The Rape After (1984)

Demonic Boogaloo

Doubling down on the original’s mix of supernatural possession, grotesque body horror and shock-heavy exploitation, Devil Fetus 2 is somehow even more unhinged than its predecessor and that's even before you consider it's title. There’s an almost raw, almost punk-like energy to it, playing the whole ordeal straight no matter how unhinged its chaos gets with a steady escalation of bizarre imagery that only gets stranger as the runtime goes on. That is, if you could even see what was happening half the time, given this is a highly elusive film and the picture quality, even on the best release, is pretty appalling. However, the direction by Tom Lau is filled with flashes of creativity; scenes will frequently pivot from eerie supernatural dread to sudden bursts of outrageous gore or surreal supernatural effects, which undoubtedly help balance out the otherwise grim tone the film carries. It’s the kind of film where every ten minutes something stranger than the last thing happens, often leaving you wondering whether the cast knew what was coming next, subtly was definitely never on the table, however. Despite its title, The Rape After is a pretty gnarly piece of commercial underground cinema with some extremely crusty visuals, begging for a proper restoration. Poster goes hard as well.

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