Post by Tim on Oct 24, 2018 23:25:54 GMT -5
From Wikipedia:
A priest invites quantum physics Professor Howard Birack and his students to join him in the basement of an abandoned Los Angeles church. He requires their assistance in investigating a mysterious cylinder containing a swirling green liquid. Among the thirteen academics present are wise-cracking Walter, demure Kelly, and lovers Brian Marsh and Catherine Danforth.
They decipher text found next to the cylinder which describes the liquid as the corporeal embodiment of Satan. The liquid appears sentient, and broadcasts increasingly complex streams of data. The academics use a computer to analyze the data, and find that it includes differential equations. Over a period of two days, small jets of liquid escape from the cylinder. Members of the group exposed to the liquid become possessed by the entity and attack the others. Anyone attempting to leave is killed by the growing mass of enthralled schizophrenic homeless people who surround the building.
Birack and the priest theorize that Satan is actually the offspring of an even more powerful force of evil, the "Anti-God", who is bound to the realm of anti-matter. The survivors find themselves sharing a recurring dream (apparently a tachyon transmission sent as a warning from the future year "one-nine-nine-nine") showing a shadowy figure emerging from the front of the church. The hazy transmission changes slightly with each occurrence of the dream, revealing progressively more detail. The narration of the transmission each time instructs the dreamer that they are witnessing an actual broadcast from the future, and they must prevent this possible outcome.
Walter, trapped in a closet, witnesses the possessed bring the cylinder to a sleeping Kelly. It opens itself and the remaining liquid absorbs into Kelly, transforming her into the physical vessel of Satan: a gruesomely disfigured being, with powers of telekinesis and regeneration. Kelly attempts to summon the Anti-God through a dimensional portal using a mirror, but the mirror is too small and the effort fails.
While the rest of the team is occupied fighting the possessed, Kelly finds a larger wall mirror and draws the Anti-God's hand through it. Danforth is the only one free to act: she tackles Kelly, causing both of them to fall through the portal. The priest shatters the mirror, trapping Kelly, the Anti-God, and Danforth in the other realm. Danforth is seen briefly on the other side of the mirror reaching out to the portal before it closes. Immediately, the possessed die, the street people wander away, and the survivors (Marsh, Walter, Birack, and the priest) are rescued.
Marsh has the recurring dream again, except now Danforth, apparently possessed, is the figure emerging from the church. Marsh awakens and finds Danforth, gruesomely disfigured, lying in bed with him. This is still part of his dream, however, and he awakens screaming. Rising, he approaches his bedroom mirror, hand outstretched.
They decipher text found next to the cylinder which describes the liquid as the corporeal embodiment of Satan. The liquid appears sentient, and broadcasts increasingly complex streams of data. The academics use a computer to analyze the data, and find that it includes differential equations. Over a period of two days, small jets of liquid escape from the cylinder. Members of the group exposed to the liquid become possessed by the entity and attack the others. Anyone attempting to leave is killed by the growing mass of enthralled schizophrenic homeless people who surround the building.
Birack and the priest theorize that Satan is actually the offspring of an even more powerful force of evil, the "Anti-God", who is bound to the realm of anti-matter. The survivors find themselves sharing a recurring dream (apparently a tachyon transmission sent as a warning from the future year "one-nine-nine-nine") showing a shadowy figure emerging from the front of the church. The hazy transmission changes slightly with each occurrence of the dream, revealing progressively more detail. The narration of the transmission each time instructs the dreamer that they are witnessing an actual broadcast from the future, and they must prevent this possible outcome.
Walter, trapped in a closet, witnesses the possessed bring the cylinder to a sleeping Kelly. It opens itself and the remaining liquid absorbs into Kelly, transforming her into the physical vessel of Satan: a gruesomely disfigured being, with powers of telekinesis and regeneration. Kelly attempts to summon the Anti-God through a dimensional portal using a mirror, but the mirror is too small and the effort fails.
While the rest of the team is occupied fighting the possessed, Kelly finds a larger wall mirror and draws the Anti-God's hand through it. Danforth is the only one free to act: she tackles Kelly, causing both of them to fall through the portal. The priest shatters the mirror, trapping Kelly, the Anti-God, and Danforth in the other realm. Danforth is seen briefly on the other side of the mirror reaching out to the portal before it closes. Immediately, the possessed die, the street people wander away, and the survivors (Marsh, Walter, Birack, and the priest) are rescued.
Marsh has the recurring dream again, except now Danforth, apparently possessed, is the figure emerging from the church. Marsh awakens and finds Danforth, gruesomely disfigured, lying in bed with him. This is still part of his dream, however, and he awakens screaming. Rising, he approaches his bedroom mirror, hand outstretched.
This comes from John Carpenter, the guy that gave us Halloween. It is a horror movie, with a dose of science fiction thrown in as well.
Years before the show Ancient Aliens was even thought of, this movie presented the idea that both Jesus and Satan were in fact, aliens who had fought a battle on Earth, eons ago. These formed the basis of what was written in the Bible. However, a secretive group of priests did know the truth, but kept it to themselves.
And now it seems that Satan is on the verge of breaking free from his centuries old prison. And a group of college students have come to help uncover the truth. Bad luck for some of them.
Rocker Alice Cooper, a horror movie fan, has a role in the movie as well. You can't miss him, once you see him.
Funny about this movie saying that some disaster will happen in 1999. Of course, this movie was made in 1987, don't forget.
Overlooked when it was released (although it did make money), this movie has become a cult classic in the 31 years since it was released.
I have this movie on DVD, and it's one of a group that I set aside for the Halloween season.
Has anyone else here seen this movie, or even heard of it?
... I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who loves horror! Especially the more atmospheric, slow type...
