Starring: Strother Martin, L. Q. Jones, Charles Bateman,
Ahna Capri, Charles Robinson, Alvy Moore, Geri Reischl
Plot: A family is trapped in a desert town by a cult of senior-citizens who recruit the town's children to worship Satan.
My Review and Thoughts:
A wild classic Drive-in film of Satan Worship, old people and demented possessed killer kids. A fun watch of an old school setting. This 1971 low budget horror film is a perfect example of late night fare of ghoul hosted mayhem. Written, produced and yes starring L. Q. Jones. A legend in the world of cinema starring in many films by the iconic legend Director, the one and only Sam Peckinpah. A stable in the bad guy and character actor role. He seemed to own the 70’s and 80’s appearing in countless films. He also was a writer and producer for many films. His most notable acting role in a film is the classic masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). He also directed and adapted the screen play for the cult film A Boy and his Dog (1975). He was one of those actors you might not know his name but you know his face and that is the reality he holds.
Brotherhood of Satan is one those films that grows on you after watching it for a few times. It’s low budget and yes a little cheesy but it tends to do what it needs to do after several viewings. It latches on and creates a cult status or guilty pleasure persona. Directed by Bernard McEveety who was famous for directing a lot of TV including the show Combat. He was also involved in another cult film The Return of Dracula. He had his talent in the likes of all the great 80’s shows like In the Heat of the Night, Airwolf, Knight Rider, The Fall Guy, Buck Rogers, Incredible Hulk, Dukes of Hazard. On an interesting side note his son Stephen McEveety is a well known producer in Hollywood with such films as Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ.
I think the stand out acting performance has to go to Strother Martin who plays the Doc and ringleader of the Satan Worshippers. His performance is wild and truly over the top and twisted in all its low budget glory. Now Martin and L.Q. Jones where best friends and appeared together many times.
Martin was also a regular in Sam Peckinpah’s films and also was a major character actor alongside many huge actors such as John Wayne. He was another one of those actors you don’t know his name but you know his face when you see him and say, “oh yeah that guy.” I think many die-hard cinema lovers will know him from uttering the famous dialogue in Cool Hand Luke: "What we've got here is failure to communicate." He was a master at playing a villain. He had the look and the ultimate voice to ace the part of whatever he was acting in. He starred in the iconic film Who Shot Liberty Valance as truly a memorable character Floyd. He was a master talent in many films from The Wild Bunch, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, True Grit and just so much more. I loved him as the Satan worshiping, kidnapping crazy man in The Brotherhood of Satan. His performance was something to remember and to view over and over again. Now I do have to pinpoint him in three of the cult films. He acted in the great film, Slap Stick, alongside Paul Newman. He would play the character Arnold Stoner in the wild and crazy Up in Smoke. My personal favorite besides The Brotherhood of Satan is 1973’s SSSSSSS I am such a wonderful sucker for that film.
This also has a bunch of children. There is really only one still actively acting today and that’s Jonathan Erickson Eisley. He is simply known as a child in the credits to the film. He has been acting ever since. The Brotherhood of Satan was his first film. He would not act again until 1990 roughly 19 years later. Since 1990 he has been a steady actor in TV and films, garnering over 50 performances. Something I love to do is check up on the actors in old films and see what they done and so I found The Brotherhood of Satan to be very entertaining in researching where is everyone now. Most have passed away or this day in age do not act anymore.
Interesting to note is the witches in this film or followers of Satan are basically acting veterans. The ones just listed as Witches in the credits have over a combined total of 278 acting performances. Only one of the titled Witch hasn’t ever acted before or after The Brotherhood of Satan. The biggest actor in the Witches department would go to Anthony Jochim who was a truly gifted actor and all around character actor in many roles from movie to TV. From 1952’s The Jazz Singer to Star Trek, he was always a side part of the films and was most of the time un-credited in his role as a stand in or side character. He played many parts in the Perry Mason TV series and many other characters in TV series The Virginian. He is just one more little character actor that The Brotherhood of Satan houses in it’s vast performers.
