Night of the Demon (1980 film)

Bill Nugent, an [[anthropology]] professor, is approached by Carla Thomas, a young woman whose father was murdered in the woods in [[Northern California]]. She suspects that his death was caused by a [[Bigfoot]] who, according to legend, resides in the woods in the region. Despite many disappearances and brutal murders{{ndash}}including the death of a young couple, the manual [[emasculation]] of a biker, and the butchering of two [[Girl Scouts of the USA|Girl Scout]]s{{ndash}}police have deemed the theory of a Bigfoot being responsible a [[hoax]]. Carla requests to accompany Bill along with four of his students{{em dash}}Roy, Pete, Gary, and Linda{{em dash}}on an expedition aiming to prove Bigfoot's existence.

Bill Nugent, an [[anthropology]] professor, is approached by Carla Thomas, a young woman whose father was murdered in the woods in [[Northern California]]. She suspects that his death was caused by a [[Bigfoot]] who, according to legend, resides in the woods in the region. Despite many disappearances and brutal murders{{ndash}}including the death of a young couple, the manual [[emasculation]] of a biker, and the butchering of two [[Girl Scouts of the USA|Girl Scout]]s{{ndash}}police have deemed the theory of a Bigfoot being responsible a [[hoax]]. Carla requests to accompany Bill along with four of his students{{em dash}}Roy, Pete, Gary, and Linda{{em dash}}on an expedition aiming to prove Bigfoot's existence.

They embark by boat along a river and first camp on the property of an elderly man, Lou Carlson, who has claimed to have witnessed Bigfoot. Lou allows them to stay but is evasive when they attempt to speak to him. When one of the students, Roy, bribes Lou with alcohol, Lou suggests they seek out Wanda, a recluse who resides deep in the woods and supposedly holds more information about Bigfoot. Meanwhile, a hunter camping nearby is attacked and impaled by the Bigfoot on a jagged branch.

They embark by boat along a river and first camp on the property of an elderly man, Lou Carlson, who has claimed to have witnessed Bigfoot. Lou allows them to stay, but is evasive when they attempt to speak to him. When one of the students, Roy, bribes Lou with alcohol, Lou suggests they seek out Wanda, a recluse who resides deep in the woods and supposedly holds more information about Bigfoot. Meanwhile, a hunter camping nearby is attacked and impaled by the Bigfoot on a jagged branch.

The next day, Nugent and his 5 companions visit the nearby town, where they glean from locals more information about Wanda: She is the daughter of a deranged preacher, Emmet McGinty, whose followers were rumored to engage in [[inbreeding]], [[Human cannibalism|cannibalism]], and [[human sacrifice]]. Emmet has since committed [[suicide]]. After learning of this, the group returns to the woods. After the group had fallen asleep that night, they were awoken by chanting. Bill and Roy follow the sound and stumble upon a Satanic [[sexual ritual]] involving Wanda around an [[effigy]] of Bigfoot; among the practitioners is a local sheriff. Bill interrupts the ritual by firing a gun, causing the cultists to scatter.

The next day, Nugent and his 5 companions visit the nearby town, where they glean from locals more information about Wanda: She is the daughter of a deranged preacher, Emmet McGinty, whose followers were rumored to engage in [[inbreeding]], [[Human cannibalism|cannibalism]], and [[human sacrifice|human sacrifice]]. Emmet has since committed [[suicide]]. After learning of this, the group returns to the woods. After the group had fallen asleep that night, they were awoken by chanting. Bill and Roy follow the sound and stumble upon a Satanic [[sexual ritual]] involving Wanda around an [[effigy]] of Bigfoot; among the practitioners is a local sheriff. Bill interrupts the ritual by firing a gun, causing the cultists to scatter.

