Legacy of Satan (1974) User Reviews

Short and Satanic

[BandSAboutMovies · 3/10 · 6 October 2018]

This film was originally intended to be a hardcore movie, but he saw it as a mainstream opportunity and decided to turn the film into a straight-up horror film. That said, that opportunity may have been suggested by producer Lou Parish, better known as Louis "Butchie" Peraino, a member of the Colombo crime family).

Shot on a tight budget and starring unknown actors, the film briefly ran in theaters before becoming part of a grindhouse double bill with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Blood (one assumes that Bryanston Distributing Company, which had rumored mob ties, had something to do with that).

Other than Sarah Peabody from Last House on the Left, who plays a cult member, there's nobody recognizable in this tale of Maya, a young woman who a Satanic cult has picked to be their new leader. Fantasies overtake her daily existence, synthesizers play at the right time and everyone wears some wonderful 70's clothes.

There are dream sequences, photos are burned between a woman's thighs, a glowing sword appears, we witness a black mass, there are portentous (and pretentious) speeches and lots of gorgeous colors. But it's all a mess. While filmed in 1972, it wasn't released until much later. And Damiano would bring another better and more Satanic film - The Devil in Ms. Jones - to raincoaters soon.

Despite the budget, this movie looks way better than it should. There are a lot of gorgeous people on display but they really don't do much for the hour plus running time.

Damiano sans porn but still with Satan

[jaibo · 5/10 · 16 March 2009]

Apparently, Deep Throat director Gerard Damiano's only non-XXX film was shot with hardcore sequences, but the distributor decided to cut them out and release the film as a regular Grindhouse horror (it played in a double bill with Andy Milligan's Blood); this goes some way to explaining the film's truncated running time (barely 70 mins), haphazard plotting and naff acting. Yet despite the film's shortcomings, it is worth catching as it makes the case that Damiano was a considerable visual stylist, a fine editor and an auteur in possession of a somewhat depressing worldview which runs through much of his work.

Legacy of Satan tells the story of a sexually repressed housewife who is targeted by a group of Satanists, who worship a Satan called Rakeesh; the louche bunch of wealthy degenerates put the voodoo on her, and soon she's lying in her previously frigid marital bed with her snatch burning up the sheets. A friend, who happens to be a member of the sect, invites her and her husband to a fancy dress party at the Satanists' pad, and our heroine is inducted into a world of wickedness. The husband, dressed as Harlequin, attempts to save her with what looks to be a light sabre (did Lucas see this?!) but wifey by this time has gone over to the dark side, and colludes in hubby's bumping off. Yet the wages of sin is death, in this case a disfiguring skin cancer which melts the face of the head Satanist and finally infects our lady heroine.

The idea that repressed white-bread ladies harbour devilish lusts inside them was explored more fully, and effectively, in Damiano's The Devil in Miss Jones; as in that film, the heroine is punished for her transgressions but we're not left feeling that good has triumphed, just that the end of sexual freedom is exhaustion and, in this case, disease. There's something of a prophecy of AIDS in the skin cancer, which makes Damiano not just the pusher but the Jeremiah of 70s decadence.

In terms of the film's look, the director and his cinematographer do a fine job on a limited budget – the shots are effectively composed, with a fine use of bleeding psychedelic colours and atmospheric lighting. There's a particularly hallucinatory sequence where the heroine runs through the mansion which has an Alice in Wonderland, or rather Middleton's Through the Looking Glass, feel about it. Best of all is the relentless electronic score by Arlon Ober and Mel Zelniker, at times mere spooky clichés but at others reaching almost Throbbing Gristle-like proportions of intensity. Damiano, unfortunately, writes pretty wretched dialogue then lumbers himself with actors who deliver his lines like a school play – but Legacy of Satan is, especially for the first 50 minutes, a weird and intense experience with a genuinely malevolent air; it feels like it's been somewhere near Satan, which is some kind of achievement I suppose.

If you have the DVD which is part of the Blood Bath 2 collection and are watching on a widecreen TV, zoom in and watch it in 16:9, as Damiano clearly shot it on 16mm expecting it to be blown up and cropped, and it's an open matte print used on the DVD; Damiano's framing in this ratio never looks less than intriguing.

