Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight

Now, technically, Demon Knight takes place in New Mexico over the course of one dark and stormy night, but there’s still this air about it It tells the story of a battle between ancient forces of good and evil converging to fight on the unlikeliest stage imaginable, surrounded by dirt poor locals just barely getting by in their little nowhere town. It feels like trashy southern gothic pulp even though it’s more southwestern, is the point. But also, it absolutely rules, with some wild bespoke biblical mythology, truly gnarly monster designs. Special focus on Jada Pinkett as one of the best take-no-shit final girls in horror history, but especially Billy Zane putting in an all-timer performance as The Collector. It’s also directed by Ernest Dickerson, who was the cinematographer behind everything Spike Lee did up through Malcolm X. We weren’t getting a lot of horror helmed by black folks in the ‘90s, so this is a major stand out in that regard too.

Oh, and you don’t get to hear much of it in the film, but the soundtrack rips. Pantera? Ministry? Machine Head? Sepultura? After the Cryptkeeper intro, the proper movie starts with Filter’s Hey Man Nice Shot. They so don’t make ‘em like that anymore.