dougdoepke
Neither the best of horror films nor the worst. Viewers expecting a traditional narrative will be disappointed. The story is told indirectly such that demands beyond the ordinary are indeed made. Instead of building the story conventionally from one scene to the next, essential plot elements are scattered throughout; at the same time, with some narrative help, it's left to the viewer to assemble them. Not surprisingly, the effort can be both puzzling as the elements unfold and rewarding as they come together. By and large, I think the technique works, though some patience is required.It's a good thing the filmmakers know they're challenging the audience. As a result, they position horror images throughout in order to keep audience interest. The girl's sudden appearance before the speeding car, the sword-wielding horseman, the dripping "blood" on the kissing couple—are arresting and well done. They should be, because in my book, at least, way too much time is spent on Strother Martin's satanic mumbo-jumbo. These are static scenes bordering on parody and padding. Then too, the grisly morgue cadavers are neither well done nor necessary. Imagination can sometimes fill in the blanks more powerfully, as the great Val Lewton well understood, e.g. Cat People (1942).WARNING spoiler ahead: The ending hasn't been commented on, but it's a surprising one, given movie conventions, especially from the earlier studio era. The "rescuers" unexpectedly arrive too late. Transmigration of souls from the old to the young has already occurred. The fade-out is abrupt. But I think it's safe to infer that the angelic-looking youngsters now possess satanic souls, and the relieved adults won't suspect. In my book, it's a really sinister and disturbing upshot. With a little more work, this little indie could have qualified as a genuine sleeper.
JoeKarlosi
A rather interesting early-seventies curio, with Strother Martin playing a western small-town doctor who heads a satanic cult in his spare time. This group of devil worshipers mainly consist of senior citizens, and they have a vested interest in corrupting young children to commit acts of violence and to achieve immortality through them. It's unfortunate that, as the film plays, its intentions are not very clearly laid out, and this is a bit more muddled than it should be. But it's engaging enough, with quite a spectacle of an ending. Seeing an overwrought Strother Martin getting totally into his role as a tyrannical coven leader is a treat in itself. **1/2 out of ****
imbluzclooby
Diabolic forces wreak havoc in a small New Mexico town. A young widower and his pretty new bride and eight year old daughter travel through and unwittingly get drawn into this convoluted world of fear. They cannot escape it's lair and all the towns people are equally weird and possessed by some dark spirit. This is definitely budget horror from the early 1970's. Characters are from a rural background and are played with backward and vapid mentalities. Weird things happen in these small towns and Hollywood understood that long before it became common knowledge. I grew up near the Mojave Desert where there have been numerous accounts of Satanic worshippers practicing their rituals in the Lucerne valley. Oh yes, these things are not always fiction, they exist.This is a good, creepy little gem that will scare you into submission.Watch and enjoy.
Coventry
This totally odd-ball feature is a typical and prime example of satanically shocking 70's horror. The events are thoroughly confusing and it takes up quite a while before you figure out what the hell is going on, but the brooding atmosphere sucks you in immediately. Right from the indescribably bizarre intro, showing a couple of eerie children turning toys into real-life war machinery, you just know this become an uncompromising and gritty shocker. "Brotherhood of Satan" soon appears to be another installment in the alleged & unofficial "creepy little town hiding a dark secret" sub genre. A young widower, traveling with his new yummy girlfriend and 8-year-old daughter, stops in a remote little town to report a car accident they witnessed on a nearby highway. The villagers behave very hostile and insist the visitors on leaving right away. The town clearly bathes in an ambiance of fear and panic, as local children vanish inexplicably vanished and unnatural forces maintain everyone within the boundaries of town. Hillsboro is in the grip of a satanic cult, apparently ruled by the elderly members of the community. I really liked "Brotherhood of Satan" a lot. The story reminded me of a novel written by John Saul, but I can't remember the title. It also dealt with a cult of elderly people abusing youthful villagers for their own greedy merits. The film mainly relies on creepy scenery (like dolls and witchcraft relics) but a slightly more involving and coherent screenplay would have been nice. The subject matter often raises a lot of issues and questions, and director Bernard McEveety can't always provide us with answers. The climax is terrific, very seventies (meaning shocking) and unforgettable. Beautifully shot film, too.
AD
