The Irrefutable Truth About Demons

This is one of the best movies to come out of New Zealand in years. It is a spine tingling horror movie which will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Irrefutable Truth About Demons, New Zealand, 2000

Director/writer: Glenn Standring
Production co: First Sun Productions  
Producer: Dave Gibson
Cinematography: Simon Baumfield
Editor: Paul Sutorius
Production design: Clive Memmott  
Costume design: Francis Hooper, Denise L'Estrange-Corbet
Original music: Victoria Kelly, Joost Langeveld

With: Karl Urban (Harry Ballard), Katie Wolfe (Bennie), Jonathon Hendry (Le Valliant), Sally Stockwell (Celia), Tony MacIver (Johnny), Adam Brookfield (Officer Jones), Peter Daube (Lawrence)

35mm, 90 minutes, R16—Contains violence, offensive language, drug use and sex scenes.

“Anthropologist Dr Harry Ballard's life seems ideal – he has a challenging and interesting career and a girlfriend, Celia, who is a beautiful and intelligent lawyer. But after his brother commits suicide under strange circumstances, Harry, already a sceptic, becomes increasingly cynical and immerses himself in de-bunking cults and mysticism… Harry's encounter with the seriously weird Benny accentuates his mood when she delivers a bizarre warning: a sinister cult is out to get him. He dismisses Benny as just another crazy, attributes a gory, threatening message to the lunatic fringe, and sets up for a sucker-punch. His world is invaded by freaks – namely archetypal evil-fucker Le Valliant and his henchmen, Lawrence, Wank and Alice – and he's immersed in a maelstrom of horror, violence, and possibly, drug induced insanity. The production team, rather than trying to fight the elements, decided to embrace Wellington's wet, winter conditions and give the exterior night shots a slick, glossy look. Standring's script is tight, with twists that keep you guessing for the entire 90 minutes. The shock and horror isn't relentless and Standring shows restraint in his use of dramatic build-ups to tense moments; some parts really made me JUMP! The actors' performances are credible, the cinematography superb and Standring shows an exceptional eye in setting-up his shots. The Irrefutable Truth About Demons sets a high benchmark for local movies in 2001 – not only in the horror-thriller genre but one for all New Zealand film makers to aspire to.” — Rod Johns, Real Groove

“This is one of the best movies to come out of New Zealand in years. It is a spine tingling horror movie which will keep you on the edge of your seat. You will wonder what is real and what is not. Are there really demons or are they the figment of the lead characters' imagination? You decide... If you like horror, you'll love this. Thumbs up to the Kiwis for a brilliant spine tingler.” — Sheila, girlposse.com

“A man of science is forced to swallow his scepticism about the mysterious forces of evil and the entirely flexible nature of reality in The Irrefutable Truth About Demons... Writer-director Glenn Standring conjures a creepy, brooding atmosphere and enough thrills to keep young horror enthusiasts glued... An anthropology lecturer who specializes in research into fraudulent religious and satanic cults, Dr Harry Ballard receives a warning from devil-worshipping coven Black Lodge that a serious lesson is coming his way. He gets a further warning from enigmatic street waif Benny but shrugs off the danger until he’s abducted and drugged while leaving his office. Narrowly escaping mutilation by chainsaw, Harry goes to the police, who don’t buy his story. He struggles home to recover and emerges from a soak in the tub to find his girlfriend, Celia, slashed and crucified, with his confession written in blood on the wall. Bolting before cops arrive, Harry turns for help to his stoned assistant, who gets butchered and left for roaches to snack on before he can get the doc to safety. Through former Black Lodge member Benny, who becomes his guardian angel, Harry learns that the sect’s high priest Le Valliant wants to deliver his soul to the demons... Even with the elastic boundaries of the genre, the script’s grasp of logic becomes progressively more erratic… but the picture remains well-paced and compelling enough nonetheless. Urban makes an appealing lead. Visually and in terms of sustaining tension Demons benefits from Simon Baumfield’s agile lensing, with handheld cameras constantly sneaking up on the characters. Paul Sutorius’ rapid editing also contributes, and Clive Memmtt’s production design creates a richly sinister backdrop. Portentous soundtrack is a highly tuned mix of cranked-up noise, eerie effects and obsessive techno music by Victoria Kelly and Joost Langveld. — David Rooney, Variety, 16 June 2000

“The Irrefutable Truth About Demons is a genuinely unnerving, but also hugely enjoyable film which veers – with confidence – between psychological and supernatural horrors… The film's budget was tight, but as so often at this end of the industry, that makes the selective use of visual effects even more powerful. There's a certain Kiwi je-ne-sais-quoi-mate to the film – maybe it's just the accents – that instantly sets it apart from typical Hollywood movies of this ilk. Above all, it's made with obvious passion for the medium and love for the genre – that shines through.” — M.J., SFX Magazine

Screenings: The Irrefutable Truth About Demons screened on 27 April 2005 as part of writer/reviewer Ian Pryor's horror selection.