DVD Tales From The Crypt Presents - Demon Knight
Ernest Dickerson, one-time cinematographer for Spike Lee and director of Demon Knight, said during the initial release of this film that he chose the project because he was a lifelong fan of the horror genre. Other horror fans should be thankful, because without Dickerson's enthusiasm and visual sense, this derivative gorefest wouldn't come close to the entertainment level that it ultimately achieves. The film was the first big- screen adaptation of HBO's Tales from the Crypt series, a show based on the EC comic books of the '50s. Like Creepshow before it, Demon Knight blends fair amounts of blood, sex, and knowing comedy with a paper-thin plot that doesn't leave a bit of room for subtext. Dickerson understands this, so instead he pumps the flick full of eye-popping visuals and gorgeous camerawork, and populates it with terrific character actors (especially Billy Zane, who really has fun, and William Sadler) who don't seem to care that their characters have little identity. Everyone seems to be giving this tiny project everything they've got, while never taking it seriously for a minute. We've seen the story before: A diverse bunch (a hooker, the town drunk, the ex-con, etc.) is locked in a rundown hotel and is forced to battle the Legions of Evil massed outside and determined to get in. Regardless, Dickerson, shooting with as little light as possible, manages to create some tense moments. There's a lot wrong with Demon Knight's shallow premise, and you could make a checklist of the movies it gleefully steals from (Night of the Living Dead and The Evil Dead are two of many), but thrill-seekers who prefer laughs with their grisly special effects and gratuitous nudity should have a mindless blast watching it. --Dave McCoy |
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Review(s): DVD Tales From The Crypt Presents - Demon Knight | |
| Billy Zane Rocks! |  |
Funny, scary, and entertaining, "Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight" is the first of a series of films that are derived from the popular HBO series. Unlike the "Creep show" and "Tales From the Darkside" films of the past, "Tales From the Crypt" focuses on one tale of horror and suspense each time, allowing the story to develop into a more entertaining experience.Directed by Ernest Dickerson ("Juice") "Demon Knight" features the immense talents of William Sadler, Jada Pinkett Smith, and the ever versatile, amazing Billy Zane in a horror movie laced with plenty of comedic moments. The story revolves around a key that Sadler is carrying in order to pass on to the next guardian. There are a total of 7 keys, representing a galaxy each. According to Sadler's story, the key contains the blood of Jesus Christ. While dying on the cross at Golgotha, a follower of Christ pour his blood into the key to prevent the conquest of earth and the rest of the universe by Satan and his legion of demons. Until all keys are together can this happen, and with 6 of the keys in the hand of demons, the fate of the universe lies on Pinkett Smith's character, who is the chosen one to carry the key after Sadler. I must praise Billy Zane. He is amazing. He plays the perfect villain, and in this role he is dynamite. His performance is more comedic, and he would make similar villains of the past such as Freddy Krueger very proud. I can understand why Hollywood has typecasted him as a villain in almost all of his films after seeing this film. Zane's intense sex appeal will captivate many viewers, and his range of emotions is incredible. Pinkett Smith who was coming into films fresh from the cancellation of the long-running NBC series "A Different World," is great. As the heroine of the movie she really can kick butt, and her on-screen chemistry with Zane is perfect. In conclusion, this a great film to view if you are in the mood for horror mixed in with a bit of dark humor. The film can be strong at times with the sight of gore and violence, but if it weren't for Billy Zane's performance, I wouldn't have cared to watch this film at all. He is one of the film world's most gifted actors and this film was a showcase of his talent before he became a bigger name when he starred in "James Cameron's Titanic." "Demon Knight" is an excellent example of how to create an entertaining horror film. Skip "Blair Witch" and try this film instead.
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| Zane steals the show. | |
I was a big fan of the Tales from the Crypt TV show. Thus, I am a big fan of this movie. It feels a lot like one of the Creepshow movies but has enough gore, humor and OTT carnage to make it stand on it's own as well as being a big screen spin-off. Brayker (William Sadler) is a drifter who stumbles upon a lonely desert town after an explosive confrontation with The Collector (Billy Zane), a supremely evil being with Satanical powers who is desperate to get his hands on Brayker's mysterious talisman. Brayker spends the night in a shabby motel but The Collector soon turns up and unleashes hell upon the motel and it's inhabitants. This is where the fun really kicks in. The Collector has fun enticing the residents (made up of Dick Miller, Charles Fleisher, Thomas Haden Church, Brenda Bakke, Jada Pinkett-Smith and CCH Pounder) to join him on his dark quest and steal the talisman from Brayker. Director Ernest Dickerson (who also did Surviving the Game) does not hold back on the gore as he spoofs 1950's B-movies, honor's the TV show and pays brilliant homage to the Tales From The Crypt comic book legacy. It may seem like a cheap, horror comedy with no artistic integrity but Dickerson successfully pulls of a movie that will satisfy and entertain anyone who watches it. Of course half of the movie's appeal lies with Billy Zane who acts out the role of The Collector with such wicked charm and delightful evil. You can tell he's having a great time and he makes a formidable villain for Sadler's dishevelled hero. They should make more Tales From The Crypt movies, but producer's Robert Zemeckis, Gilbert Adler and Joel Silver (Walter Hill and David Giler ducked out) went on to found Dark Castle, the production company behind House on Haunted Hill, Thir13en Ghosts and Ghost Ship. This new DVD by Universal is better than the old one from Image. This time be get the film in it's proper aspect ratio of 1.85:1 anamorphic with a Dolby 5.1 soundtrack. The old snapper case is gone and in it's place is a sturdy keep case. Demon Knight is definitely one to get.
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| Demon Knight!!! | |
Wow! What a good Movie! This is byfar the best Demon Possesion movie since the Evil Dead. The demons look a lot like pumkinhead, but with long rock band hair. William Saddler and Jada Pinkett lead the fight against the sly and funny collector (Billy Zane). The fun begins right away with a cool beginning action sequence. As The film goes on, introducing the charcters, the demons arrive and the war begins. I'd say the best parts of the movie is where you see the demons takeover people. It's really gross! They mutate and deform in different ways! But, if you like funny, actiony horror films that are explosive, This is It!!!
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