In the morning, Bill and the others find their boat missing, with large footprints on the shore. After making plaster casts of the footprints, they push onward. That night, the Bigfoot attacks Linda and Gary while the two have sex, but they survive. The group eventually reaches Wanda's cabin, bribing her with candy, but she has a nervous breakdown when the Bigfoot is mentioned. That night, Pete is attacked by the Bigfoot, who causes him to shoot himself with his rifle. The others attempt to locate Pete but find he has disappeared.

In the morning, Bill and the others find their boat missing, with large footprints on the shore. After making plaster casts of the footprints, they push onward. That night, the Bigfoot attacks Linda and Gary while the two have sex, but they survive. The group eventually reaches Wanda's cabin, bribing her with candy, but she has a nervous breakdown when the Bigfoot is mentioned. That night, Pete is attacked by the Bigfoot, who causes him to shoot himself with his rifle. The others attempt to locate Pete but find he has disappeared.

Bill decides to [[hypnosis|hypnotise]] Wanda the next day, causing her to recall her abusive childhood: As a teenager, the Bigfoot brutally raped Wanda, an event Emmet had witnessed in horror. Convinced the beast was a [[demon]], Emmet unsuccessfully attempted to induce an [[abortion]] by forcing Wanda to drink poison. Wanda eventually gave birth to the mutant half-human child, but Emmet killed it moments after its birth. In retaliation, Wanda burned her father alive in his barn, staging it to look like a suicide.

Bill decides to [[hypnosis|hypnotise]] Wanda the next day, causing her to recall her abusive childhood: As a teenager, the Bigfoot brutally raped Wanda, an event Emmet had witnessed in horror. Convinced the beast was a [[demon]], Emmet unsuccessfully attempted to induce an [[abortion]] by forcing Wanda to drink poison. Wanda eventually gave birth to the mutant half-human child, but Emmet killed it moments after its birth. In retaliation, Wanda burned her father alive in his barn, staging it to look like a suicide.

Hoping to find evidence of Wanda's Bigfoot child, Bill explores a cemetery nearby, where he digs up the skeletal remains of the infant Bigfoot. The Bigfoot appears in the graveyard and absconds with its dead spawn as Bill and the others barricade themselves in Wanda's cabin. Hours later, the Bigfoot hangs Pete's mutilated body on the porch before breaking into the home. Ignoring a dissonantly calm Wanda, the Bigfoot strangles Carla to death as the others shut themselves in the kitchen. The Bigfoot breaks into the kitchen, where he [[Disembowlment|disembowels]] Gary. Roy attempts to stop him, but the Bigfoot smashes his head through the window and cuts his throat on the glass before impaling Linda with a pitchfork. Finally, the Bigfoot burns Bill's face on the hot stove, leaving him for dead.

Hoping to find evidence of Wanda's Bigfoot child, Bill explores a nearby cemetery, where he digs up the infant Bigfoot's skeletal remains. Bigfoot appears in the graveyard and abducts its dead spawn as Bill and the others barricade themselves in Wanda's cabin. Hours later, the Bigfoot hangs Pete's mutilated body on the porch before breaking into the home. Ignoring a dissonantly calm Wanda, the Bigfoot strangles Carla to death as the others shut themselves in the kitchen. The Bigfoot breaks into the kitchen, where he [[Disembowlment|disembowels]] Gary. Roy attempts to stop him, but the Bigfoot smashes his head through the window and cuts his throat on the glass before impaling Linda with a pitchfork. Finally, the Bigfoot burns Bill's face on the hot stove, leaving him for dead.

Sometime later, Bill lies helplessly in a hospital bed, having been found unconscious in the woods, his face burned. When detectives inquire about Carla and the four missing students, Bill recounts his version of events to them. Both the police and attending doctors receive his story with disbelief, and the hospital psychologist deems him criminally insane.

Sometime later, Bill lies helplessly in a hospital bed, having been found unconscious in the woods, his face burned. When detectives inquire about Carla and the four missing students, Bill recounts his version of events. Both the police and attending doctors receive his story with disbelief, and the hospital psychologist deems him criminally insane.

== Cast ==

== Cast ==