We continue The 31 Days of Frights with Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight from 1995. Ex-soldier Frank Brayker (William Sadler) is the guardian of an ancient key that can unlock tremendous evil; the sinister but charming Collector (Billy Zane) is a demon who wants the key so he can initiate the apocalypse. On the run from wicked mercenaries for almost 90 years, Brayker finally stops in at a boarding house in New Mexico, where — with the help of its quirky residents — he plans to face off against the Collector and his band of ghouls, preventing them from ever seizing the key.
The Story
Tales from the Crypt was a show that premiered in 1989 and ran for 7 seasons. It was an anthology show based on the comic series of the same name. It usually had horrific or campy stories, usually with dark endings. Demon Knight was a screenplay that was sitting on the shelf for a while. It fit the show’s theme, though, and they decided to put their brand on it. The movie is even introduced by the show’s infamous Crypt Keeper himself. It’s a good thing they did because even though the movie isn’t as famous as it should be, it’s pretty dam fun.
Demon Knight is one of the best horror movies of the 90s due to its fun makeup effects, great cast of characters, and a great sense of humor that adds to the horror. The design of the demons is unique, being born from the blood of our main demon. They have wet, moldy skin, green eyes, and weird, shaggy hair. William Sadler plays our hero. He plays it pretty stoically, which is needed to balance the other diverse characters. He comes across a boarding house, and the movie becomes a slasher once the demons arrive. The cast has to band together to defeat the demons while not giving in to their temptations.
The lore in this movie is intriguing. Our main character carries around a cross/key that is the only thing that can keep the demons away. Pour a little over a door or window, and if the demons try to cross, they blow up. It’s insanely entertaining. The setting of a boarding house is fun because it allows us to see all the different personalities that stay there. We have an old drunk, a long-haired kid, a sex worker, a man who’s in love with the sex worker, a bumbling cop, and several more.
The Characters that Stand Out
There are so many great actors in this, such as Dick Miller, William Sadler, CCH Pounder, Thomas Haden Church, John Kassir, and Gary Farmer. There are two that stand out here for sure, though: Jada Pinkett Smith and Billy Zane. Jada plays Jeryline. She is a cleaner at the boarding house, and it is implied that she has had a rough life. She is the final girl of this movie as she slowly changes from a scared woman to a fighter. I always say that this and Set It Off are the best movies of her career.
The second performance that stands out here is from Billy Zane. He plays The Collector, an ancient demon whose one mission is to obtain the sacred key. His performance is confident, humorous, yet terrifying. He goes over the top in the best physical way, and when he is on screen, you cannot take your eyes off him. He is just too charismatic. Definitely check out Demon Knight if you haven’t.
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight is now streaming on Peacock.
Come back tomorrow for some more spooky reviews.
