FILM REVIEW: THE BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN (1971)
Directed by Bernard McEveety
Written by Sean MacGregor & William Welch
Starring Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones, Alvy Moore, Charles Bateman, Ahna Capri, Charles Robinson
Tagline: THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS ARISES FROM THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH!
While driving through the American Southwest, widower Ben (Bateman), his young daughter K.T., and girlfriend Nicky (Capri) come upon a horrific body-strewn car accident on the road. They rush to the nearby desert town of Hillsboro to alert the sheriff (Jones)… only to be greeted by suspicion and hostility. The couple soon learns that the whole town is being held in a grip of fear and paranoia because of several recent murders, numerous missing children, and the inability of anyone to physically leave Hillsboro.
It’s gradually revealed that a coven of Satanists is at work in the area, using supernatural means to control the kids of the town for some malevolent purpose, and do away with anyone who gets in their way. Apparently neither the sheriff, the local doctor (Martin), nor the town priest know who is behind these incidents or how to stop them… and when Ben’s daughter K.T. suddenly goes missing, the unspeakable truth behind the Satanists’ agenda is uncovered.
-------------------------
THE BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN manages to perfectly capture that unique vibe and atmosphere of 70s horror that is just impossible to recreate today, although modern filmmakers have often tried. It’s a particular sense of dread and menace, a feeling of vague detachment and hopelessness, but never forced or overdone. Things just feel… off.
And despite being shot mostly in humid, sundrenched daylight, there’s an aura of darkness and death that permeates the very film grain of the movie. Sometimes it’s just a look exchanged between characters, a silent pause, or a lingering shot on a blank-faced child.
The script has no fat or unnecessary tangents, and, very importantly, never over-explains things! There are some truly surreal set pieces involving children’s toys being used as instruments of murder by the Satanists. As a viewer, one is often baffled and jarred by what is happening in these scenes, but this just adds to the sinister mood. Like the characters in the film, WE feel helpless, confused and unnerved.
Performance-wise, the two leads of Ben and Nicky may be just a tad bland, but they’re really just ciphers for the audience as they’re pulled deeper and deeper into the evil plot. L.Q. Jones is convincing as the in-over-his-head sheriff who’s pretty much given up hope for his town, and Alvy Moore is fun as a dim but likable local who attributes the strange happenings to UFOs.
But the real star of this film no doubt is Strother Martin. There are numerous horror movies featuring zealous coven leaders of Satanic cults, but Martin’s Doc Duncan is in a class by itself. Martin is so fervent and menacing in the role, that when he berates and dishes out punishment to a coven member who has fallen out of favor with the group, you’re really afraid for the poor woman. Even when chewing the scenery, Martin is completely believable and very frightening. THE BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN is already a finely crafted, slow burn creepfest, but Martin’s performance elevates the film considerably, making it a worthy drive-in companion to ROSEMARY’S BABY.
FRIGHT FACT
Actors L.Q. Jones (known mostly for western roles) and Alvy Moore (Hank Kimball on TV’s GREEN ACRES) were also producers on the film, having formed their own production company in the mid-60s. In addition to THE BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN, they also produced the effective horror flick THE WITCHMAKER in 1969, and the 1975 subversive cult favorite A BOY AND HIS DOG, based on the Harlan Ellison novel and directed by Jones.
If you’re a classic horror fan, this is a must-see example of the kind of unsettling, downbeat horror that the 70s decade did so well. The film is available on blu-ray from a number of superior labels, including Arrow Video and Mill Creek Entertainment. Satan commands you to watch!
Click on the poster art and pics below…
Shawn
Coven Member #666
