Demonoid (1981) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie spans multiple locations: a centuries-old mine in Guanajuato, Mexico, where a satanic cult once performed rituals, and modern-day settings in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and a harbor. The story begins in the Mexican mine before spreading to American cities.

• guanajuato mine
• las vegas
• los angeles
• mexico
• setting

The narrative moves between two time periods: approximately 300 years ago when the satanic cult performed its rituals in the mine, and present day where the severed hand's curse is unleashed. Modern-day scenes unfold primarily in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

• present day
• 300 years ago
• time period
• historical

The film's central horror revolves around a severed hand that carries a malevolent demonic force. This hand can seize control of people's left hands, compelling them to commit violent and evil acts. The possession spreads from host to host, creating a chain of terror.

• possession
• demon hand
• supernatural
• curse

Father Cunningham serves as the spiritual counterweight to the demonic force. He represents the struggle between sacred ritual and malignant power, assisting Jennifer and attempting to halt the spread of evil through confrontation and religious intervention.

• father cunningham
• faith
• priest
• religion

The film emphasizes visceral body horror through graphic transformations as the severed hand becomes a vessel for possession and violence. Characters face attacks, mutilation, and death, with the imagery highlighting the persistence and reach of the evil force.

• body horror
• mutilation
• possession
• gore

Mark Baines' wealth accumulated through gambling after becoming possessed illustrates how greed amplifies danger. The lure of fortune fuels reckless decisions and accelerates the demon's spread, as the hand exploits money-driven risk to deepen its hold on victims.

• greed
• money
• gambling
• mark baines

Jennifer Baines is the wife of Mark Baines who becomes entangled in the possession scare after discovering the severed hand. She seeks help from Father Cunningham and fights to protect herself through the film's climax, ultimately facing the possessed threat in the final confrontation.

• jennifer baines
• samantha eggar
• protagonist

Father Cunningham is a priest who confronts the demonic hand throughout the film. He assists Jennifer, attempts to stop the possession spread, and is briefly possessed himself but ultimately resists. He plays a key role in attempting to destroy the threat through controlled self-sacrifice.

• father cunningham
• stuart whitman
• priest
• antagonist

Mark Baines is the husband who becomes possessed after removing the severed hand from the temple in the Mexican mine. After possession, he wins a fortune gambling in Las Vegas but ultimately dies when the possessed hand burns him. His body later becomes a vessel for the demon to spread its influence.

• mark baines
• roy jenson
• possession
• las vegas

The Guanajuato mine served as the site of a satanic cult approximately 300 years ago, where they built a temple for sacrifices. The cursed severed hand was kept in a small casket within this temple until the couple's arrival triggers the release of the demonic force.

• guanajuato
• satanic cult
• mine
• temple
• history

The film maintains a consistently dark tone rooted in satanic mythology and hopeless struggles against an unstoppable supernatural force. The atmosphere features constant, visceral threat with rapid succession of violent deaths and possessions, creating an intense horror experience.

• tone
• dark
• mood
• atmosphere
• horror

The demonic hand spreads possession through direct contact, transferring from one host to the next in a domino effect. It moves from Mark Baines to authorities and medical staff, creating a trail of fear and chaos that spans from the Mexican mine to Las Vegas to Los Angeles.

• possession spread
• chain
• transmission
• demon