My History With the Film:
Like most kids of the 90’s, I loved Tales from the Crypt. It was scary, funny, and featured the occasional nudity. The Cryptkeeper was even marketed towards us 90’s kids in the form of a cartoon and a gameshow that he hosted.
I remember a big marketing push for Demon Knight, but I didn’t see this film till probably closer to the late 90’s. I actually think I watched Bordello of Blood first and then Demon Knight.
I’ve seen Demon Knight twice since that initial viewing and this will probably be my last.
What the Film Is About (Non-Spoiler):
A man is hunted by a demon called The Collector.
What I Liked About It:
-The cast is fantastic in this film with both leads Billy Zane (The Collector) and William Sadler (Brayker) really standing out. Billy Zane channels some Michael Keaton magic and comes across like a demented Beetlejuice and it works well.
-I love how they tied the artifact all the way back to Christ and the use of flashbacks was fantastic.
-The characters (like most Tales from the Crypt episodes) are memorable, over-the-top, and quirky. Once the film places you in the former church turned hotel, you meet all these wonderful characters who stand out. I think this is what I love the most about Tales from the Crypt. Even if the performances are a little insane, it’s always a lot of fun.
What I Didn’t Like About It:
-The story probably would have played better as an episode of Tales from the Crypt. It runs a little long and I feel like they tried to drag out a one hour story into a full length movie. This is incorrect however, because the script from Demon Knight was always a full length feature. I just felt like it dragged some.
Additional Notes:
-Was released on January 13th, which was Friday the 13th. The idea was to release Tales from the Crypt movies on big horror weekends such as Friday the 13th or Halloween.
-The Cryptkeeper announces the next Tales from the Crypt movie as being Dead Easy, however this film was skipped over and Bordello of Blood was released instead.
-The film was shot in an abandoned airport hangar in Van Nuys, California. The entire set was built inside this hangar allowing the filmmakers to film during the daytime for a movie that takes place over one night.
-William Sadler (Brayker) also starred in the pilot episode of Tales from the Crypt.
Rating:
I like Demon Knight and it definitely has a place in 90’s horror, but the movie just doesn’t appeal to me as much as Bordello of Blood. If I had to choice to watch Demon Knight or a random episode of Tales from the Crypt, I’d pick the episode every time.
I rate Demon Knight a two out of five and say its a rental for Tales from the Crypt fans and a skip for those who aren’t.