The Devil's Rain (1975)

the audience applauded

As Good As It Gets

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

AKA Hell's Rain. I love this mid 1970'stale of Satanism in the American desert, so much so that I still have it on tape when I recorded it off TV in the 80's. I also have it as Hell Rain on VHS sell thru & low grade DVD, it really does deserves a decent re-issue here in the UK. The opening credits feature the Hellish paintings of Hieronymus Bosch. Great cast. John Travolta makes an early but brief appearance and Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, acted as technical adviser plus he played the High Priest. The finale is a tremendous melt sequence, which out melts The Incredible Melting Man! This is one of those movies that I never tire of watching.

THE DEVIL'S RAIN is a fine little devil worship horror yarn from '70s America which would go nicely in a double bill with the equally good RACE WITH THE DEVIL, which came out in the same year. There's plenty of similarities between the two movies, but while the other has the slight edge this is still a very good movie. What I liked most about this one is that it's completely unconventional: most movies of this era take a gradual build-up approach, like that seen in ROSEMARY'S BABY, where the movie begins with a depiction of normal, everyday life before gradually stripping away the layers and descending into hell. Not so here: from the start we're in the thick of black magic chaos, as an innocent man turns into a rumpy, rain-sodden mess for no apparent reason and a house is trashed by evil forces.There's little story to this, other than that seen in a flashback, and the film doesn't need it, either. It's set out in the middle of a bleak desert wasteland, brought to life with excellent landscape photography. A dwindling number of 'good guys' are set against an endless number of evil cult members who have extremely creepy, no-eye makeup. The battle for power ebbs and flows between the two factions until a twist ending which is well remembered as the film's highlight.Another great asset is the cast of B-movie notables. William Shatner's here, doing some of his finest emoting, and he shares heroic duties with Tom Skerritt, who's as well used here as he was in ALIEN. You have Ernest Borgnine overacting as the leader of the devil cult, sometimes turning into a goatish devil incarnate although sadly the cheesy goat makeup isn't up to the job and this is the one failing of the movie. There are lots of old-timers, too: Keenan Wynn in a cameo as the Sheriff; Woodrow Chambliss as the loyal retainer; Ida Lupino; good old Eddie Albert is a good guy as well. An unrecognisable John Travolta appears in his first movie role, a year before CARRIE, and even real-life Satanist Anton Lavey and his missus pop up for cameos. Claudio Brook, who was a staple of Mexican horror cinema, turns up as a preacher.The film has plenty of action and moves at an astounding pace, but there's no lack of atmosphere, either. British director Robert Fuest had a good eye for the bizarre (he did the two DR PHIBES flicks) and he uses it to an advantage here. The film is chiefly remembered for its grisly climax, in which all of the bad guys are subjected to the titular phenomenon and end up melting thanks to some thoroughly effective special effects. No doubt the people who made THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN were inspired to do so after watching this flick, and good on them, I say.

A Satanist hounds a wayward cult member's family over the centuries for possession of a book in which the townspeople had signed off their eternity in blood to the Dark Side; in the meantime, their despairing souls reside in a glass receptacle dubbed "The Devil's Rain". Disappointing, yet mildly diverting and starrily-cast, diabolical chiller: altogether rather quaint, despite a fashionable downbeat ending (following a spectacularly gooey, but absurdly elongated, climax) and the surprising endorsement of Anton Le Vey. The film was not only director Fuest's last theatrical foray into the Fantasy genre – he would make just one more obscure piece of erotica in France called APHRODITE (1982) before bowing out of the movie game – but also John Travolta's inauspicious acting debut as a young member of the Satanic cult. On the side of Good, we find occult expert Eddie Albert and Tom Skerritt and, initially, the latter's kinsmen Ida Lupino and William Shatner (before eventually both being taken over), as well as Claudio Brook (in a fun period flashback); apart from the aforementioned Travolta, the Evil side is represented by a cowboy hat-sporting Ernest Borgnine (when he is not decked-out in the ceremonial red cassock or a full-blown demonic goat's head!) and sheriff Keenan Wynn.

Anton LaVey knows how to bring the horror to the religious. If anyone knows anything about satanism it is LaVey and he portrayed what he would call the false view of satanism in order to bring about thinking.This is worth a watch not because of the story, or the truth behind myths. It exists as a horror movie, and to scare people. Do not NOT watch this because of its darkness, that is why you SHOULD watch it.Real satanism is not about anything portrayed in this movie, and LaVey aided to make it seem real. He did a great job.If you are interested in the occult, and Satanism, read the Satanic bible, and take what is shown here as comedy for the satanist.It is a great movie, with renowned actors, and if it is so psychologically hurtful, as another reviewer states, then why did nearly every actor go on to have an extensive career?Stars: John Travolta, William Shatner, and the feel was caused by LaVey. What more could someone ask for in a movie?