I know I always say I must own every horror movie of the 80s. I’ve made an exception. Although, what I do love about this 55-minute shot-to-home-video flick from 1986 is that it reminds me of the days when I’d strap our 2-ton detachable VCR to my shoulder with the clunky movie camera with the tangling cord attached to it and walk around the house filming everybody and everything.
More than just a celebration of home movies and proof that the best part of many movies back then was the VHS artwork, Demon Queen is a reminder of everything 80s. The demon queen herself reminds us how boyish faux punk/new wave hairstyles could make a chick look. We also get awesome home video footage of an 80s mall, 80s guidos, 80s boobs, and 80s fake blood as the demon queen goes from one man to the other, fiddling with their nipples to relax them so she can punch through their chests and pull out their hearts. Fisting sure is different in the straight world.
There’s also one 80s druggy skank who has a quick moment of lesbian panic as the demon queen approaches her in the shower, and the demon queen bites a dude who then starts to walk around like a hungry zombie. In fact, the zombie gore face is the coolest special effect in the whole movie. It’s gruesome good!
But my favorite part of Demon Queen has to be the pointless scenes of a big bear running a video store and talking endlessly about horror films and name dropping as we get glimpses of VHS horror flick boxes on a video store shelf. All I could think was that if I had never given up my job at the video store, that guy could be me today. Instead, I’m him in my basement, not getting paid to talk about horror nonstop while looking at shelves of horror movies all day.
