Main Cast: Lawrence Tierney, Melanie Verlin, John Hall, Charles Jackson, Doris Hackney
Release Year: 1981
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In this occult horror film, director John Russo, best known for Night of the Living Dead, has created a few twists on the plot of a heroine escaping one evil, only to encounter another, even worse. Some asides on the nature of racism are thrown in for good measure. After Nancy Johnson (Melanie Verlin) runs away from home because her drunken stepfather (Lawrence Tierney) tried to rape her, she is given a ride by two men who are actually thieves, and they all end up prisoners of a Southern family of Satanists. They plan on offering Nancy to the Devil himself at midnight on Easter Sunday. Some cinematic goofs -- Easter Sunday apparently falls in autumn since the leaves are turning color outside, and the "South" looks a lot like Pittsburgh -- are somewhat off-set by the make-up artistry of Tom Savini and a lively performance by Lawrence Tierney. Yet the pace is slow and the lesser protagonists solidly one-dimensional, tipping the balance more toward the minus -- which may be a plus to some viewers. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
John Amplas - Abraham; Robin Walsh; David Marchick; Greg Besnak
Credit
John A. Russo - Director, Paul McCollough - Editor, Samuel M. Sherman - Executive Producer, Dan O. Kennis - Executive Producer, Tom Savini - Makeup Special Effects, Paul McCollough - Cinematographer, Don Redinger - Producer, Tom Savini - Special Effects, John A. Russo - Screenwriter, John A. Russo - Book Author
