Demon Knight

The Movie of the HBO television series Tales from the Crypt, released in 1995. Demon Knight tells the story of a drifter named Frank Brayker (William Sadler) who arrives in Wormwood, Texas and seeks refuge in a church-turned-hotel where he meets the no-nonsense landlady Irene (CCH Pounder) and her niece Jeryline (Jada Pinkett Smith), alcoholic Uncle Willy (Dick Miller), prostitute Cordelia (Brenda Bakke) and her abusive boyfriend Roach (Thomas Haden Church), and fired mailman Wally (Charles Flescher) who's hopelessly in love with Cordelia.

Not long after Brayker's arrival, a handsome and charming gentleman in a trenchcoat and cowboy hat known only as The Collector (Billy Zane) shows up with Sheriff Tooper (John Schuck) and Deputy Bob (Gary Farmer), seeking a key-shaped artifact that he claims Brayker stole from him. The Collector soon reveals that he's actually a demonic Bounty Hunter and quickly lays siege to the hotel, raising up an army of skeletal minions to aid him in getting his dirty hands on the key, and going about tempting some of the hotel's residents with their innermost desires.

Brayker reveals to the residents (well, those who survive the demonic onslaught...) that the key once contained the blood of Jesus Christ and subsequently that of previous guardians of the key. The key can ward off evil if it contains blood, but will bring about The End of the World as We Know It if it runs out of blood and is used by the forces of darkness.

Not to be confused with Demon Knights.

Tropes used in Demon Knight include:

The Collector: You know, it doesn't have to be unpleasant. Hell, I'd rather it wasn't! All right, I know what you're thinking. You give up your soul, you turn into a demon, you look like shit. Where's the payoff, right?

The Collector: That whole eyeball shit only works on lesser demons.

John Larroquette: Where did they dig this guy up?

  • Corrupt Hick: Roach
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Wally gets his moment when he saves Cordelia from a demon. Turns out later on that Wally was planning to blow up the post office.
  • Deadpan Snarker: The Collector revels in snark, but the quote below early on in film from the sheriff counts too:

Sheriff: Well Bob, it's too late to give them a ticket. But if it'll make you feel better, you can shoot their ashes.

  • Deal with the Devil: The Collector tries to bribe or threaten each character into helping him get the key.
  • Demonic Possession
  • Demon Lords and Archdevils: The Collector himself distinguishes himself by saying that the eye-ball weakness only applies to "lower-level" demons. His true form is the only demon that we see with wings.
  • Dirty Old Man: Uncle Willy. If his topless women fantasy wasn't enough evidence, then This Troper doesn't know what is.
  • The End - or Is It?: The Collector is defeated and killed, but a strange man in a black hat starts following Jeryline, who has taken on the duties of guarding the key, on her way out of town.
  • Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": The Collector.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: The Collector is physically incapable of saying the word "love," which leads to yet another hilarious moment with Billy Zane:

I l-l-l-l-l you. I l-l-l-l-l you. Do you think you could ever find it in your heart to l-l-l-l-l me back?

"Homer? This is for five years of minimum wage, you asshole!"

"You know this Hell on Earth business? Big fucking deal! I've got hemorrhoids."

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