What a strange, spooky, silly diversion John Carpenter's PRINCE OF DARKNESS is, mixing horror, demonic possession and just a little bit of sci-fi into a blend that is less than the sum of its parts.
Carpenter regular Donald Pleasance is a Priest who finds himself caring for a large cylinder that has been hidden by the church for years.
Inside the cylinder is a swirling green mass that looks like jello and fog, but is actually Satan, cast out and captured in an ancient, sturdy elaborate tupperware tube.
A VERY dull cast of characters is brought by college professor Birack (Victor Wong) to the church to investigate. These students include a couple I would nominate for "least chemistry between an on screen 80's couple, Lisa Blount and Jameson Parker.
Real chemistry can sizzle, these too just fizzle like a wet sparkler.They dont get much help from fellow "students" Dirk Blocker and the hyperly over-acting Dennis Dun.
As the cylinder begins to leak, evil surrounds the church in the person of the local homeless people, who become a killing horde that seals our students in the church.
Our Tupperware Beelzebub also has a nasty habit of squirting green liquid into folks mouth when they get too close, possessing them soon after they have swallowed the Devil's juice.
It IS as dumb as it sounds.
It's a shame, because the premise is clever, the first few minutes feature a nice set up that is soon buried in the longest closing credits I can remember and the music score and some of the horror effects are nicely done.
When Alice Cooper provides the best acting in your cast without any dialogue, it's not a good sign.
The transmission from the future, sent as a dream is a very clever idea wickedly unexplored, that could have been a great angle.
Alas, our spinning devil juice just drips and squirts it's way to a C-.
PS, If you hate bugs, you are really going to detest this movie. The rest of us will just be bugged by the lack of effort from Carpenter and crew.
Still, with all its faults, it remains a guilty pleasure to revisit every few years, just to see Alice Cooper, that spinning cylinder and those creepy time leaping warnings from the future.
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