PRINCE OF DARKNESS

US, 1987, 102 minutes, Colour.
Donald Pleasence, Jameson Parker, Victor Wong, Lisa Blount.
Directed by John Carpenter.

Prince of Darkness is a film about the occult directed by John Carpenter. Carpenter directed Dark Star and Assault on Precinct 13 but made his impact With Halloween. During the '80s he made a number of thrillers including The Thing, Escape from New York, Christine as well as films with the lighter touch, Star Man and Big Trouble in Little China.

This film seems more like an occult thriller of the '70s, especially the Italian imitations of The Exorcist like the antichrist. Once again Donald Pleasence stars for Carpenter. He is a bewildered cleric who gets a scientist friend (Victor Wong of Big Trouble) to get his scientific students to look at a mysterious power under a Los Angeles church. It turns out that this is the energy of Satan which is about to be loosed on the earth.

The film is somewhat ponderous - it starts well and atmospherically, but then moves towards a kind of Night of the Living Dead as the students are taken possess= of and become zombie-like. There is the usual confrontation however, the heroine offers her life in sacrifice to save the rest of humanity.

A bit late in the day for this kind of film. It has its moments - but is slow moving and the characters are not as attractive as all that (Carpenter, as with many films, composed the musical score).

1. The popularity of these horror themes, the occult, religion and mysticism, evil?

2. The work of John Carpenter, his working in genres, his experience with horror? So many of his films taking place during a night and moving into day - the structure for this film? His musical score?

3. The title, the reference to Satan and the devil, the grounding in the Bible, mythical writings based on the Book of Revelation? The 20th century and the occult? Comments on the church? The power, the sentinel at the gate of Hell, the reign of evil? The plausibility and implausibility - and religious imagination?

4. The prologue, the death of the sentinel, his box? The visit of the priest? Consulting the cardinals, the discussion, the diary, the place of the church and sects? Writing to Howard for his help? Fear about the future?

5. Howard as the scientist, his students, the questions in class, his discussions about reality and unreality, the revolutions in science?

6. The questions of science, religion, the supernova, powers, logic and mystery?

7. The group of students, going to the church, the ominous sequences of the beggars standing watching, their work, the set-up, the key to the room, computers, the translation of the ancient texts, scientific equations? The liquid and the energy?

8. The power of evil, the comments attributed to Jesus in the manuscript, the coming of Satan? Susan watching the liquid. her being transformed? The scientist stabbed by the beggars outside?

9. The liquid, the flow into the scientists, the transformations, the attacks, their becoming like zombies? The build-up of the crisis, isolation of the victims? Fear? Kelly and her transformation, seemingly pregnant? Walter on guard and fearful? The priest praying?

10. The fights, trying to save those not infected? Kelly and the ominous mirror, drawing the power of evil out of the mirror. Katherine and her taking Kelly with her and diving into the mirror to save the human race?

11. Brian and Katherine, their friendships, talking, sexual relationship, working together, desperate and the fighting, Katherine plunging into the mirror? Brian's final dreams?

12. The sketch of the rest of the group, characters, those transformed, those ~saved? The priest and his doubts about religion, his faith?

13. The power of evil, loosing the power of evil on the world, the takeover and possession, making humans zombies? The need for self-sacrifice

14. The long night into daylight and back to ordinariness?

15. The impact of this kind of horror film? On believers and unbelievers? The horror with the touch of gore? Imagination about things religious?