Age of Demons

At the start of Age of Demons, a disclaimer reads: “Sensitive people are not advised to view this tape. This film contains violence, bloodshed, nudity, obscene language, and humor, which some may find offensive. The stereotypical portrayal of ethnic groups is not meant to be taken as fact. Nothing in this video claims to be a realistic portrayal; the intention is to amuse, not offend.” As a fan of SOV flicks these disclaimers are like catnip to me! 

The film begins in the depths of a hidden castle where three bodacious sorceresses perform blood sacrifices in the Temple of Zordak. Their desire is to unleash a demon to destroy the world. If they reach 100 sacrifices, they can access a demonic portal with the guidance of a crystal ball. Soon, the 100th victim is brought in and sliced open. Unfortunately, they need a human with sufficient Satanic influence to finish the job. They focus on local punk rocker Mitch, who has been faking his abilities to raise his band’s Satan-worshipping cred. The chatty rocker succumbs to the dark arts and helps the Zordakians unleash their demon. Mitch’s brother, Don (Damon Foster, Hot Dogs on the Run), catches wind and vows to save the world using martial arts and his giant robot, Cybertron.

Age of Demons is a typical SOV horror flick from the start, placing sexy witches in a cardboard temple conjuring demons while wearing sheer bodysuits. Even when the busty 100th victim (Penthouse model Tammie Garcia) arrives, I’m not surprised that she loses her top during the sacrifice. Director Damon Foster devotes plenty of screen time to shooting her from every angle during the torture scenes. The curvy blonde sorceress (Rebecca Torres) receives equal attention while writhing about the dungeon. No complaints here. Where the film starts to detour is the introduction of Mitch’s weird brother, Don, whose strange humor would’ve killed with tweens in 1991. We lose the Satanic Panic agenda to shoehorn in martial arts training and lewd schoolyard humor. At this point, I’m lost in the weeds of Foster’s shenanigans, hoping for a clear exit. Ultimately, it comes together by introducing the robot Mitch tasked with fighting the unleashed demon. Fans of cheap kaiju knock-offs will absolutely relish the battle scenes between monster and robot. 

Age of Demons is a frenzied mixtape of Japanese sci-fi, chop-socky, cult horror, and anti-establishment punk rock goofiness. It's a silly and oddly entertaining mashup of ideas that keep getting more bizarre as the film progresses. Foster’s extensive knowledge of Kamen Rider, Inframan, and Kagaku Sentai Dynaman influenced his fight techniques, blocking, and storytelling. Honestly, his fight choreography is surprisingly good!  If you’re into sketchy backyard fight scenes, you’ll obsess over the third act’s dedication to kung fu action. Diving into the behind-the-scenes footage on the disc, you’ll often see him tempting fate with his amateur stuntwork. 

The story of Age of Demons is really the story of its director. Raised in the 1960s on a steady diet of syndicated Japanese children’s TV shows, Foster spent his childhood making home movies inspired by these programs. Eventually, he embraced the punk rock scene before making a life-changing trip to Tokyo. Foster would direct numerous bizarre feature-length videos in the name of entertainment but Age of Demons would become the perfect synthesis of his passions. 

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Age of Demons arrives on Blu-ray thanks to Saturn’s Core and OCN Distribution. The film is pressed onto a Region Free BD-50 disc and housed in a transparent keep case with reversible artwork. Loading the disc presents the Saturn’s Core logo before landing on the Main Menu screen. When you hear the satanic chants, you’ve made it! 

Age of Demons makes the leap to Blu-ray with a nostalgia-inducing HD presentation. The AVC-encoded 1.33:1 1080p image retains the rough expressions of this homegrown VHS production. The transfer is rife with dirt, fuzz, and tracking lines, but these imperfections never detract from the presentation or enjoyment of the film.  

Primaries are present, though constantly in flux. Reds appear the strongest in costuming and arterial blood spray. Detail is non-existent, though close-ups conjure some discernible textures on bare skin. *ahem* Black levels are surprisingly solid throughout the feature. However, there is no real depth, as most scenes are unreadable, with everything disappearing into darkness. Crude animation effects are equally unsettling and exciting not unlike the film itself. 

Age of Demons arrives on Blu-ray with a 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix that far exceeds my expectations for a feature of this ilk. Foster prioritizes music tracks supplied by the punk band The Gargolyles. Whether recorded in camera or post-production, dialogue exchanges are surprisingly clear, if too sharp at times. Subtitles are available and necessary as the actors spew their dialogue without regard for annunciation. However, once Mitch meets the Zordakian girls, the subtitles are off and running faster than the dialogue. Frustrating, I know. Thankfully, the text matches up a few scenes later. 

Saturn’s Core and OCN Distribution raid Foster’s VHS archive and supply this release with hours of video content. Start with the Behind the Scenes Footage featurette before committing to the remaining hours of content available here. 

• Audio Commentary: Director Damon Foster, moderated by film journalist William Connolly
• The Making of Age of Demons (SD 1:49:13) Foster includes plenty of raw footage, bad takes, alternate angles, and on-set goofiness between shots. This lengthy behind-the-scenes featurette is an excellent look into the challenges of making an effects-heavy, low-budget action flick. 
• Behind the Scenes Footage (SD 38:59) Foster puts together more raw footage from the film, including deleted scenes. Clips from his early videos, Androidman and Ultra Cyborg, showcase his budding interest in fight choreography. Foster provides a running commentary throughout this featurette, helping make sense of this collection of bizarre clips. 
• Super 8mm Films (SD 67:45) Damon Foster’s early works with audio commentary. Starting with home movies around 1972, the filmmaker walks us through his 8mm efforts until Ultra Cyborg in 1982. It’s incredible how well Damon remembers specific details from his childhood productions.   
• Age of Demons Trailers (SD 6:36) 2 extended trailers for the film. 
• Damon Foster Trailer Vault (SD 48:12) Foster mixes up trailers from his works with clips from Japanese children’s shows. Throughout the featurette we get trailers for Ultra Cyborg, Androidman, Wacky Chan, Hot Dogs on the Run, Satanic Mass of the Vampire, The Adventures of Mighty Wrestler Mysteron, Devils Dragons and Vampires, Shaolin vs Terminator, and finally Devils, Dragons and Blood-Sucking Bats

Age of Demons is silly, grotesque, and brimming with homegrown insanity. Foster remixes his childhood obsessions into a Satanic punk-fu bonanza that entertains as easily as it offends. The Blu-ray from Saturn’s Core and OCN Distribution presents the film with an appreciable A/V package and hours of bonus features. Foster is an acquired taste, so this one is For Fans Only. 

Order Your Copy of Age of Demons on Blu-ray