Hagstone Demon: A Re-Review

Sometimes, you can't see the beauty in something until you've stepped back from it, or, as in our case, laughed about it incessantly as you've told and retold the story of this movie to all your friends.  The Hagstone Demon is a movie that upon first glance is, well, not very good.  However, like a slow forming mold, it has grown on us and become part of us.

KELLY:

Initially, we gave Hagstone a poor review, basically saying it was a waste of time and a waste of money. But the more I talk about it with people and the more I think on it, I'm starting to get a warm fuzzy from it. Its odd. I'm not sure I'd ever watch it again, but I like it more and more the further I get from it and the more I talk about its horrific badness.  Definitely odd.

PATRICE:

I know what you mean. I enjoyed writing and posting the review to the point that I was cracking myself up throughout. And every time I read our comments, I laugh again. Hagstone was not cinematically great, and yet, we got so much pleasure from it anyway.  And there's also the strangely compelling Mark Borchardt, the star, if you will.  There's just something about him that works in this movie, because he seems so believable as this character, even if the overall storyline is ridiculous.

KELLY:

The more I think on it, the more I think that the joke was on me. It's by no means a fabulous movie, and like you said, it has its flaws, but now I'm a fan of it. I had read a review on Quiet Earth about HD and they gave it a 3.5/4, which after initial viewing, i couldn't quite understand. But now I think this movie is like a fine wine, it can only be appreciated when aged properly.

All that being said, I still hold to my original review in terms of it being kind of confusing and disjointed, but now its endearing.  What's the phrase? Distance makes the heart grow fonder, or absence or something like that? Whatever it is, that concept applies to this movie.

PATRICE:

I think it's the overall pleasure principle. Not a "good" movie, but a hell of a lot of fun. I can't say that I've laughed that hard in a movie in a long time - and better yet, in a theater with a bunch of other people! That was better than just watching it at home and thinking "what the hell is going on here?" In the theater, it was obvious we were all reacting the same way. There's a lot to be said for the vox populi.

KELLY

Agreed.  If you make the mistake of watching it by yourself, then you'll end up disliking it. If you watch it with others, you can have fun laughing at it and then also have fun after the fact b/c it will basically end up being one long inside joke. Plus, add some alchohol, you'll have a dandy of a time with this movie.

PATRICE:

Definitely moref un with other people! I had originally said that I thought this movie had cult potential down the road - and this is the reason that I thought so - movies like this that are a little wacky, unintentially funny, open for speculation due to plot weirdness - these are the kinds of movies that eventually become popular for all the wrong reasons.

KELLY:

It could very well end up being that way. I couldn't see the forest for the trees. Or, perhaps, couldn't see the forest for the crazy looking drooly demon cat.

PATRICE:

I'm still laughing at the thought of the demon "snot" and the demon girl down the hole in the floor.

KELLY:

Ah, yes, the demon snot. And the girl wasn't a 'girl', she was a demon prostitute.  Let's keep it acurate...

So, final verdict: I've reconsidered my previous position and have decided I was wrong to judge so harshly.  This movie is good fun. Still, don't watch it alone, its just not the same without your cohorts.

PATRICE:

I concur. It's one to see more than once. Mostly because the first time you'll miss a lot while laughing.