 2 even has a demon dog!) you still buy into the events that are happening and root for everyone (anyone!) to escape the manic demon attacks.
While both Demons 1 & 2 are completely bat shit crazy, Demons 2 takes it to a whole other level, with the aforementioned demon dog joining a demon kid, a baby demon (which resembles the demon love child of a Gremlin and the imp from Sorority Babes in the Slime Bowl-o-rama), and a bonkers sequence in a basement car park where logical decisions go out of the window.
Both movies have never looked or sounded better, and add in the usual array of superb special features that Arrow put onto their discs (as well as a 60 page booklet, a double sided poster and a replica Metropol Theatre movie ticket from Demons) and you have a double disc set that you should be dying to get your hands on…figuratively of course…don’t get too close to those demons!
My favorite release of 2021 so far.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- Brand new 4K restoration of both films by Arrow Films from the original camera negatives
- 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentations of both films in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Adam Rabalais
- Limited edition 60-page booklet featuring new writing by Roberto Curti, Rachael Nisbet and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- Double-sided fold-out poster
- Exclusive mystery sneak preview movie ticket (admits one to the Metropol Theatre)
DISC 1 (4K ULTRA-HD BLU-RAY) DEMONS
- Two versions of the film: the full-length original cut in Italian and English, and the slightly trimmed US cut, featuring alternate dubbing and sound effects
- Brand new lossless English and Italian 5.1 audio tracks on the original cut
- Original lossless English and Italian 2.0 stereo audio tracks on the original cut
- Original lossless English 1.0 mono audio track on the US cut
- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for both English soundtracks
- New audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain, co-hosts of the Hell’s Bells podcast
- Archival audio commentary by director Lamberto Bava and special makeup effects artist Sergio Stivaletti, moderated by journalist Loris Curci
- Archival audio commentary by Lamberto Bava, Sergio Stivaletti, composer Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta
- Produced by Dario Argento, a new visual essay by author and critic Michael Mackenzie exploring the legendary filmmaker’s career as a producer
- Dario’s Demon Days, an archival interview with writer/producer Dario Argento
- Defining an Era in Music, an archival interview with Claudio Simonetti
- Splatter Spaghetti Style, an archival interview with long-time Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi
- Italian theatrical trailer
- International English theatrical trailer
- US theatrical trailer
DISC 2 (4K ULTRA-HD BLU-RAY) – DEMONS 2
- Brand new lossless English and Italian 5.1 audio tracks
- Original lossless English and Italian 2.0 stereo audio tracks
- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
- New audio commentary by critic Travis Crawford
- Archival audio commentary by director Lamberto Bava and special makeup effects artist Sergio Stivaletti, moderated by journalist Loris Curci
- Together and Apart, a new visual essay on space and technology in Demons and Demons 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- Creating Creature Carnage, an archival interview with Sergio Stivaletti
- Bava to Bava, an archival interview with Luigi Cozzi on the history of Italian horror
- Italian theatrical trailer
- English theatrical trailer
Demons 1 & 2 Limited Edition UHD is released 22nd February 2021.
Review by Dave from discs kindly supplied by Arrow Films via Fetch Publicity.
