Horror

Prince of Darkness

Universal Pictures

Alive Films

Larry Franco Productions

Carolco Pictures

United States of America

Latin

English

Donald Pleasence

Lisa Blount

Victor Wong Chi-Keung

Jameson Parker

Dennis Dun

Susan Blanchard

Anne Marie Howard

Ann Yen

Ken Wright

Dirk Blocker

Jessie Lawrence Ferguson

Peter Jason

Robert Grasmere

Thom Bray

Joanna Merlin

Alice Cooper

Betty Ramey

Andre Blay

Shep Gordon

Steve Mirkovich

Gary B. Kibbe

John Carpenter

Alan Howarth

Larry Franco

Linda Francis

Justin De Rosa

Wayne King

Randy Hall

Mario Roberts

Charles Davis

Debbie Evans

Simone Boisseree

Christine Anne Baur

Ellarye

Daniel A. Lomino

Marian Shambo

Ken Lavet

Sandy King

Rick Gentz

Stratton Leopold

Melanie Massey

Bob Herron

Anthony Tomeo

Claudia Gilligan Ivanjack

Rick Caprarelli

Jud Kehl

Joseph F. Brennan

Val Kuklowsky

Rick Chavez

John O. Wilde

Dane A. Davis

Ron Peebles

Frederick Hamm

Frank Howard

Kevin Quibell

Timothy Alverson

Kimberley Coy

Francisco X. Pérez

Jeremy J. Gordon

Bess Gilbert

John P. Fasal

Frederick Wardell

Charles Smock

Ken Spencer

Casey Hotchkiss

Kevin Arnold

Joseph E. Thibo

Eric Lindemann

Dode Weyant

Deahdra Scarano

Mark Peterson

Laura Hekking

Greg Curda

David J. Hudson

Michael Wright

Larry Verne

Janis Clark

Bruce Bell

Thomas Causey

Audrey A. Johnson

Richard M. Kerns

Kent H. Johnson

Mel Metcalfe

Terry Porter

Jeff Imada

Danny Falkengren

Doc Kane

Joan Rowe

Michael Hilkene

Joy Ewing

Rob McCarthy

Charles Saldaña III

Kirk Bales

John R. Hamilton

Jerry Trent

Then it really is Old Scratch knocking at the door.

Something of the forgotten John Carpenter movie, Prince of Darkness shows both the good and bad side of the supremely talented director.

The story is a beaut, a bit skew-whiff, but unmistakably Carpenter territory as Satan exists in some sort of parallel universe. How he manifests himself is narratively a bit tricky, but still it makes for good horror, especially as the old religious angle finds Carpenter - in the guise of Donald Pleasence - chortling away to himself in a way that Old Nick has been prone to do.

Cue bugs, green goo, zombies and a centuries old sect determined to keep Satan out of our world. The scares are many, atmosphere bubbling away (in time with another of Carpenter's pulse beat synth musical scores), while the finale has a genuine surprise up its sleeve.

Unfortunately the cast are playing second fiddle to the supernatural strengths, working from a script that doesn't sit at one with the screenplay, rendering the characters as uninvolving fodder. Yet be that as it may, it's still a film of delights, enough in fact to make it a top end entry on Carpenter's CV. 7/10

CinemaSerf

When an elderly priest passes away, one of his colleague discovers a mysterious green liquid hidden in a cylinder deep beneath a long-abandoned church. Rather misguidedly, as it turns out, he invites a group of enthusiastic students to come and investigate it's properties. Big mistake! It was hidden deep in the bowels of this crypt for a very good reason, and once they release it they discover that the Satanic horror they face might just be the tip of the iceberg! Donald Pleasence is strong here as the priest who realises, all too late in the day, that they are facing a terror that could jeopardise the very future of humanity... Christianity at any rate! Can he galvanise his now panic-stricken helpers to reverse the effects of the deadly gloop before they all become zombified servants of evil? The dialogue maybe isn't so hot, especially as hysteria begins to set in amongst the petrified, but the pace is great and the effects have held up remarkably well as this solid and quite menacing story builds to a genuinely exciting conclusion. The supporting cast deliver well, too and John Carpenter and Alan Howarth manage a score that adds quite a bit of peril to the accruing sense of danger the former creates throughout this rather superior drama. It's short, taut, and well worth a watch.

Such an interesting film, grew up minutes from the church this was filmed at. It’s where the Pope used to stay when he came to Los Angeles, California.
This was really quite unnerving when it came out, as we saw it in the movie theater, and it had people gasping and leaving the theater. I knew I was in for a good time when that started happening.
I’ve loved this film ever since, raised my 3 kids on John Carpenter films, and am hoping to do the same for ALL OF my grandchildren as well.

Best Movies

Prince of Darkness

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Donald Pleasence

Lisa Blount

Victor Wong Chi-Keung

Jameson Parker

Dennis Dun

Susan Blanchard

Anne Marie Howard

Ann Yen

Ken Wright

Dirk Blocker

Box office

More Like This

Hellboy

Jacob's Ladder

The Grudge

The Gift

Alleluia

Gappa, the Triphibian Monster

Longlegs

Killer Tales