The Demon

[Trevor]

No worries.  Every country has a few horrible movies...

But speaking of terrible South African horror films, you simply HAVE to watch SWEET MURDER.  It's like "Single White Female" shot on what looks like an unused talk-show set with Embeth Davitz (rowr) and Helen Udy (not-so-rowr).  I think maybe it was shot in Durban (it's a big city with lots of palm trees).  At one point, Helen Udy (playing a murderous ex-pat American) runs a red light with a body in the back seat and she's stopped by a couple of South African traffic cops who ignore the body and ask, "What's wrong, they don't have stop signs in your country?!" 

[Trevor]

Review updated.

[Mike Justice]

Check out the ending to THE DEMON taken off this Danish tape.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA8YHmEYrgU

I remember reading one review where they mentioned that Cameron Mitchell was watching from the shadows at the end.  I thought the reviewer was imagining things, but here lies the proof, I guess....

You've seen the SA print, and the US and international prints...  Why does this Danish version have CM at the end?  Did Ruby make mention of any alternate versions of his film and what purposes they served?

[Trevor]

Check out the ending to THE DEMON taken off this Danish tape.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA8YHmEYrgU

I remember reading one review where they mentioned that Cameron Mitchell was watching from the shadows at the end.  I thought the reviewer was imagining things, but here lies the proof, I guess....

This is way weird indeed: didn't he die? Or was the Demon a manifestation of his inner turmoil? 

You've seen the SA print, and the US and international prints...  Why does this Danish version have CM at the end?  Did Ruby make mention of any alternate versions of his film and what purposes they served?

I don't know of any other versions that Percival made: I do know that the 35mm print we have in the NFVSA is uncut.

[Mike Justice]

I can't even tell if that clip of Cameron Mitchell at the end was part of the film or not.  He IS wearing that "High Chapparel"-type hat.  Maybe he was such a big star in some territories that certain prints of the film had an extra scene of him tacked on.  Or something.

[Trevor]

Review updated as I confused Mary and Jo: too much boinga-boinga going on and wayy too many saggy panties on show. 

[Trevor]

Sorry, I should have written WEINER instead of WIENIE. 

[Trevor]

Updated.

[Burning_Dog]

Hi Trevor
I can't view your profile or message you as I am a newbie on this site.
But I wanted to pick your brains about S.A. Exploitation films.
If you have a moment perhaps I can p.m. you or send you an email?

[Trevor]

Hi Trevor
I can't view your profile or message you as I am a newbie on this site.
But I wanted to pick your brains about S.A. Exploitation films.
If you have a moment perhaps I can p.m. you or send you an email?

Sure: my email address is ------------.com or at work, T--------------za. Look forward to hearing from you.  

[Burning_Dog]

Brillant, thanks Trevor.
I've sent you an email hopefully you have time to skim through it.

[Mofo Rising]

Just watched this last night, and man it was a puzzlement. I did a quick write-up over in "Recent Viewings."

This was pretty much my reaction. Movie ends. Silence. "What the hell was that?'

The ending was my favorite for sheer misplaced lunacy. I still cannot figure out the poncho. Was she protecting herself from getting wet? Was the water supposed to scaldingly hot?

I noticed you said "Boobs Disco" would no longer be in existence. Well, if I ever visit South Africa, we will start a nightclub named "Boobs Disco."

[Trevor]

Just watched this last night, and man it was a puzzlement. I did a quick write-up over in "Recent Viewings."

This was pretty much my reaction. Movie ends. Silence. "What the hell was that?'

The ending was my favorite for sheer misplaced lunacy. I still cannot figure out the poncho. Was she protecting herself from getting wet? Was the water supposed to scaldingly hot?

I was also wondering why she has to climb around in the rafters kaalgat [nekkid]? 

I noticed you said "Boobs Disco" would no longer be in existence. Well, if I ever visit South Africa, we will start a nightclub named "Boobs Disco."

According to MIguelito, it's a bombed out hole with a flea market outside. 

[JaseSF]

Funny review Trevor.

Here was my reaction to this film backed when I watched the first time in October 2012...haven't had the desire to revisit of as of yet...it's a pretty strange film...kind of throws in that popular 70s ESP gimmick...

The Demon (1981): Following the abduction and possible murder of their teenage daughter, a desperate couple decide to hire an ex-Marine special investigator known for having ESP abilities - Col. Bill Carson (Cameron Mitchell). He soon has visions of a faceless hulking monster of a man stalking even more potential victims to terrorize.

This film is pretty much a ripoff of Halloween with some Black Christmas thrown in. For the most part, it's surprisingly dull but it does have some good moments here and there especially during its climax as the masked Demon hunts two girls, in various states of undress, throughout a large house. While in some ways ridiculous, it does manage to create some suspense during this final sequence. The rest of movie feels like a far less ineffectual slasher with a Micheal Myers-like character stalking victims as we watch the various romantic entanglements of those he's watching. Thrash but has some moments although Mitchell is basically in and out of this one in short order. **1/2 out of ***** stars

[Trevor]

I love how The Demon is squashed under The Evil: it's like the distributors are saying "We bought this crap, we have to show this crap but do we have to advertise it too?"