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Trailer

Prince of Darkness

1987Movie1 h 42 minR

Horror
60
DecentGoodWatch score
IMDb6.6Metacritic507.0Rotten Tomatoes60%61%

A nerve-racking, deeply unsettling horror movie about the mind and faith and meaning.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · graphic violence bothers you · you scare easily

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Before man walked the earth...It slept for centuries. It is evil. It is real. It is awakening.

A priest discovers an ancient canister containing a strange liquid in an abandoned church. When a group of graduate students and scientists are tasked with studying it, they unknowingly unleash an evil force waiting to destroy all of humanity.

Feels like

  • Apocalyptic Horror
  • Existential Threat
  • Religious Themes
  • Mind-Bending
  • Claustrophobic Atmosphere
  • John Carpenter
  • Practical Effects
  • Cult Classic

Cast

15 of 15

Crew

Directed by
John Carpenter
Written by
John Carpenter
Produced by
Larry Franco
Music by
John Carpenter, Alan Howarth

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

October 23, 1987 · 1 h 42 min · R

Released
October 23, 1987
Runtime
1 h 42 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Horror
Original language
English
Also spoken
Latin
Made in
United States, Netherlands
Budget
$3 million
Box office
$14 million
Available in
25 countries

Tropes

Crystal Dragon Jesus, Nothing Is Scarier, Hope Spot +9

  • Crystal Dragon Jesus
  • Nothing Is Scarier
  • Hope Spot
  • Bittersweet Ending
  • Running Gag
  • Sealed Evil in a Can
  • Amazing Freaking Grace
  • Recurring Dreams
  • Gainax Ending
  • Double-Meaning Title
  • Sufficiently Advanced Alien
  • Religion Is Right

12 of 80 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Prince of Darkness?"

Questions about Prince of Darkness

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Prince of Darkness?

Prime

In the United States, Prince of Darkness streams on Prime. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Microsoft Store. It also streams in 18 other countries.

Is Prince of Darkness worth watching?

60
DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 60 (IMDb 6.6, Rotten Tomatoes 60%, and Metacritic 50). Audiences rate it higher (66 out of 100) than critics (55).

Will Prince of Darkness scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

Yes, it's frightening: scares are rated 8 of 10, and some images are gruesome (grotesque 7 of 10).

Will I feel good after watching Prince of Darkness?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 3 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Was Prince of Darkness a box office hit?

Budget$3 million
Box office$14 million

Yes: it cost about $3 million to make and earned $14 million worldwide, 4.7 times its budget.

What tropes does Prince of Darkness use?

Crystal Dragon JesusNothing Is ScarierHope SpotBittersweet EndingRunning GagSealed Evil in a CanAmazing Freaking GraceRecurring DreamsGainax EndingDouble-Meaning TitleSufficiently Advanced AlienReligion Is Rightand 68 more

TV Tropes lists 80 tropes for it, including Crystal Dragon Jesus, Nothing Is Scarier, and Hope Spot.