Editorials
[It Came From the ’80s] A Theater Full of Hungry ‘Demons’
With horror industry heavy hitters already in place from the 1970s, the 1980s built upon that with the rise of brilliant minds in makeup and effects artists, as well as advances in technology. Artists like Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Tom Savini, Stan Winston, and countless other artists that delivered groundbreaking, mind-blowing practical effects that ushered in the pre-CGI Golden Age of Cinema. Which meant a glorious glut of creatures in horror. More than just a technical marvel, the creatures on display in ‘80s horror meant tangible texture that still holds up decades later. Grotesque slimy skin to brutal transformation sequences, there wasn’t anything the artists couldn’t create. It Came From the ‘80s is a series that will pay homage to the monstrous, deadly, and often slimy creatures that made the ‘80s such a fantastic decade in horror.
“The will make cemeteries their cathedrals and the cities will be your tombs.”
Lamberto Bava’s Demons is a magical display of Italian horror at its finest. Produced and co-written by Dario Argento during his heavy metal craze, even featuring Goblin mainstay Claudio Simonetti on the score, this is an epic monster movie that bops to the beat of its pulse-pounding, fist-pumping soundtrack with a colorful aesthetic Bava likely picked up from his father, horror master Mario Bava. That the cast is largely comprised of teens aged from 15-20 only furthers the film’s high energy. But the thing that ties it all together is, of course, the demons.
Shot in a closed down movie theater, the somewhat Inception-like plot sees a group of strangers invited to a mysterious screening at a newly renovated theater, only to find themselves locked in with predatory demons. It’s a fun wink to the audience, in that the mysterious screening is of a horror movie that delivers all the exposition on the demon curse. Namely in that the shiny silver mask in the lobby holds the key to unleashing the ravenous demons.
Poor Rosemary (Geretta Geretta) connects the dots too late, having put it on before the screening started. She falls ill, the scratch on her face from the mask pulses before bursting into an obscene amount of green puss. Her mouth gushes blood as her new fanged teeth force out her own, her nails follow suit, black veins and red eyes take over, and she’s off to devour the unassuming audience. Those that survive the attack then turn themselves, causing an outbreak among the panicked theater attendees. Basically, it becomes full-fledged carnage that spreads fast.
Gruesome transformations, green pus and vomit, and violent gory deaths thanks to special effects and make-up artist Sergio Stivaletti, one of Europe’s make-up and special effects masters. He collaborated with most of Italy’s most important horror directors, working on films like Phenomena, Cemetery Man, The Church, Opera, and more. Demons was among his first, though.
Stivaletti and his team had a huge lion’s share of work with the creation of the demons. The mechanical work from the pulsing flesh, casting various teeth molds for various stages of transformation, demon puppets, and a ton of gore effects meant a lot to juggle during production. Throw in motorcycle stunts, a massive helicopter crash, and impaling by rebar, and Stivaletti and his team deserve just as much credit for Demons as director Bava and producer Argento.
Which is probably why they reunited for the sequel, Demons 2, where they took the concept to a whole new wacky level. It’s also why Stivaletti sparked rumors of reuniting once again with Bava and Argento for Demons 3D, a potential modern reboot. Though studios tried to capitalize on the success of Demons and Demons 2 numerous times by renaming horror films to appear as sequels in the franchise, Bava’s are the only official Demoni films.
Between the heavy metal, punk rock soundtrack, the sense of fun, and the bloodbath of the demons’ feeding frenzy, Stivaletti, Bava, and Argento delivered an all-timer. It’s quintessential ‘80s horror, and I’d love for them to bring the gang back together for one more film. If they could invoke the killer tag-lines from the ‘80s too, that’d be great.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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