One of my favorite flavors of Documentaries as you’d probably expect are Docs about movies that go horribly off the rails. A prime example of this and another hidden gem from 1974 – Labor of Love is a peek into a tiny Chicago production where in order to capitalize on the pornoshiek trend, the producers decide to turn their heartbreaking story of a woman who can get pregnant by her husband into an adult film with explicit sex scenes. The drama in this hidden little gem comes not only from that, but a cast that reluctantly attempts to accommodate, to disastrous effect.
Likewise Demon Lover Diary is the story of another production gone horribly awry, seen through the eyes of Joel DeMott the whip smart girlfriend of cinematographer Jeff Kreines who’s hired by a couple of factory workers in the Midwest who want to make a horror film to capitalize on the horror trend at the time. One of the conditions of Jeff taking on the voluntary gig was Joel being able to not only tag along, but being able to document the filmmaking process warts and all, which I just caught at the Philadelphia Film Fest in its new 4K restoration.
The production in question – The Demon Lover, would be Donald G. Jackson’s (Hell Comes to Frogtown) directorial debut which was partially financed by Jackson mortgaging basically everything he owned and his lead getting his finger cut off in a “workplace accident” at the factory they both work. Donald is trying to shoot the film while on sick leave, but after his job starts spotting the press he’s doing for his as yet unreleased film, his employment also comes into question. So you have that, and the turbulent production due to disorganization, poor planning and a cast and crew consisting mostly of unpaid friends and girlfriends, who can’t act or be bothered to have things prepped for the shoot.
Tempers flare as expected with things coming to a heated conclusion at the home of Ted Nugent, of all people, who lends some very real firearms to the indie production. While Labor of Love was simply a document of the chaos, here there’s a more clear distinction between Jeff, Joel and their friend, who came along for sound and the sheer inept partners in this endeavor. It’s less an unraveling and more a powder keg whose fuse burns through the film’s runtime. It’s also an interesting snapshot of how little has changed as far as the patriarchy as those around Joel continually treat the person who’s literally making a movie by herself, as someone less than.
What makes Diary such a great watch is it was produced before there was any real awareness as to what this footage could or would become, so there’s little to no filter on its subjects. It also works because of Joel and Jeff at the core of the film who give the audience some footing in the story – both appear relatable and normal compared to the Demon Lover crew who are already celebrating and riding high on a film that may never see competition. Spoiler alert, it shockingly was completed but sold as a horror spoof, unlike the horror masterpiece the director proclaims they are making, over and over again.
While lesser quality versions exist out there, seeing this gorgeous new restoration off the 16mm source definitely presents a clearer and more detailed vision for the first time. The film functions not only as a documentary, but a time capsule of a time where pointing a camera and hitting record wasn’t enough, and that’s the sole barrier keeping Jackson from shooting the film himself. Demon Lover Diary is a masterclass of what NOT to do in filmmaking, and a scathing and anxiety-inducing snapshot of a troubled production that proves reality is sometimes better than fiction.
