The Devil’s Gift
Encyclopedia
The Devil's Gift is a 1984 horror film
directed by Kenneth J. Berton. The film's plot is similar to that of the Stephen King
short story "The Monkey
", leading many to believe that the filmmakers plagiarized
the story. In 1996, the film was re-edited as the second story of Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders
, a horror/fantasy film.
to communicate with a dead spirit. When a spirit becomes angry, it manifests itself into a cymbal-banging monkey toy
. The monkey's eyes glow red and uses its cymbals to cause lightning to strike the old woman's house, presumably killing her.
Some time later, David Andrews, a suburban single father, celebrates their young son Michael's ninth birthday. The child receives the monkey from David's girlfriend Susan, who purchased it at an antiques store. The monkey strikes its cymbals on its own accord. Soon after the party, David awakens screaming from a nightmare
in which he found Michael dead in the bathtub. After the household plants die, and the family's dog is mysteriously burned to death in their garage, David suspects the monkey of being behind the events. He notices that it strikes its cymbals together just moments before bad things happen.
David hires Adrienne, a fortune teller, to perform an exorcism
on his home, but does not inform her about the monkey. Adrienne asks him if he has any statues or idols, explaining that demons often possess objects that are seemingly harmless, but use them as an outlet for their satanic
activity. David realizes that the monkey is such an item, and is certain that a demon is in their home. He wants Adrienne to come and do an exorcism immediately. She tells him that she would need to find out more about his situation before she can intervene. She tells him that if it is a demon, she may not be able to help.
David goes to the antiqes store and talks to the clerk, who tells him an odd man brought it to the store the previous week after finding it in the ruins of the old woman's house; the monkey showed no signs of fire damage, causing the clerk to disbelieve the story. Despite this, the clerk tells David about Elmira Johnson's recent death by fire. David doesn't think anything of this. When he arrives home, he finds that Susan has become possessed by the monkey and is trying to drown Michael in the bathtub. He grabs Susan and throws her out of his home, which causes her to sustain a head injury. A neighbor witnesses the incident and calls an ambulance.
David decides to tell Adrienne about the monkey. She tells him she may be able to help. However, she tells him that when a demon
is in contact with one who can see into the future and talk to ghosts, it goes crazy, and that "all hell would break loose" if she stepped foot in his home. She gives him a special necklace
that will protect him from the demon as long as he keeps it in on him at all times. She tells him that he must get rid of the monkey immediately. The boy's father throws the monkey away, but his son rescues it from the garbage and brings it back inside the house. The young boy is then almost hit by a car. The boy's father then takes the monkey and attempts to bury it but it finds its way into the boy's house again. The monkey then winds up causing the violent deaths of the boy and his family.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
directed by Kenneth J. Berton. The film's plot is similar to that of the Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
short story "The Monkey
The Monkey
"The Monkey" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in Gallery magazine in 1980. It was significantly revised and published in King's collection Skeleton Crew in 1985.-Plot summary:...
", leading many to believe that the filmmakers plagiarized
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
the story. In 1996, the film was re-edited as the second story of Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders
Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders
Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders is a 1996 fantasy/horror film directed by Kenneth J. Berton. The film stars Ernest Borgnine, who plays a grandfather telling his grandson a story about the wizard Merlin opening up a store in modern-day America...
, a horror/fantasy film.
Plot
In the opening scene, an elderly woman, Elmira Johnson, uses a Ouija boardOuija Board
Ouija Board is a Thoroughbred mare racehorse owned by Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby and trained by Ed Dunlop. In a career spanning four seasons, she won 10 of her 22 races, 7 of them Group 1s, including the Epsom Oaks in 2004 and the Hong Kong Vase in 2005...
to communicate with a dead spirit. When a spirit becomes angry, it manifests itself into a cymbal-banging monkey toy
Cymbal-banging monkey toy
A cymbal-banging monkey toy is a mechanical depiction of a monkey holding a cymbal in each hand. When activated it repeatedly bangs its cymbals together and, in some cases, bobs its head, chatters, grins, does flips, and more...
. The monkey's eyes glow red and uses its cymbals to cause lightning to strike the old woman's house, presumably killing her.
Some time later, David Andrews, a suburban single father, celebrates their young son Michael's ninth birthday. The child receives the monkey from David's girlfriend Susan, who purchased it at an antiques store. The monkey strikes its cymbals on its own accord. Soon after the party, David awakens screaming from a nightmare
Nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
in which he found Michael dead in the bathtub. After the household plants die, and the family's dog is mysteriously burned to death in their garage, David suspects the monkey of being behind the events. He notices that it strikes its cymbals together just moments before bad things happen.
David hires Adrienne, a fortune teller, to perform an exorcism
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
on his home, but does not inform her about the monkey. Adrienne asks him if he has any statues or idols, explaining that demons often possess objects that are seemingly harmless, but use them as an outlet for their satanic
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
activity. David realizes that the monkey is such an item, and is certain that a demon is in their home. He wants Adrienne to come and do an exorcism immediately. She tells him that she would need to find out more about his situation before she can intervene. She tells him that if it is a demon, she may not be able to help.
David goes to the antiqes store and talks to the clerk, who tells him an odd man brought it to the store the previous week after finding it in the ruins of the old woman's house; the monkey showed no signs of fire damage, causing the clerk to disbelieve the story. Despite this, the clerk tells David about Elmira Johnson's recent death by fire. David doesn't think anything of this. When he arrives home, he finds that Susan has become possessed by the monkey and is trying to drown Michael in the bathtub. He grabs Susan and throws her out of his home, which causes her to sustain a head injury. A neighbor witnesses the incident and calls an ambulance.
David decides to tell Adrienne about the monkey. She tells him she may be able to help. However, she tells him that when a demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
is in contact with one who can see into the future and talk to ghosts, it goes crazy, and that "all hell would break loose" if she stepped foot in his home. She gives him a special necklace
Necklace
A necklace is an article of jewellery which is worn around the neck. Necklaces are frequently formed from a metal jewellery chain. Others are woven or manufactured from cloth using string or twine....
that will protect him from the demon as long as he keeps it in on him at all times. She tells him that he must get rid of the monkey immediately. The boy's father throws the monkey away, but his son rescues it from the garbage and brings it back inside the house. The young boy is then almost hit by a car. The boy's father then takes the monkey and attempts to bury it but it finds its way into the boy's house again. The monkey then winds up causing the violent deaths of the boy and his family.