Demons Of Ludlow
- Css Darth-Sheol
- Jan 30, 2015
- 4 min read
What could be spookier than an evil spirit returning to his town for some demonic revenge for horrors visited upon him and his loved ones by the townsfolk generations ago? Um, quite a lot actually, but in the right hands this could be a concept resulting in something to give little kids nightmares. In the hands of the makers of The Demons of Ludlow it just comes across as nothing special.
The town of wherever-the-heck-this-is gets a piano as a special gift from the family of the town founder. It's actually inhabited by said evil spirit who starts killing people. One curious gal (whose name I can't remember either as an actor or character – that's just the effect this film has on me) begins investigating the history which is suspiciously absent from official records. The girl, a preacher, and the demons/spirits face off in a battle that will leave you yawning and sleepy-eyed.
The story is disjointed and often illogical. Sometimes it seems like the demons hide the bodies of their victims, and sometimes it seems like the corpses are left for others to find. One death in particular is talked about like a strangulation then later as a dismembering. Which is it? We don't see it for ourselves so you figure it out. Perhaps it was called a strangulation in order to spare the gory details from family members? Your guess is as good as mine because the story gives no indication, and the character reactions offer no clues.
Sometimes it seems like the attacks are linked to the piano (which by the way sounds NOTHING like a piano to the viewing audience which doesn't strike the characters as odd), and sometimes it seems like the demons and piano are only loosely linked. Is there one demon/spirit or are there several in a conspiracy? Do the preacher and his wife have tension in their marriage or are they hunky dory with each other?
These things seem to be whatever a particular scene needs them to be without worrying about staying consistent throughout the movie.
There's obviously a history between the evil spirits and the town, but the explanation of this is done so poorly I was never quite sure what exactly happened. That's a shame because the concepts sound like they could be crafted into a fairly decent narrative. Basically it works out to be a revenge plot from beyond the grave which could have opened the doors for some great ambiguity about who is really the villain and who is justified in their actions. Instead, people just do what they do without much weight given to the motivations.
The demonic attacks are generally pretty goofy although there are a couple of times where I thought they might surprise me and pull off something worth seeing. What positive moments try to creep up are quickly squashed by poor storytelling.
The acting isn't the worst I've ever seen, but it's still weak. This might be why I've never heard of any one of the actors before. The music we hear is obviously not being played by the person shown on screen at the piano. If you can't make it look like the piano is actually being played then don't focus on the keys in such a way that shows they can't be producing the notes we hear.
MORALITY:
While most of the violence happens off screen or amounts to “blood” smeared across someone, there are some shots of heads and hands being whacked off. One scene shows a woman pelted by rocks thrown by evil kids and then has a noose jammed around her neck while she screams in terror. There are some other shots that may be rather scary to younger audiences.
The language is somewhat strong but nothing extreme.
There are a few shots of girls in skimpy undies and one very quick shot of a topless girl. Sexuality is mild with some kissing and petting that is clearly intended to lead to a naked hay romp, but it doesn't become an actual sex scene.
SPIRITUALITY:
There seems to be little distinction here between a demon as a Christian might think of it (being a fallen angel) and the spirit of an evil person come back from the grave to bring destruction. In movie context “demon” seems to be more along the lines of “evil entity.”
A preacher figures heavily into the plot with several scenes taking place in his church. He's treated respectfully enough, I suppose. I am neither put off nor particularly enthused by his inclusion.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
If the backstory had been presented better I might consider letting this have a slightly better rating. The letdown of the end just ensures this doesn't rise above the dregs of the low numbers. If you like bad horror movies there are plenty out there that are more fun than this one. Avoid it unless you're looking for something to poke fun at.
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