The Demons of Ludlow (1983)

User Rating:

1.9/10   

Director:

Bill Rebane

Writers:

William Arthur (writer)
Alan Ross (additional dialogue)

Genre:

Horror | Music | Mystery

Tagline:

Can you escape the curse of Ludlow? [video cover]

Plot:

A murderous demon lurks inside an antique piano in a picturesque coastal town. |

Plot Keywords:

Piano | Demon | Ghost | Occult | Warlock

Cast

Paul von Hausen	...	Preacher
Stephanie Cushna	...	Debra
Carol Perry	...	Ann Schultz
C. Dave Davis	...	Mayor
Debra Dulman	...	Sybil
Patricia J. Statz	...	Emily
Angailica	...	Ludlow's daughter
Mary Walden	...	Eleanore / Demon
Michael Accardo	...	Andy
William Dexter	...	Doc
Don Arthur	...	Ludlow
Deanna Haas	...	Demon
Genevieve Brown	...	Demon
James E. Chamberlain	...	Demon (as James E.Chamberlain III)
Paul Bernard	...	Demon

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated | Iceland:16 | UK:18 | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Wisconsin, USA

Company:

Ram Productions

I think I've seen this before...

Take John Carpenter's "The Fog" and remove the part about pirates reclaiming their buried treasure and substitute that with a musician reclaiming his hands, and you have Demons of Ludlow - just a much tackier version, mind you.

Bill Rebane, a director with the same loathsome reputation as Ulli Lommel, directs this ripoff of "The Fog" with uneven results. I have seen worse films but Demons of Ludlow is far from a classic. However, when comparing this film to Rebane's "The Cold" - this is a masterpiece. This film centers on a New England community celebrating its 200th anniversary. A gift from the town founder's descendant is presented at the festival - a white piano. However, when the piano arrives to Ludlow, people start disappearing or dying in gruesome fashion.

VIOLENCE: $$$ (There is a sprinkling of violence throughout the film but keep in mind, this was made in the early 1980's and the effects are poor by today's standards. We have a decapitation, hanging, gunplay and some levitating objects).

NUDITY: $ (Demons eat dinner at a cantankerous shrew's house and become fixated with her mentally unstable daughter Patricia Statz. They tear off her nightgown and give the viewer a brief flash of nakedness. Also Debra Dulman, who has a perfect body, spends the entire movie in various stages of undress).

STORY: $$ (The story isn't bad but is a blatant ripoff of "The Fog." Having people die whenever someone tickles the piano's ivories was a neat little plot tidbit. The main plot line is to see if nosy reporter Stephanie Cushna can find out anything about Ludlow's past and why these strange events are taking place).

ACTING: $$ (Nothing great here. I assure you, when you pop this sucker into your VCR you will not see a single recognizable face. Most of the actors have gone on to real jobs or at least discarded the movie making business. Stephanie Cushna does the best job here, as does Von Huesen as the woeful preacher).