An occult curiosity that lacks any skin

[Stevieboy666 · 5/10 · 30 September 2019]

A New York couple are lured to a masked party, held at the large house of an evil occultist who has set his sights on the wife. Very low budget, bad acting and a plot that could be written on a postage stamp this ticks the boxes for viewers seeking 1970's grindhouse trash. One of the movie's strongest points is the ever present, eerie synth score. This combines well with several surreal, nightmare like sequences. Some of the make up is OK too. Two things that I didn't like are - 1 - no nudity, which was unusuall for black magic films from this decade, and 2 - despite the title I never once heard the name "Satan" get a mention, instead some Lord Rakeesh, or something, is the demon to which the cult is dedicated. A name that I am not familiar with. Yes, this is trashy but it is still far more enjoyable that most of the horror movies being churned out in the 21st Century.

Missing the XXX factor.

[BA_Harrison · 2/10 · 9 February 2014]

Bored architect turned devil worshipper Arthur (James Procter) lures sexually frustrated housewife Maya (Lisa Christian) into the bosom of a Satanic cult who believe that a union between her and their malevolent leader, Dr. Muldavo (John Francis), is the key to incredible Satanic powers. Maya's hubby George (Paul Barry) has other ideas and, dressed as a jester, uses a magical glowing sword to infect Muldavo's face with a life-sapping omelette.

According to another reviewer here on IMDb, Legacy of Satan, directed by Gerard Damiano of Deep Throat fame, is rumoured to have begun life as a hardcore feature, but was trimmed of its explicit sexual content to make it suitable for release as part of a grind-house double-bill; it's not all that hard to believe, the film definitely having the look and feel of a 70s porno—all grainy cinematography, trippy visuals, and lo-fi synth music, with a decadent, sexually charged atmosphere, a nonsensical plot, and an untalented cast of complete unknowns. The film's short running time and choppy editing also go a long way to support the theory.

However, if there was ever a XXX version, it has long since vanished into the mists of time, and all we have been left with is this dreadfully boring, shambolic wreck of a film, a Satanic horror with no tension, no scares and very little blood. Clearly Damiano considered himself something of an artist, and did his best to bring a hallucinatory beauty to the film through the use of coloured light and strong shadow, but his handling was way too heavy-handed to be effective, the result being a garish mess as opposed to a stunningly creative piece of cinema. Arlon Ober and Mel Zelniker's experimental electronic score proves to be just as much an assault on the ears as Damiano's visuals are on the eyes.

Not Too Much Here

[Michael_Elliott · 7 October 2015]

Legacy of Sat (1974)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

A bored housewife (Lisa Christian) doesn't have much going on in her life until a Satan worshiper decides she'd make the perfect leader for their cult. Soon the woman is dealing with all sorts of weird visions but her husband isn't going to just let the cult take her over without a fight.

Gerard Damiano, best known for DEEP THROAT, directed this rather weird film that has pretty much been forgotten over the years except for those who enjoy seeking out the various "Satan" pictures from the decade. This one here was rumored to have been more explicit at some point but I'm not certain there's any actual proof that it was. Perhaps in the pre-production stages it was discussed but there's nothing evident here to think it was ever shot that way.

The biggest problem with this film is that nothing ever really happens. The wife pretty much does nothing except walk around and have various visions and none of them are that shocking, disturbing and they're certainly not scary. I'm really not sure what Damiano was going for because there's no gore so that rules out any shock value. There's no violence so that's another strike against the picture. There's not really any sexuality so there's nothing erotic going on. I'm not sure if he was just trying to create a psychedelic piece of art but that doesn't happen either.

LEGACY OF Satan is mildly entertaining in a silly way and especially if you like low-budget movies that deal with this subject. Fans of that subgenre will want to check this out but all others can find much better movies out there.

awful!

[babeulous · 1/10 · 4 March 2000]

This movie looks and sounds like a home movie, except longer and more tedious. The lighting is amazingly bad. Characters' heads cast shadows on other characters' faces a lot. Impressively bad all-synthesizer score. The vampire wears a 1970s pink ruffled shirt and everybody has 1970s hair. But the editing has got to be the worst of the lot. There are long pauses between the lines of dialog. Characters pause and stare at each other or at their own feet for long periods, then hold perfectly still while they recite their lines. Between that and the muffled sound track it's difficult to follow the story. After an hour of utter tedium, there is a silly fight scene which begins when the hero shows up with a toy sword with a glowing blade.

If you were looking for a picture that's so bad there's amusement value in it, _Plan 9 from Outer Space_ would be a better choice.

Check out IMDB's list of the director's other work.