This also stars another veteran of acting Judith McConnell who is still acting today. Many will know her from her long successful career on day time soap operas. She has graced such shows as General Hospital, Santa Barbara. Classic television buffs will know her from The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres. She is most recently starring in the sequel to Purge, The Purge: Anarchy (2014). Also starring Helene Winston who was a long time character actor and veteran of the screen by time she acted in The Brotherhood of Satan. She is remembered most for the TV show King of Kensington (1975–1980). Another one of the biggest actors in The Brotherhood of Satan would be Alvy Moore who was a producer, director and actor. Starring in over 140 performances. He was in the Original Sci-fi Classic The War of the Worlds. Starring in many films such as Riot in Cell Block 11, There’s No Business Like Show Business, Screaming Eagles. Also starring in many TV series such as The Twilight Zone, Dennis the Menace, Wagon Train, Perry Mason, Gun Smoke and also, was a long running character on shows like Death Valley Days, Burkes Law, Green Acres, Little House on the Prairie. Also had a part in L.Q. Jones A Boy and His Dog. I remember him as the voice of Grandpa Little in the animated series The Little’s from 83-85. Debi Storm also has apart in The Brotherhood of Satan. Storm starred in one of my favorite masterpiece films 65’s A Patch of Blue and also acted in many TV series but seemed to drop out of acting after 1979. She did act in the ultra drive-in B-movie classic Village of the Giants. Joyce Easton also stars in The Brotherhood of Satan, many will remember her as the character Katherine Bellaver in Brain De Palma’s The Fury
There are so many characters actors in this film such as Charles Robinson. He played in many TV series and films. From characters in the long running The F.B.I. 65-73, Emergency 74-76. One of his last performances was in the Jim Carrey Dark Comedy Cable Guy in 1996 playing the character of Steven’s Lawyer. Another performer in The Brotherhood of Satan is Ahni Capri who started acting in 1956 and acted her why all the way to the 90’s in many performances. Was a regular character in all the big wig shows of the 50’s and 60’s. Was a reoccurring character in thee TV show 1962’s Room For One More and 1960-1962’s The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Also starring in the ultra drive-in midnight b-movie classic 1972’s Piranha. Was in Bruce Lee’s 1972 classic Enter the Dragon. She was stunningly beautiful and a truly vibrant actress that owned her parts and created persona's to her characters that stand out. Her beauty was a golden ticket to anything she ever did. Sadly she stopped acting in 1998 and passed away at the very young age of 66 in 2010. A true shame and she will forever be missed in cinema history. The Brotherhood of Satan seemed to star so many character actors or true veterans of the craft. Charles Bateman played the character of Ben in The Brotherhood of Satan. He was a long running gifted actor through the 50’s and 60’s all the way up to the 90’s. His first reoccurring TV role was in the detective show Manhunt in 1959 starring as the character Detective George Peters. From shows like Lassie to Perry Mason to the reoccurring character in Two Faces West from 60 to 61. He was a performer that created his character in away that built on the viewer and was able to remember him. But his shinning role that he will be remembered by most is the character of C.C. Capwell in the long running Santa Barbara.
Something I think that is ultimately funny is when you went to see this movie at the theater you got a packet of Satan Seeds. It was an envelope with the logo on the movie containing two seeds. Those seeds where suppose to protect you from Satan and his evil witchcraft.
This is a prime example of the classic Drive-in B-Movies of the 70's and 80's. A fun wild and truly cheesy at times exploration of the idea and darkness of Satan and his worshippers. I Love this movie and adventure into it often at least once a year. It's old-school late night ghoul hosted horror fun in my viewpoint and is one of those films that leave a lasting mark.
A fun wild cheesy Drive-In B-Movie. Pop the popcorn and let the worshipping begin.
This is a prime example of the classic Drive-in B-Movies of the 70's and 80's. A fun wild and truly cheesy at times exploration of the idea and darkness of Satan and his worshippers. I Love this movie and adventure into it often at least once a year. It's old-school late night ghoul hosted horror fun in my viewpoint and is one of those films that leave a lasting mark.
A fun wild cheesy Drive-In B-Movie. Pop the popcorn and let the worshipping begin.