With "Demonia", Fulci offers us again a supernatural horror movie. This time, Fulci's vision is not as apocalyptic as in "The Gates of Hell" or "The Beyond". Instead, Fulci presents a more straightforward horror story about the return of some satanic nuns.
The opening is typical Fulci style. It depicts the crucifixion of the satanic nuns in graphic details. What follows is a very uneven film, lacking the pace of Fulci's previous horror movies. In an interview, Fulci stated that he wanted to create a "dreamlike atmosphere". He succeeds when he shows us how Liza gets into contact with the satanic nuns. But, on the other hand, the movie is filled with minutes and minutes of completely boring dialogue and other uninteresting scenes, like people dancing around a campfire, just to stretch the movie to the required 80 plus minutes. Finally, the ending is abrupt and completely disappointing.
Nevertheless, the movie is still enjoyable, at least for Fulci fans. It is occasionally atmospheric and still has the "Fulci touch". Fulci recalls many of his motives from previous work. The movie also contains some reasonably well executed gore scenes, such as a feline attack, a tongue impalement, and a body torn apart.
Finally, it is fun to watch Fulci play the part of a police inspector (for budgetary reasons, as Helsey explains in an interview). However, as good as he was as a director as bad he was as an actor. Like in "Nightmare Concert", he just wanders around, appearing totally unaffected by what is going on.
The opening is typical Fulci style. It depicts the crucifixion of the satanic nuns in graphic details. What follows is a very uneven film, lacking the pace of Fulci's previous horror movies. In an interview, Fulci stated that he wanted to create a "dreamlike atmosphere". He succeeds when he shows us how Liza gets into contact with the satanic nuns. But, on the other hand, the movie is filled with minutes and minutes of completely boring dialogue and other uninteresting scenes, like people dancing around a campfire, just to stretch the movie to the required 80 plus minutes. Finally, the ending is abrupt and completely disappointing.
Nevertheless, the movie is still enjoyable, at least for Fulci fans. It is occasionally atmospheric and still has the "Fulci touch". Fulci recalls many of his motives from previous work. The movie also contains some reasonably well executed gore scenes, such as a feline attack, a tongue impalement, and a body torn apart.
Finally, it is fun to watch Fulci play the part of a police inspector (for budgetary reasons, as Helsey explains in an interview). However, as good as he was as a director as bad he was as an actor. Like in "Nightmare Concert", he just wanders around, appearing totally unaffected by what is going on.