Make vs. Remake: Night of the Demons

Make (1988):

Remake (2009):

[For those who might be new to the Make vs. Remake feature here on Macabre Republic: the final scoring is based on a ten-point-total system.  Think of it as having ten gold pieces to be distributed on the opposing arms of a scale.  Based on which movie version is preferred, the scales will be tipped (either slightly or significantly) in that direction].

The acting in this Halloween-night horrorfest takes a quantum leap forward in the remake.  Sure, none of the members of the cast (led by Shannon Elizabeth) won't ever be found performing Shakespeare in the Park, but they prove much more polished than their counterparts in the first movie.  Cathy Podewell as the heroine Judy in the original was a pretty girl, but her delivery left a lot to be desired (her squeaky voice could make your teeth ache, too).

In the original, the teen characters were utter stereotypes, and their antics could be annoying, but still there's a humorousness to their exploits that's lacking in the remake.  Judy's snarky younger brother in particular rattles off some amusing one-liners; it's too bad he doesn't have a larger role in the film.

While the demon makeup for the Angela character was impressive in the 1988 version, the FX for the remake are unsurprisingly superior (tentacles and viscera abound).  The 2009 version is indeed gorier, though not necessarily scarier.  Perhaps the most frightening aspect of the film is seeing what former-child-star Edward Furlong looks like these days (he's obviously said hasta la vista, baby to his boyish good looks). 

The setting (an abandoned funeral parlor) in the original might be less elaborate, but it creates a creepier, more claustrophobic feel than the sprawling New Orleans mansion employed in the remake.  Likewise, the original gives a stronger sense that the action takes place on the night of October 31st; in the remake, the Angela-hosted bash seems more like a rave than a Halloween party.

Some credit, though, is due the 2009 version for its clever acknowledgment of its predecessor.  The infamous lipstick-tube scene, for instance, reappears with a nasty twist (of the Now-You-Don't-See-It, Now-You-Do variety).  Scream queen Linnea Quigley, who played Suzanne in the first movie, also has a cameo appearance, striking a memorable (if now unwelcome) pose from the original.

The remake no doubt makes greater effort to develop the backstory (the film even opens with an interesting sepia-toned flashback mimicking the look of a silent movie).  Unfortunately, too much of that backstory is conveyed through clunky exposition.  One infodump that strains credulity comes when protagonist Maddie (Monica Keena), like some Egyptologist from an old mummy movie, easily deciphers the spells and symbols scrawled on the walls of one of the rooms and explains to her friends everything they need to know about the evil history of the Broussard mansion.  That's almost as bad as when Maddie suddenly transforms into a female Rambo in the film's climax, gunning down demons in rapid-fire sequence.

To be perfectly honest, neither version of Night of the Demons makes for a great movie (Don't mistake the remake--just released on DVD last week--as this year's Trick 'r Treat).  The original at least has a certain 80's campiness going for it, so ultimately I give it the slight nod over its update:

                          Remake: 4 

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Make: 6



So what's your take?  If you'd like to share your thoughts on either of these movies, you can post a Comment below.