The Demons (1973 film)

Lore & Background

The Demons was created by Madrid-based Fénix Films and Marte Films, the Parisian Comptoir Français du Film Production, and the Lisbon-based Interfilme Produções Cinematográficas. While Robert Firsching of AllMovie suggested the film was in response to Ken Russell's The Devils (1971), Stephen Thrower, author of Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco (2015), said it was more of a 're-tooling' of Franco's earlier film The Bloody Judge (1970). Thrower said the film was likely shot in early May 1972, following the completion of Franco's The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein as both films share numerous shooting locations.

Reader's Guide

The Demons is a notable entry in Jesús Franco's filmography, reflecting his prolific output in the early 1970s. The film's production involved companies from three countries, with shooting primarily in Portugal. Its release was limited to France on January 18, 1973, with no theatrical distribution in Spain or Portugal. The film later gained home video releases, including a DVD by Redemption in 2008 and a Blu-ray by Kino Lorber in 2014, the latter being the longest available variant at 113 minutes. Retrospective reviews have noted the performances of Luis Barboo and Doris Thomas, while critiquing Raúl Artigot's cinematography for its frequent zooms. Stephen Thrower recommended the film for fans of Euro-horror, describing it as fast-paced and eventful, with well-utilized Portuguese settings.

Did You Know?

• Director Jesús Franco did not choose the music; sound editor Gérard Kikoïne made the selections.
• The film was shot in Santa Bàrbara Castle in Alicante and the Castle of Guimarães in Cascais, Portugal.
• The 2014 Kino Lorber Blu-ray release runs 113 minutes, the longest available variant.