The Brotherhood of Satan
A coven seeks immortality by transferring souls into children.
The Brotherhood of Satan is a 1971 American supernatural horror film directed by Bernard McEveety and produced by L. Q. Jones and Alvy Moore. The story follows a widower and his family who encounter a California town where a Satanist coven kidnaps children to transfer their own souls into the children's bodies for immortality. The film is notable for its consultation with Anton LaVey and its promotional gimmick of giving away seed packets to theatergoers.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Bernard McEveety
- Producer
- L. Q. Jones; Alvy Moore
- Writer
- William Welch
- Story
- Sean MacGregor
- Starring
- Strother Martin
- L. Q. Jones
- Ahna Capri
- Music
- Jaime Mendoza-Nava
- Cinematography
- John Arthur Morrill
- Editing
- Marvin Walowitz
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Widowed Ben Holden, his young daughter K. T., and his girlfriend Nicky are driving through the California desert when they spot a smoldering car with human remains on a sharp curve. Ben reports the incident in the nearby town of Hillsboro, but the sheriff, Pete, attacks him while residents watch from their homes. Pete releases Ben, and the family flees. Unbeknownst to them, 26 townspeople have died violently in three days, and many children have vanished. Pete, deputy Tobey, and Dr. Duncan find the wreckage and discover that the missing boy Timmy is a local. Ben crashes his car after a girl appears in the road, forcing the family to return to Hillsboro on foot. That night, resident Ed Meadows and his wife Mildred are killed by a doll that comes to life. At the abandoned Barry house, Dr. Duncan leads a coven of elderly witches in a ceremony where entranced children stand on pedestals, awaiting soul transfer. Ed's children Stuart and Phyllis are escorted to the house by other children. Ben, Nicky, and K. T. find the Meadows corpses and stay at Pete's home, where Dr. Duncan visits. The town's Catholic priest, Jack, researches devil worship and notes the prevalence of children in the literature. Nicky has a nightmare. In the morning, Ben borrows Pete's car, but a flat tire strands them at the edge of town, and K. T. vanishes from the backseat.
Production
L. Q. Jones wrote the script after researching witchcraft at the UCLA Library. Filming took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in August 1969, with additional shooting in Hillsboro, New Mexico, and Hollywood, California. Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, was consulted to design the altar but said he was brought in too late to change the extravagant altar already built. The film's original title was Come In, Children, which Jones preferred over The Brotherhood of Satan. Jones described the film as different from typical monster pictures, with some blood but no silver bullets, crosses, or stakes, and an ambiguous ending.
Release
Columbia Pictures premiered The Brotherhood of Satan at the Colonial Theatre in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1971, where it screened for at least two weeks as a test market. Jones appeared at a screening and meet-and-greet in Scranton on June 16, 1971. The theatrical release expanded in the northeastern United States before a wide release in the U.S. and Ontario, Canada, on August 6, 1971. As a promotional gimmick, ticket buyers received packets of seeds with the film's logo, with instructions claiming the seeds could protect from the Brotherhood's black magic. The film was released on VHS in 1986 by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, on DVD in 2002 by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, and on Blu-ray in 2013 by Mill Creek Entertainment as a double feature with Mr. Sardonicus. Arrow Films re-released it as a standalone Blu-ray in 2021.
Reception
Roger Greenspun of The New York Times noted some wonderfully spooky scenes but called the brotherhood a dismal black-magic golden-age club. Ann Guarino of the New York Daily News gave the film two-and-a-half out of four stars, criticizing the screenplay as illogical. Jeanne Miller of the San Francisco Examiner praised the pacing and production values as unusually well-made for the genre but found the exploitation of children more unnerving than exciting. Sam Hoffman of The Republican lamented the dull script and singled out Strother Martin as the only worthwhile actor, while praising the cinematography for capturing gore and rituals in color. Gordon Stoneham of The Ottawa Citizen called it a low-budget but effective demonic thriller. Martin Malina of The Montreal Star commended the performances of Martin, Jones, and Moore, and noted several highly imaginative scenes that justify the price of admission. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 13% approval rating based on eight reviews, with an average rating of 4.4/10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in The Brotherhood of Satan?
The Brotherhood of Satan stars Strother Martin, L. Q. Jones and Ahna Capri.
Who composed the music for The Brotherhood of Satan?
The music for The Brotherhood of Satan was composed by Jaime Mendoza-Nava.
Who wrote The Brotherhood of Satan?
The Brotherhood of Satan was written by William Welch.
How long is The Brotherhood of Satan?
The Brotherhood of Satan has a running time of 92 minutes.
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