Night of the Demons (film series)

Lore & Background

The franchise began with Night of the Demons (1988), written and produced by Joe Augustyn and directed by Kevin S. Tenney. The film follows teenagers attending a party at an abandoned funeral home hosted by school outcast Angela (Amelia Kinkade) and her best friend (Linnea Quigley). It was released regionally, debuting in Detroit, Michigan, on September 9, 1988, by Paragon Arts International.

Night of the Demons 2 (1994) picks up six years later, focusing on Angela's younger sister Melissa and her classmates visiting Hull House on Halloween. Unlike the first film, demonic activity extends beyond the funeral parlor to the school campus. It received a limited theatrical release in California by Republic Pictures from May 17, 1994. Night of the Demons 3 (1997), also known as Demon House, was written by Kevin S. Tenney and features teens hiding at Hull House after a shootout with police. It was also given a limited California release by Republic Pictures from October 7, 1997.

A remake, Night of the Demons (2009), loosely based on the original, was directed by Adam Gierasch and produced by Kevin S. Tenney. It follows adults in a haunted New Orleans mansion and premiered at the London FrightFest in August 2009, later released straight-to-DVD/Blu-ray on October 19, 2010. A planned sequel, Night of the Demons: After-Party, was announced in June 2013 with Anthony Hickox to direct, but a Kickstarter campaign failed, leaving the project in development hell.

Reader's Guide

The Night of the Demons franchise holds significance as a cult horror series that maintained a consistent central character, Angela Franklin, across all four films. The original 1988 film, written and produced by Joe Augustyn and directed by Kevin S. Tenney, established a regional release strategy that contributed to its underground popularity. The sequels expanded the mythology, with Tenney returning to write the third film and co-produce the 2009 remake. The franchise's legacy includes its blend of comedy and horror, the iconic performance by Amelia Kinkade as Angela, and the involvement of scream queen Linnea Quigley. The 2009 remake attempted to modernize the concept but shifted to a straight-to-video release. The failed Kickstarter for After-Party highlights the challenges of reviving the series. Overall, the franchise remains a notable example of late-20th-century American horror-comedy, with its first film often cited as a fan favorite.

Did You Know?

• The original Night of the Demons was released regionally, debuting in Detroit, Michigan, on September 9, 1988.
• The character Angela Franklin is the only constant in all four films of the franchise.
• Night of the Demons 3 is also known as Demon House.
• A planned sequel titled Night of the Demons: After-Party failed to secure funding via Kickstarter in 2013.