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 Posted:   Dec 3, 2023 - 7:13 AM   
 By:   Graham Watt   (Member)

I was reading Denis Meikle's article about this great film in the exemplary publication "Little Shoppe of Horrors" in which he points out the major differences between the two versions of the film. I think there are four cuts actually, but one scene cited isn't in any of them.

In the trailer for the US cut CURSE OF THE DEMON, there's an intriguing - and to my mind pretty effective - shot of the demon (affectionately known as "the Chewits monster") rising from below ground level, wings spread. This would be near the begiining, when it materialises before Harrington, our first view of the demon. Meikle mentions that it's a pity they chose not to use that shot in the finished film, because it would have smoothed the abrupt jump between the fireball manifestation in the air and the full-on demon image. He also states that, in the trailer, the image is laid in under captioning. Well, to quote Karswell, "it isn't, you know" - at least not in the trailer I called up on YouTube.

I'd like to see those short few seconds reinstated, although I imagine that if it were possible, it would have been done by now.

https://youtu.be/yy1uUkWjeLM

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 5, 2023 - 4:03 AM   
 By:   Graham Watt   (Member)

Or maybe noone thought about it before, or had influence to do it, especially pre-digital and pre-internet. Today, with a little prodding or inducement, a studio might be able to find a good copy of the trailer and add that snippet. It's cut at the end of the wide shot of the smoke cloud, which is followed with a reaction shot of Harrington, then Harrington's POV (over the shoulder shot) of the demon already visible. I'm guessing they didn't want the audience seeing the demon first, and wanted it a mystery until Harrington saw it. But timing wise, the demon would have to be visible before his reaction shot so some anal idiot must have suggested they remove it from the POV shot as well...which would have been the best place for the reveal. Regardless, it would be a cool shot to see in the film. But then, you'd want it also shown in the conclusion at the train station. I'm half-convinced I see wings in that shot now...5:14-20 minutes in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rZUZth6FhE


Ha! Yes, I'm half-imagining wings too for a split second at the point you mention, Child (if I may call you Child).

The late Denis Meikle (I didn't actually know he had died) goes through the sequence of shots that you describe in his article. It's too lengthy to quote here, but he concludes with, "The loss of the demon's awe-inspiring entrance in the film is of more significance to the dramatic impact of the whole than the (too) many shots of it when it's actually there". I think I agree with that.

 
 
 Posted:   Dec 6, 2023 - 7:41 AM   
 By:   Graham Watt   (Member)

I don't have the blu-ray, Last. I don't even have a blu-ray player. You may wish to slog through the extras on the Arrow on your own and then post your findings here, or not. I'd never heard mention of that little snippet before, but it might be common knowledge amongst those of the coven.

That trailer isn't exactly spoiler-free, is it!

 
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