DEMONOID (1981) – Episode 293 – Decades of Horror 1980s

“If thy hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it aside. For it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” Keep your hands off my members! Join your faithful Grue Crew – Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr, and a late “appearance” by special guest host Jerry Chandler – as they discuss Demonoid (1981), a movie that isn’t about what it looks like it’s about.

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 293 – Demonoid (1981)

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ANNOUNCEMENT
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Synopsis: Spouses looking for silver in Mexico find a 300-year-old severed hand driven by a demon.

• Director: Alfredo Zacarías
• Writers: David Lee Fein, F. Amos Powell, Alfredo Zacarías (screenplay); Alfredo Zacarías (story by) 
• Special Effects Art Director: Robert A. Burns (credited as Bob Burns)
• Stunts:
  • Buzz Bundy (stunt driver)
  • Norman Deming (stunt driver) (credited as Von Deming)
  • Kenny Endoso (stunt driver)
  • Jack Gill (stunt driver)
  • Whitey Hughes as (stunt coordinator)
  • Keith Lane Jensen as (stunt driver) (as Keith Jensen)
  • Eddie Mulder as stunt driver
• Selected Cast:
  • Samantha Eggar as Jennifer Baines
  • Stuart Whitman as Father Cunningham
  • Roy Jenson as Mark Baines (credited as Roy Cameron Jenson)
  • Narciso Busquets as Dr. Julian Rivkin
  • Erika Carlsson as Nurse Morgan & woman killed in opening
  • Lew Saunders as Sgt. Leo Matson
  • José Chávez as Pepe (credited as Jose Chavez Trowe)
  • Ted White as Frankie
  • Haji as Angela (credited as Hajo Catton)
  • George Soviak as Sgt. Needham
  • Whitey Hughes as Gambler
  • Al Jones as Patrolman Yates

Nobody knows why, but Chad chose Demonoid (1981) for this episode — a movie featuring multiple, crawling, severed hands as the Left Hand of the Devil moves from person to person via their left hands, whether attached or not. Filmed primarily in Mexico, Demonoid is directed by Alfredo Zacarías and stars Samantha Eggar, Stuart Whitman, and Roy Jenson. The severed hands defy the laws of physics (I know, I know) as they leap through the air and throw people to the ground — actions depicted with quick edits. Of course, the Left Hand of the Devil must have supernatural powers, so it’s got that going for it. The movie comes complete with a silver hand-casket that has held the hand at bay for 300 years and features a Volkswagen Thing as the vehicle of choice for the leads. Unintentionally funny in places, the film still manages to pack a horror punch and is definitely a fun watch. To top it off, Jerry Chandler, a self-proclaimed Demonoid fan, joins us to share his take on the movie towards the end of the episode.

At the time of this writing, Demonoid (1981) is available to stream from Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex, and PPV sources. It is available on physical media as a Blu-ray formatted disc from Vinegar Syndrome.

Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Jeff, is Wolfen (1981), the other werewolf-related movie released in 1981. This one is based on Whitley Strieber’s 1978 novel of the same title and features Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines, Tom Noonan, and some interesting FX. Can’t wait!!

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