Very limited

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 13 March 2018]

LEGACY OF SATAN is a typically poor independent US horror flick from the 1970s. It's about a Satanic cult of women who hang around in a creepy old basement wearing gothic dresses. As with many witchcraft-themed films of this era, the plot sees them 'curse' an innocent young woman who is subsequently possessed by the Devil. Her partner becomes disturbed by her new bizarre behaviour and things get more and more weird until the eventual climax. With languid pacing and poor production values, LEGACY OF SATAN is best viewed as a curio alone. The acting is as amateurish as you'd expect from the unknown cast and the attempts at atmosphere-building simply don't work very well. The end result is a film which is difficult to sit through beause it feels so tame, drawn-out, and dull.

mildly interesting, especially for nostalgia buffs

[thomandybish-15114 · 4/10 · 2 January 2020]

I viewed this on Tubi, which is the kind of place you'd find movies of this ilk. Seventies exploitation to be sure, with all the baggage that that moniker entails. There's a wisp of a narrative, something about a housewife being selected by a devil-worshipping cult to be their queen. Attractive cast, especially lead actress Linda Christian, who capably handles the material, such as it is--and The Philadelphia Story it ain't! Since this was filmed in 1972, we get the usual barrage of groovy fashions and home furnishings, a treat for fans of retro stuff. The synth score is a double-edged sword, irritating in some scenes, but rather atmospheric in others, particularly the black mass scenes. These scenes are probably the most compelling in the whole film. Over-ripe monologues, moody lighting, and the previously mentioned score (augmented by some eerie Gregorian chants) all make for some effective viewing. The DP and cinematographer both must have had a purple fetish, because there are several scenes where that particular color is emphasized. Maybe the director was shooting for an art film aesthetic, with some of the kooky angles, shooting a dialogue scene through the gauzy veil of a poster bed, etc. Looks great in the Code Red transfer, and doesn't overstay it's welcome

Nothing could have saved this horrid film

[abduktionsphanomen471 · 4/10 · 26 January 2022]

Legacy Of Satan - 1974 ( This Film Rates an F ) Set in New York City in the 1970's. A group of satanic cult members have chosen a woman (Maya) to be their new queen. They enjoy bloodletting and consuming blood from those willing and unwilling alike. They engage in rituals to capture Maya and she starts to have bloody and erotic dreams. She feels "different" but is unable to explain how. The husband (George) tries to understand these changes but is bewildered and frustrated by her erratic behaviors. The couple are invited to a costume party by a friend (arranged by Dr. Muldavo - a friend of a friend) where transportation and the costumes are supplied by the host. Once at this party they are escorted to a room to change into the respective costumes. At 40:30 Maya and George drink wine which immediately entrances them into what looks like a psychedelic experience. It was completely laughable. She makes her way downstairs where everyone is gathered and waiting for her. Every single one of them giddy from the blood drinking and chanting Maya's name. Dr. Muldavo courts the future queen even further. Maya soon learns how deep this all goes but remains helpless and powerless until George comes to the rescue with the help of one jealous satanists. He wields a lighted sword. Dr. Muldavo is injured as a result and requires large amounts of blood to survive. George and Maya try to escape but it's all for naught and Maya is already the queen, a wicked queen who does not take no for an answer. The 70's synth soundtrack was a bit too loud and repetitive and some of the transitions from scene to scene were a bit cut and rough. The gore is extremely minimal and there was no effort to show any. The acting is borderline but some of the stunts reminded me of a high school play. But even decent acting and good gore effects could not save this horrid film. Even at 70 minutes Legacy of Satan is still too long.

Interesting. Watchable. Not scary.

[goldenarrow-99823 · 4/10 · 29 March 2018]

Very odd film.

Enjoyable. Trippy. Leisurely (even at 69 minutes) but not even slightly scary.

There's something engaging about Maya that I can't quite put my finger on; Perhaps it's the magical influence hanging over her. Perhaps it's her potential to take the army of darkness onwards into the future. Or perhaps it's her amazing bone structure and resemblance to Annette Haven in 'V The Hot One' which I found under my Dad's bed when I was a kid and who formed the basis for many of my teenage fantasies...

Eternal torment is watching this movie.

