‘Up from the depths of Hell comes the ultimate horror!’
Demonoid is a 1981 horror film about spouses looking for silver in Mexico who find a 300-year-old severed hand driven by a demon.
Produced and directed by Alfredo Zacarías (The Bees; Capulina contra las momias) from a screenplay co-written with David Lee Fein (Cheerleader Camp) and F. Amos Powell (Keep My Grave Open; Curse of the Stone Hand; Tower of London), Samantha Eggar and Stuart Whitman star.
Robert Burns (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre) is credited with “special effects art direction”.
Three hundred years ago, in a mine located in Guanajuato, Mexico. A satanic cult built a temple where they sacrificed humans to the Devil by cutting off the left hand of their victims.
In the present day, a couple, Mark (Roy Cameron Jensen) and Jennifer Baines (Eggar), explore the temple where they find a small casket containing a severed hand, which they take back to their hotel room.
Later that night, Mark opens the casket and is attacked and possessed by the hand. Fleeing to Las Vegas, he wins a fortune by gambling. Hating being possessed, Mark attempts to sever his left hand but is burned to death by his possessed hand. Mark’s body is shipped to Los Angeles for burial.
Jennifer arrives at Father Cunningham’s church, where her husband is to be buried and warns the priest that her husband might still be possessed and requests that an autopsy be performed on the body. As they discuss the matter, Mark’s severely charred corpse reanimates and bursts from his coffin and escapes…
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Blu-ray/DVD Combo | Region Free | 1.85:1 OAR
Restored in 2k from a 35mm camera negative
All extras on both Blu-ray and DVD
Alternate International version: Macabra (90 min)
New video interview with Director Alfredo Zacarias
Multiple theatrical trailers and TV spot
Original artwork gallery
Reversible Macabra artwork
Optional French soundtrack for Macabra
English SDH subtitles for both Demonoid and Macabra
Our review:
Oft remembered but best quickly forgotten entry to the surprisingly well-populated sub-genre of ‘mad hands’ movies (see also the likes of The Beast With Five Fingers, The Hands of Orlac, The Hand, to name but three).
Sadly, this is probably the runt of the litter with unremarkable acting (though it’s admittedly difficult to deliver the line “Cut off my hand and you die!” with Shakespearean authority), so-so effects and an ending that makes you wonder why you bothered, it is at least a fun reminder of the standard of probably one in three of your video rentals made on the basis of the front cover and ‘inventive’ plot info on the back.
Daz Lawrence, MOVIES & MANIA
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Trailer:
Free to watch on YouTube:
Cast and characters:
Samantha Eggar … Jennifer Baines – Curtains; The Brood; A Name for Evil; The Dead Are Alive; Doctor Crippen
Stuart Whitman … Father Cunningham – Deadly Intruder; Tales from the Darkside; The Monster Club; Guyana: Cult of the Damned; Ruby; Eaten Alive; The Cat Creature; Night Gallery; Tender Flesh; Night of the Lepus
Roy Cameron Jenson … Mark Baines – Soylent Green
Narciso Busquets … Dr Julian Rivkin
Erika Carlsson … Nurse Morgan – The Devil’s Rain
Lew Saunders … Sgt. Leo Matson
José Chávez Trowe … Pepe
Ted White … Frankie – The Hidden
Haji [as Hajo Catton] … Angela
George Soviak … Sgt. Needham
Whitey Hughes … Gambler
Al Jones … Patrolman Yates
Alternate titles:
Demonoid: Messenger of Death
Macabra
Macabra: La Mano del Diablo
Filming locations:
Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California
Churubusco Studios, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Guanajuato, Mexico
Oxnard, California
Sands Hotel – 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada
