By Geno McGahee
When I was very young there was a scene in a movie that really scared the hell out of me, and after all these years, I found the movie responsible: DEVIL’S RAIN, a 1970’s Satanic worship film. Now, I love Satanists and in the 1970’s, where we were treated to devil movies like THE EXORCIST, RACE WITH THE DEVIL, and THE SENTINEL, this entry does not disappoint, even with the PG rating. Then again, a PG rating back in the mid 1970s would be an R rated movie today.
We begin with one of the best actors of all time, William Shatner, playing the role of Mark Preston, a man in possession of a book that Corbis (Ernest Borgnine) desperately wants. Now, if you thought I was a Shatner fan, you are right, but I’m also a huge Borgnine fan. Remember him in Superfuzz? Fabulous. With these two powerhouses together in one Satanic 1970’s film, you cannot lose, and when they are on the screen together, it’s magic.
Corbis kidnaps Preston’s parents, forcing him to Redwood, an abandoned town that is also the home of the Satanists, and these are not normal, everyday Satanists. Many of them are zombie-like, led by the powerful Corbis, who has many powers bestowed upon him by the devil himself. For instance, he can make people melt and turn a cross necklace into a snake, prompting Shatner to scream at the top of his lungs. Shit, I have to give Shatner his props. He is the best over actor of all time.
Preston would make a deal with Corbis and lose and become his hostage, being tortured and forced to kiss his own mother. In a cool scene, Preston is hanged upside down on a cross, prompting Shatner to scream yet again at the top of his lungs. Borgnine, as Corbis, is spectacular, and delivers his evil lines with conviction and is really amusing in this role. He has those dark eyebrows, so you know he had to play a part like this. Those are Satanic eyebrows.
Now, the stars continue to shine in this film, when Preston’s brother, Tom, shows up, played by Tom Skerritt of CHEERS fame, but I won’t stop there. He played a great prick on LAW & ORDER as the crooked judge. Are you ready for more star power…are yah? Two words: John Travolta. The Greasy Greaser has a small role as Danny, but sadly no dancing here. I would have liked some music number…perhaps a song called “Satanic Lightning.”
Tom’s wife, Julie (Joan Prather) joins him as they visit Redwood to seek out Shatner and the rest of the family. Julie has some psychic powers where she can foresee some nasty things, and there is a link between the Prestons and Corbis, who has been around for a long, long time. Very amusing stuff when Borgnine is in pilgrim gear and is being burnt at the stake alongside a pilgrim Shatner. The defiance of Borgnine and the agony of Shatner make that scene a winner.
Now this movie goes from good to great as (spoiler) Borgnine turns into the devil and tortures Shatner, who just screams and screams. Let’s face it, Shatner is a great screamer. He could make a movie where he just sat there and screamed for 90 minutes and it’d be a winner. And for all the Trekkies out there: Shatner made that show, not that freak Leonard Nimoy. Have you ever heard that guy sing that Hobbit song? He was either singing “Bilbo” or “Dildo.” Either way, I’m not interested.
We have some bad special effects and some bad fight scenes here, but that’s easy to overlook. The climax with Tom taking on the Satanists is outstanding, and I may focus on the great overacting by Shatner but Skerritt does his fair share as well. You can never have enough.
The ending of this film is still very creepy and one of the better endings in horror history, but there is more to this movie than just that. Make no mistake, this film is not the greatest thing in the world, but they took an average story and script, brought in great actors and they played the shit out of it. It’s like Robert De Niro in HIDE AND SEEK and GODSEND, two mediocre movies made very enjoyable by his acting ability and ability to sell his role and the film. You have that here too.
I also want to applaud Eddie Albert who played the role of Dr. Richards, who confronts Corbis and puts forth a great performance, and yes, this is the same Eddie Albert that was in that classic DREAMSCAPE as the President of the United States.
If you like Satanists and overacting, this is your film and I suggest you rent it and watch it to view the shocking ending, and this one is legitimately shocking. I really enjoyed DEVIL’S RAIN and recommend it highly.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7.5/10. Blame it on the (Devil’s) Rain.
