The Hagstone Demon

Director - Jon Springer (The Wood Witch)
Starring - Mark Borchardt (Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever). Nadine Gross (Further North), and Cyndi Kurtz (Vixen Highway)
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Horror
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been on a role lately watching some pretty bad films.  Jeruzalem, Whore, and Madness of Many were three films that I recently reviewed and was very disappointed with.  All three had some amazing artwork that pulled me in but failed to hold me attention once the film began rolling.  I knew I had an ace in the hole in regards to my next review.  A few years back I heard about the black and white horror film The Hagstone Demon and was told I really needed to check it out.  Well, I didn't.  However, news recently came my way that the film was re-released and was now in color.  I reached out to the film's Facebook page and they were kind enough to send a link to the online screener my way.  Thanks guys for allowing me the opportunity to check this one out!

     The film follows former journalist Doug Elmore (Borchardt) who is now the caretaker of a run down apartment building.  The building is set to be demolished but he was hired to keep things running smoothly until the tenants are evicted.  This is not an easy job.  He is forced to do maintenance daily on the dilapidated building, as well as, tend to the oddball tenants one of which is squatting in one of the empty rooms.  He uses the busy work as a way to forget about his deceased girlfriend who was shot with his gun in a bizarre manner.  He speaks to the female squatter and she is overly sexual with him and her sexual advancements work.  The two bang it out and he then goes back to his work.  Some strange events leads to the death of one of the tenants and he is placed on the list of suspects.  He starts doing to investigating and learns that the squatter was listed as deceased a few years ago.  He confronts her about it and is then thrust into the dark world of the occult and a life he once knew.
     The Hagstone Demon was a film I knew I would like.  The film didn't try to cash in on the quick money to be made with slashers or the rise of the zombies which started it's rise in late 2009 and early 2010.  Instead, The Hagstone Demon opted to do something rather strange, it offered up a fucking story. Shocking huh?  What really set this one apart from the rest of the indie horror films was that it offered up a story and was able to keep it going without switching gears halfway through the film.  The acting in this one was great.  I was really digging Mark Borchardt as the film's lead.  He was an everyday man living an everyday life that was tossed into a bizarre situation.  I really enjoyed his performance and loved how chill his character was.  The remainder of the cast did a great job as well.  Not one cast member stood out over the others which is the way a movie should be.  The cast needs to be consistent throughout and THD did just that.  The story for this one is a great blend of mystery noir and the cult films of the late 60s and 70s.  This was a great blend of the two that really pulled the viewer in and held their attention.  The film I saw was the colorized version but the film was original released in black and white which I am sure really kept the noir vibe going.  Finally, those looking for blood and gore will be disappointed.  The film does have some blood but nothing drastic.  Instead, the film offers up some great atmosphere and some beautiful scenes that takes us back to a time when horror was much more than a body count.  Overall, The Hagstone Demon is exactly what horror needs.  Modern horror goes straight for the jugular and not the brain piece.  We need more films that are story rich and character driven not the cheap ones we get that are paint my number imitations.  Check this one out as soon as you can.