Dementia: An Experiment in Terror

This movie goes down as one of the worst I have seen -- even for a B flick. First of all the makers didn't really research the word dementia. The storyline and the characters do nothing in the terms of what true dementia is and how it affects people. The acting is bad, the camera work is bad, the editing is bad, the music is horrible, etc. etc. This "film" is full of clichés - the "demenita" specialist interview, the use of B&W to show a flash back, the use of the mask to hide the bad guys, the audio distortion on the dialog to make it more "spooky".

I sincerely can't imagine that the makers thought they were putting out a good piece of art. And I even further can't believe it made it on to IMDb -- I would hardly call this piece of trash a movie.

kind of weird and low quality, but i still liked it. It's funky and offbeat and not as violent as it should be, but it gets you thinking. This would probably be a very cool movie with a bigger budget too.

I could really see some remake with better actors. The acting is okay, but not great. The story is much better and the setting is strange. If you watch it and you like hostel, then you will probably like this, but it's not as bloody as hostel. Though the acting is about the same. I think this came out before that movie but i never saw it in theaters, i just rented it at a video store that has weird low budget things. If you like that kind of movie then you will like this too probably.

I just saw "Dementia" tonight on a press screener DVD. Now, if you compare it to a $100 million "Lord of the Rings" movie, don't bother. But if you take it in the context of independent horror movies, it's great, and well-worth a viewing you will never forget (but may regret because of how disturbing "Dementia" is). There's lots of bloodiness--dicing, chopping, hitting, smacking, smashing, and mashing. With the gallons of blood that pour onto the screen, it's amazing that the body count is so low. If you get the chance, you really should take a look at "Dementia: An Experiment in Terror." It's one of the most unique, original, and genuinely disturbing movies I have seen in a long time. Watch, enjoy and cringe with disgust.

I saw a test screening of this movie. It's pretty low budget, but very cool. Very dark and creepy. Stylistically, it kind of reminds me of a cross between Wes Craven's "The Hills Have Eyes," and Peter Jackson's "Bad Taste." However, the story line is very different from those two films. The effects, while not always great, will make you cringe. The soundtrack is great (very eerie).

In short, "Dementia" tells the story of a man named Elvin who is kidnapped the day after his bachelor party. He wakes up, bound, gagged and blindfolded, uncertain where he is or what is happening. Still confused and blindfolded, he hears the savage assault on his friend Frankie, who is attacked with a mallet repeatedly, and often. Elvin and Frankie both withstand some hard-to-watch torture and torment. Halfway through the movie, it's surprising that Frankie is still alive. Elvin discovers that he is being held hostage by ringleader Mr. Martin and a mysterious man who only wears masks (The Face).

Mr. Martin (Shawn Hauser) has a deep and haunting voice. The character is undergoing a freakish transformation. Che Zon's Face character is the heavy, bringing down the hammer on the captives, and clothed in a variety of masks and off-beat t-shirts. The fear revealed by Marcus Barcroft's portrayal as the victim, Elvin, is very believable, but not always sympathetic. Daron McFarland (Frankie) is highly entertaining as the resident fleshy-pounding-picking-poking punching bag. Barcroft and McFarland pull of quite the achievement as one spends the majority of the movie bound to a chair and the other is sprawled on the floor.

The acting is surprisingly good, the script is strong and the atmosphere is very dismal. There are definitely some holes in the story and a few unanswered question marks, but ultimately, you are satisfied with the story's resolve.

Dementia: An Experiment in Terror could also be referred to as an experiment in film-making. It is probably the most inventive and original horror film since The Blair Witch Project.

Dementia is like a car wreck - a seemingly devastating disaster but yet you can't take your eyes off of it. After seeing a sneak preview of this picture, I found myself with quite the neck ache afterward. Unknowingly, I had been cringing throughout portions of this flick. Clever cinematography gives the film its uncomfortable voyeuristic feel. There is an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia throughout most of the picture. The soundtrack adds a dark dimension to the project.

Shawn Hauser provides a delightfully disturbing performance as Mr. Martin along with the sinister showmanship of Che Zon (The Face). Though they often come off more eerie than scary, both of these deviant characters are very memorable, much like The Silence Of The Lambs' Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lechter.

Experiencing every emotion possible during his captivity, Marcus Barcroft's (Elvin) gives a wonderful performance which is especially noteworthy since he was bound for most of the movie. Frankie, played by Daron McFarland, is usually the focus of some of the more excruciating and sympathetic scenes. Frankie is viciously brutalized throughout the film - perhaps only Deliverance and American History X come close to having scenes that even compare to Dementia's harrowing images. McFarland, who spends the entire movie crippled on a concrete floor in a pool of blood, pulls off an exceptional performance in such a challenging role.

The film leaves a few loose ends dangling which can be as tortuous as anything Frankie went through. But the movie is surprisingly difficult to dismiss. Some of the seemingly benign scenes stay with you long after the film is over. It is a unique film that certainly will find its niche.