Prince of Darkness
A priest and a team of physics students uncover a green substance beneath an abandoned church that may usher in a cosmic apocalypse.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- claustrophobic
- foreboding
- late night horror marathon
- halloween viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film to contain strikingly clever supernatural ideas and effective claustrophobic imagery, but regarded it as uneven and less inventive than John Carpenter’s earlier classics.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Physics graduate students analyze a supernatural green liquid while a priest interprets it as the essence of Satan and a threat from the Anti-God.
The abandoned Los Angeles church and its subterranean chamber contain the canister and confine the investigation as the threat awakens.
The film includes narrated dream sequences depicting a threatening transmission and an approaching supernatural catastrophe.
The central artifact is a vat of green liquid that comes to life and transforms students into zombie-like figures.
Films like Prince of Darkness, and why
The Exorcist
shared religious horror, apocalyptic supernatural threat, and claustrophobic atmosphere
The Thing
shared john carpenter authorship, practical-effects horror, and ordinary people confronting an inhuman evil
The Omen
shared occult conspiracy, demonic mythology, and escalating supernatural dread
Dawn of the Dead
shared zombie horror, siege-like confinement, and grim apocalyptic tension
Movie Details
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Release Date
- 1987-10-23
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (1198)
Cast
- Donald Pleasence
- Lisa Blount
- Victor Wong
- Jameson Parker
- Dennis Dun
- Susan Blanchard
- Anne Marie Howard
- Ann Yen
- Ken Wright
- Dirk Blocker
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Prince of Darkness about?
- A priest and a team of physics students uncover a green substance beneath an abandoned church that may usher in a cosmic apocalypse.
- What is Prince of Darkness like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Prince of Darkness as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Prince of Darkness violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Prince of Darkness as graphic.
- What did critics think of Prince of Darkness?
- Critics broadly found the film to contain strikingly clever supernatural ideas and effective claustrophobic imagery, but regarded it as uneven and less inventive than John Carpenter’s earlier classics.
- Which films are like Prince of Darkness?
- Films with a similar feel include The Exorcist, The Thing, The Omen, and Dawn of the Dead.
- How long is Prince of Darkness?
- Prince of Darkness runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Prince of Darkness?
- In United States, Prince of Darkness streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
