Year: 1986
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Director: Lamberto Bava
A group of people attending a film premiere find themselves trapped within the cinema as a series of terrifying events unfold. As their deepest fears manifest, they are forced to confront a supernatural force that preys on their vulnerabilities. The film explores the fragility of the human psyche and the power of inner demons in a descent into madness and terror.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Demons (1986), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
As the inhabitants of a high-rise apartment complex gather around their televisions to enjoy a movie, they remain blissfully unaware that the story unfolding on-screen will soon morph into a nightmarish reality. The film narrates the harrowing journey of a group of teenagers who dare to step into a city plagued by a demonic outbreak. In a shocking turn of events, one of the teens inadvertently resurrects the demon when a drop of blood from a scratch lands on its mouth.
Simultaneously, Sally, played by Fabiola Toledo, is celebrating her birthday with friends at a lively party. However, her festive mood quickly deteriorates when her friend receives an unexpected call from Jacob, leading Sally to erupt in anger and demand that everyone leave her home. Retreating to her room, she finds herself unable to look away from the film, only to be terrified when the demon on-screen suddenly locks its gaze onto her.
Without warning, the television shatters, allowing the demon to break free and unleash havoc on the unsuspecting party guests. Possessed by the demon’s spirit, Sally descends into a frenzy of bloodthirsty violence, transforming all but two of her friends into monstrous beings. As chaos envelops the building, the bile of the creatures seeps through the ceilings, igniting electrical fires and short-circuiting systems.
In one unit, a dog becomes infected after it licks the toxic substance, turning into a savage beast that mercilessly attacks its owner. Meanwhile, a young boy left alone by his parents struggles to evade Sally’s demonic friends but ultimately succumbs to poisoning, morphing into a monstrous version of himself.
Hannah, portrayed by Nicoletta Elmi, a pregnant woman anxiously awaiting her husband, is besieged by the demon boy. After a fierce confrontation, she kills him, only to have a smaller, winged demon burst forth from his lifeless body to continue its rampage. Hannah’s husband, George, portrayed by Urbano Barberini, is trapped in an elevator with another woman. As they manage to escape through a service hatch, a security guard who had transformed into a demon after being clawed by Sally bursts in, infecting the woman and sending her after George.
As George climbs the suspension cables above the elevator, he faces off against the demon using his umbrella to fend off its attacks. With skillful precision, he defeats the flying demon just as Hannah arrives at their apartment, prepared to confront whatever horrors lurk within.
As the turmoil escalates below, a diverse group of bodybuilders, led by the imposing Hank (played by Stelio Candelli), has taken refuge in the underground garage alongside other tenants. Their makeshift stronghold, reinforced by sturdy doors, proves inadequate against the relentless demons eager to break in. Armed with shotguns and improvised weapons such as Molotov cocktails, the uninfected fight valiantly to repel the demonic onslaught, yet many ultimately fall victim to the invasion, either transformed or slaughtered in a shocking display of supernatural carnage.
With the tide turning against them, George masterminds a desperate plan, using the building’s gas system to create an explosive blast that annihilates most of the infected horde—except for Sally, who miraculously survives the chaos. With the immediate threat thwarted, Hannah and George venture into Sally’s devastated apartment, where they discover two terrified partygoers hiding away. The unexpected alliance heads to the rooftop, only to find a demented Sally waiting for them. Her malevolent influence takes hold of the two hidden partygoers, but George swiftly intervenes to deal with the newly turned demons.
As they navigate the treacherous rooftop, Hannah and George leap onto the neighboring building’s roof, engaging in a fierce battle against their former ally, now a terrifying enemy. This brutal confrontation badly injures Sally, impairing her vision due to George’s relentless attacks. Amid this turmoil, Hannah experiences a profound transformation in a nearby television studio, where she gives birth to their child amidst the surreal ruins of their once-normal lives.
As they prepare to leave with their newborn, an unsettling sight meets their eyes: Sally’s sinister image appears on multiple television screens, ominously moving closer to confront the viewers. It becomes clear that this spectral entity, born from Sally’s anguish, now seeks vengeance through the very medium that led to her downfall—television. With righteous anger, George smashes the screens, rendering the ghostly entity powerless. With their child safely in their arms, the couple steps out into a world forever marked by the supernatural horrors they’ve withstood, ready to confront whatever obstacles await them.
Last Updated: November 19, 2024 at 20:13
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