[mark.waltz · 1/10 · 22 October 2020]

You'll need to turn the volume on this a cult movie down. Way down, because otherwise you will have a headache 20 minutes into it with the bad sound and long drawn-out music chords that is like on an organ stuck on one note until someone pulls the plug. It is cheap because they obviously shot it in one of the financier's homes, and obviously they put out a nonunion casting call. When the grinding organ stops, they overdo the xylophone banging, all the while discussing why those who firmly believe in the Christian religion should also believe in the devil. Even in not taking its devil worship story seriously, I could tell right off that the film just had ugly intentions, one note characters and an outlandish story that should have been retitled "Rosemary's Afterbirth". Hideous and unwatchable in every way.

Gerard Damino and the Mob Go Mainstream

[arfdawg-1 · 2/10 · 3 January 2023]

What a weird movie all around.

First of all it is produced by Bryanston Pictures which in the 70's was run by three or four Colombo mobsters!

Next, Gerard Damino, the famous porn director wrote and directed this movie, which is not a porn movie at all. It's fairly mainstream.

Maybe he should have stuck to what he did best because this movie just isnt very good. Surprisingly, the acting isnt horrible it's the story and the verly methodical slow directing that brings any action to a crawl.

Plus, the movie doesnt know what it wants to be -- a Satanic cult movie or a vampire movie.

Perhaps the worst part of the film is the musical soundtrack. If you can call it musical. It's annoying.

"Here Comes The Booze!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 22 December 2019]

LEGACY OF SATAN opens with a satanic ceremony, complete with a droning synthesizer, and women in enormous, Tammy Wynette hair.

Next, we are introduced to Maya (Lisa Christian) and her male friends, George and Arthur, who are discussing things of a diabolical nature. We soon discover that Maya has an unsatisfying love life. Could this be due to the eeevil Dr. Muldavo (John Francis)? Indeed, Muldavo has big plans for Maya, and enlists Arthur to lure her to a little shindig he's having.

Meanwhile, Muldavo's high priestess (Deborah Horlen) throws a hex in Maya's direction, causing her to get a bit experimental in bed!

At Muldavo's bash, Maya and George are drugged, and the rest is a hallucinatory trip into absurdism. Sort of like watching a soap opera on LSD. More satanic hullabaloo takes place. Monks chant. Muldavo pontificates. Arthur gets naked, except for a strategically-placed black napkin. George somehow acquires a light saber, and Muldavo's face melts off. All while the synthesizer drones on. By this point we're praying for Satan, or anything to simply take us away!

A dull, "psychedelic" take on Satanic horror, LEGACY OF SATAN can still be fun to watch, as long as the viewer has imbibed the proper pre-movie intoxicants...

Modest, but suitably enjoyable

[I_Ailurophile · 5/10 · 4 September 2023]

I've seen some low-budget, low-grade flicks that were surprisingly good, or at least enjoyable, even if they tended toward sheer exploitation. As this one begins it quickly begins to make an impression. Though modest, I do really appreciate aspects like the sets, costume design, hair, and makeup, especially in scenes set among the cultists. The quality of the score is a bit variable, perhaps, but in its most harsh, discordant, or atmospheric moments I rather love it (even when it's curiously repetitive). We're undeniably treated to overacting, but when it comes to horror movies I think that can actually be kind of suitable, and I believe that mostly applies here, too (though not in a few select instances). The same such favor will not be extended in full to the dialogue, which is mostly pretty bad - yet even though the story is simple I think it's engaging and duly compelling; the scene writing also varies in its strength but is reasonably solid.

'Legacy of Satan' is far from great. The editing leaves one to scratch their head at points, and Gerard Damiano's direction is also kind of questionable, not least as some moments are executed too softly or allowed to linger too long. But those few effects that are employed are just fine; the filming locations are swell. This definitely falls on the "fun" side of the genre rather than "scary," and it might be a step too far to even say that it's "sinister" fun. Yet as the brief tale dabbles with Satanism, manipulation, murder, and the like, we get the horror flavors we crave, if maybe not to an extent that's completely satisfying - just enough for a little taste. Many much bigger films have gone far worse with much more; this is troubled, but earnestly entertaining for what it is. And hey, I don't think Damiano or anyone else involved had any illusions about what they were making. Sometimes a fleeting romp is all that a picture needs to be, and this is plenty okay just as it is.

There's no need to go out of your way for this; leave it for something light to whittle away the time on a quiet day. Broadly speaking there's no disputing that this has its faults - even as is it's probably longer than it should have been, truthfully - and the inauthenticity is more glaring at some times more than others. Still, I had a good time watching, and for some titles that can be enough. 'Legacy of Satan' is nothing special, but if you do come across it and are open to features that are less than flawless, this is a decent way to spend seventy minutes.