An afternoon of Ancient Ones and Demons

I really didn’t intend necessarily to *pair up* The Cabin in the Woods (2012) and Night of the Demons (2009), but just the same I wanted to kind of take a minor break from the Michael Myers series and get in a couple of rather decently reputed modern horror films.

I think the “self consciously hip and clever” critique against Cabin is apt and worth noting. Cabin does to me consider itself quite clever as you watch it. You can see the screenplay process unfolding enthusiastically as you watch it: the way the film goes the same route as Scream (1996) in terms of acknowledging slasher tropes and then turning them on their head. Being able to take the slasher film and fuse it with Lovecraft, and furthermore bringing the end to the world itself, in addition to including all kinds of monsters and such right out of the nightmares of us all, and Cabin takes on a kitchen sink effect. It is insane, and giving the “satiating ‘the ancient ones’ through the sacrifice of slasher characters put together by forces the chosen victims couldn’t imagine” white collar work force plot line (as if keeping the creatures deep, deep down below appeased is a business with functionaries in various forms such as maintenance and damage control) just reinforces the satirical approach made by Goddard and Wedon during the screenwriting process. That the dopehead (Fran Kranz) is the hero who brings down the almighty company that has kept the creatures from being released to demolish mankind and assists the “virginal” heroine (which she isn’t, itself an amusing joke), played by Kristen Connolly, in no longer allowing the process of a “chosen few sacrifices” to be fed to the beast, so to speak, again shakes things up. Chris Hemsworth is essentially a guest starrer, here, as the athletic “sociology major”, and Anna Hutchison leaves quite an impression when the ‘powers that be’ make sure her blonde dye turns her into a horny minx, putting on quite a show that would make strippers envy in front of a fireplace. Those involved in making sure everything goes according to plan, the obstacles that can present themselves, goes hand in hand with what the characters at the cabin are up to. The company uses their means to get the college kids to go where is needed and do what is required in order for the dark forces to envelope and destroy them so that the ‘ancient ones’ don’t rise from the netherworld looking to cause an apocalypse. Jenkins and Whitworth are along with stoner Franz given the best pieces of dialogue in the film; you can tell when the writing was coming alive, these three’s characters were held at a specific special regard.

Night of the Demons (and even its sequels to a certain extent) from ’88 is a major Halloween cult film. I myself would like to include it in October this year. Anyway, the remake from Adam Gierasch (writer of Mother of Tears and the Toolbox Murders remake) pays a lot of love to the original film. The lip stick scene that is so iconic (and wonderfully wtf) in the original film (Quigley making a small cameo in the same naughty dress she wore in that version), so it being left out seemed out of the question. Not only does the lip stick go into a boob, it is pulled out of the vagina! A nicely elaborate New Orleans mansion with a devilish history (a sealed room reveals bodies stacked in a particular pattern during what appears to be a sacrificial ritual) is rented by this hedonistic chick named Angela (Shannon Elizabeth in this one) for a party hoping to help her out financially. The cops break it up before the party could get started full throttle, but a certain few (characters established before the party in dialogue) get locked into the estate thanks to the gate where no key is available (yeah, kind of a weak method behind keeping them staying put). Angela is afflicted demonically by a “skeleton bite” (one of the bodies in the sealed room), and her possession is *transferred* by kiss (or sexually), soon turning most of the party into demons in human skin. Grotesque make up effects (particularly Bobbi Sue Luther, losing her face after Angela pulls it away with her teeth!) and foul language ensue.

I could have done without Eddie Furlong. He's simply a drug dealing at-the-end-of-his-rope underling of a strip-club owner. It is an unflattering character further emphasized by Furlong's dreary presentation of him. Why Monica Keena's spirited and attractive heroine would give two shits about him is bewildering. She's extremely likable and photogenic, but not some prude, virginal unrealistic "safe character". She talks in the same naughty language as her pals, Diora Baird (purrrr) and Luther (barely able to keep her boobs from popping out her cat costume). Their shared exchange on *waxing* is spoken at length. The three girls have a surprising organic presence together...there isn't an animosity or anything forced. They talk boys and speak openly to each other, giggling and such because they enjoy each other and their company. I recall this girl I had known my whole childhood quite bluntly honest when speaking about her sex life and it reminded me of this shared conversation...the guards come down when alone with each other. Of course, them winding up at a debauch party summoning those wanting to be free of their inhibitions and get crazy tells us they are looking to have some throw-caution-to-the-wind fun.

To me, Cabin is too murky when the redneck zombies are turned loose on the gang in the woods. This isn't what those who made the film cared about. What they cared about was those behind the monsters' release and their own comeuppance. It is about what is behind the curtain not as much as those that are puppets. The last two puppets get the best of the puppeteers.

Demons feels like it respects and admires the original...that alone matters to those who are big fans of the original. I think the original can be a lot of fun, with plentiful cringe-worthy moments (the oinker with the pig nose has some dialogue and a performance that really worked like nails down a chalkboard to me) and variable acting (well, none of the acting is good; everything is hyperactive and over the top which seemed to be the point), but the remake decides to focus intently on characters with no qualms in boozing and talking (and acting) sleazy. Morals for the characters in both films (original and remake) are on the lower end of the behavior scale. In fact, if the demons didn't decide to play around with them, I'm sure they could have been perfectly suitable as bait for the Merman to appease the Ancient Ones.