My Demon Lover (1987)

There is no film more deserving of the "cult movie" status. This film is wholly original and bizarre, yet charming as can be and flawlessly executed. It's Buffy the Vampire Slayer as an '80s rom-com with a dash of Dr. Horrible campiness. It's Benny & June as a supernatural absurdist B-Movie. While most reviews spend time telling you what the movie is about, I think it might be more effective to tell you why it's worth your time. The narrative defies convention at every turn and plays the audience's expectations against them. That said, it is important to note that this is all in service of the story and characters. The twists are as clever as they are unusual. Genre-wise, this movie isn't any one thing. It's horror, comedy, fantasy, romance, and absurdism all in one. It adheres to its own rules, but does so competently. It shouldn't work on any level, but it ends up working on every level. Every single character in this movie is well established and has a complete arc. The chemistry between the two leads is electric and their romance is adorable beyond words. Kaz and Denny are some of the more unique leads you will ever encounter, but I challenge you not to fall in love with them.If you take a look through some of the negative reviews, you will begin to question what I have written. This movie stars no one you probably know and is made by people you for sure have never heard of. You've probably never met someone who has seen this movie, so how can it be that good?Let me then go onto say, this movie isn't for everyone. You have to be the type of person that enjoys both Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bonus Journey. If you only like the first movie for these, but not the second, My Demon Lover is probably not your cup of tea. I use these examples because a lot of people love the original Gremlins and Bill & Ted, but hate the sequels. The sequels take an already strange concept and make it ten times stranger. They embrace the weird and explode with imagination. My Demon Lover does the same (though it leans into character and story much more than those two examples).This movie hasn't yet had the resurgence it deserves, but you can help change that. It took decades before Monster Squad gained notoriety, now it's My Demon Lover's turn. After years of showing this movie to friends, I can tell you that the reaction is 50/50, and goes one of two ways: love or confusion. At the very worst, you will find yourself watching a movie unlike any you have ever seen. At best, you will have stumbled into a lost gem from the '80s that will stick with you for years to come. It's weird, original, charming as all hell and deserving of your time.

Great footage of NYC back before the gentrification and MTV @ Times Square. Heaps of garbage, bag atop of bag on every street corner, entire city blocks just lost to crack, just f*cking lost, what a beautiful city then. No, movie sucks, like it was supposed to be a vehicle for Scott Valentine to advance beyond his Family Ties work, movie did not pay out for the dude. I mean I guess this is an entertaining movie in that with a group of friends its good to watch together and make fun of. But to watch on your own, like on your own time, nope, no way. My Demon Lover, is a creepy ill-conceived romantic comedy to be avoided.

Kaz (Scott Valentine) has a very slight problem. Whenever he starts kissing a girl, he begins to change into an ugly monster! This is because a mother once found him embracing her daughter and used an old world spell on him. He is presently a sort of street bum, with little hope for the future. Denny (Michele Little) is a sweet blonde lady who loves to rescue those in need. Naturally, Denny takes Kaz home and swears she'll help him get back on his feet. She is blissfully ignorant of his transformation. What happens when she learns the truth? And could Kaz be terrorizing the neighborhood at night, too? Valentine and Little carry this film with their good looks and innate sweetness. The story, of course, has its inconsistencies but is mostly fun and fresh. The supporting cast does a fine job, too and the costumes and Greenwich Village setting add pleasure to the complete film. While one does not have to run like a demon to grab a copy of this movie at the store or library, those who love comedic romance stories, whatever the variation, will find this one is easy to love.

An entertaining premise, adequately handled, with some amusing (if not always top-of-the-line) special effects. The picture is nothing more than a trivial time-killer, but it has a nice spirit. Initially you may be turned off by the behavior of the leading character, but he grows more appealing as the film goes along. On the other hand, Michelle Little plays one of the nicest persons who ever appeared in an 80s film! (**)