Demonia

Demonia

Year: 1990

Runtime: 85 mins

Language: Italian

HorrorHorror

Professor Malcolm Evans heads an archaeological dig in Sicily’s Valley of Temples with his former student Liza Harris. Liza feels an uncanny connection to the valley; recurring nightmares link her to nearby ruins, especially a 16th‑century convent plagued by a crucifixion legend. When locals guard their ancestors’ secrets, Liza’s obsession pulls her deeper into the forbidden site, threatening her sanity.

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Timeline & Setting – Demonia (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Demonia (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1486, 1990

Set across two eras, the film opens in 1486 Sicily with the brutal crucifixion of five nuns and the monastery's dark history. Decades later, in 1990 Toronto, Liza experiences a vision during a seance, setting the stage for a modern expedition to the Sicilian ruins. The narrative alternates between an ancient past and a contemporary investigation that uncovers the same malevolent presence.

Location

Sicily, Santa Rosalia, Toronto

Locations span Sicily and the coastal town of Santa Rosalia, where a convent and its ominous monastery ruin loom over the dig. The area is steeped in medieval lore about witchcraft, nuns, and secret chambers beneath old walls. A contemporary frame unfolds in Toronto, where a seance triggers visions that draw the archaeologists back to Sicily.

🗺️ Historic regions 🌊 Coastal town 🏛️ Ancient ruins

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:29

Main Characters – Demonia (1990)

Meet the key characters of Demonia (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Liza Harris (Meg Register)

An impulsive yet brilliant archaeologist who leads the survey with Professor Evans. Drawn to morbid rumors, she pushes past warnings and enters the monastery crypt, triggering a chain of hauntings. Her Toronto seance vision anchors the modern investigation and she becomes increasingly entwined with the spirits of the nuns.

🧭 Archaeologist 👻 Paranormal 🔎 Researcher

Professor Paul Evans (Brett Halsey)

A respected archaeologist and Liza's former professor who anchors the expedition with skepticism and caution. He tries to keep the team focused and urges Liza to forget what she found, while gradually confronting the supernatural threat. He becomes entangled in the danger when the past resurfaces during the dig.

🧭 Academic 🛡️ Protector 🔬 Scientist

Porter (Al Cliver)

A local crewman who warns the outsiders to stay away from the ruins and whose practical knowledge clashes with the growing obsession. He meets a violent end when a spectral nun targets him on his boat, underscoring the danger of provoking the past.

⚓ Seafaring 💀 Victim

Turi DeSimone (Lino Salemme)

A volatile local butcher suspected by the archaeologists of violence. He is killed in the freezer of his meat shop as the investigation intensifies, heightening paranoia and triggering a crackdown by the community.

🔪 Villain 🧊 Death

Sean (Grady Clarkson)

An archaeology team member who is lured by eerie voices into the ruins and killed when he falls through a weak floor into a pit of spikes. His death marks one of the first brutal patterns that the investigators seek to understand.

🧑‍🔬 Scientist 💀 Victim

Kevin (Pascal Druant)

Another member of the team who shares Sean's fate after the ruins lure him into danger. He becomes a victim of the constructed hazards within the monastery’s hidden passages.

🧑‍🔬 Scientist 💀 Victim

Inspector Carter (Lucio Fulci)

An Interpol inspector who arrives to investigate the rising deaths and the bizarre events surrounding the ruins. He acts as an external authority and helps guide the investigation while confronted with the inexplicable phenomena.

🕵️ Investigator ⚖️ Authority

Lilla (Carla Cassola)

A local mystic who speaks about the convent's dark history and the legends surrounding the nuns. Her warnings and lore provide crucial context for the archaeologists’ understanding of the past.

🧿 Local Lorekeeper 🕯️ Witchcraft

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:29

Major Themes – Demonia (1990)

Explore the central themes of Demonia (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👻 Supernatural

The film centers on visions, possessions, and spectral appearances that blur the line between life and death. The monastery becomes a dangerous focal point where the past returns to torment the present. Liza's awakening links the modern dig to the nuns' vengeful spirits, driving the killings and the race to uncover the truth.

🔮 Witchcraft

The ruins hold a history of witchcraft-like rites, secret chambers, and blood rituals attributed to the nuns. Descriptions of orgies, blood drinking, and the burning of unwanted children suggest a dark, ritualized past. The mythos surrounding the convent fuels fear and fuels the investigators' pursuit of evidence.

🕯️ Mystery

An investigative thread follows Evans and Carter as they decipher clues about a hidden chamber and deadly booby traps. The fragile balance between rational inquiry and occult fear drives the suspense. The climax reveals how the past's secrets erupt into a present-day inferno, ending with Liza's fate and the destruction of the ruins.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:29

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Archaeological Horror Movies like Demonia

Stories where digging into the past awakens a malevolent, ancient force.Explore movies like Demonia where an archaeological dig unearths a curse. If you enjoyed the theme of historical discovery leading to supernatural horror, this list features similar stories of ancient evils, forgotten ruins, and the dire consequences of disturbing the past.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically follow a linear structure: an expert or team investigates a historical site or artifact, inadvertently breaking a seal or taboo. This act unleashes a supernatural force—a curse, demon, or vengeful spirit—that then systematically targets the characters. The story is a straightforward cause-and-effect chain, moving from investigation to terror to a desperate, often costly, confrontation.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared premise of history-based horror. They share a serious tone, a steady pacing that builds tension through discovery, and a focus on the terrifying consequences of unearthing things humanity was meant to forget. The mood is consistently atmospheric and dread-filled.

Movies with Oppressive Dread like Demonia

Films that build a suffocating atmosphere of inescapable supernatural menace.Find movies like Demonia that master a mood of oppressive supernatural dread. If you liked the heavy, atmospheric tension and the feeling of inescapable evil, this list features horror films with a similar grim tone, steady pacing, and focus on building a pervasive sense of horror.

oppressivedreadatmosphericunsettlingeerieclaustrophobicgrimsupernatural

Narrative Summary

The narrative journey in these films is often a descent into madness or damnation. A character, sometimes due to a personal connection or obsession, is drawn into a supernatural conflict they cannot win. The plot unfolds with a steady, inevitable rhythm, focusing on the psychological unraveling of the protagonist as the oppressive forces close in, typically leading to a bleak conclusion.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by their shared emphasis on mood and atmosphere over complex plotting. They feature a dark tone, high emotional weight, and a steady pacing that allows dread to accumulate. The experience is defined by feelings of unease, claustrophobia, and a grim anticipation of a horrible outcome.

Unlock the Full Story of Demonia

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Demonia Summary

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Demonia Summary

Demonia Timeline

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Demonia Timeline

Demonia Spoiler-Free Summary

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Demonia Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Demonia

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