Brotherhood of Satan (1970)

THE BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN is a tame, safe-for-TV occult film that rode in on the Supernatural Horror wave in the early 70s. It follows a family that is trapped in a small town where the locals are being killed and the children are disappearing. It isn't long before a hideous plot is uncovered involving a coven of witches and warlocks that are attempting to regain their youth by sacrificing the town's children! Though the characters, plot, and acting are all very dry for the most part, there is a mean-spirited mood behind the Satanic rituals. Scenes where the children are being fed cake to lull them into a false sense of security are inter-cut with ghastly paintings of devils and demons eating the children and cutting off their heads. The slow pace of the picture is tolerable, but where it loses most of its strength is in the coven, itself. The hammy performance by the priest and the elderly witches make it difficult to establish any real danger. If it had been played with a darker and more cynical mood, a greater sense of evil and suspense may have been accomplished in the picture. There are a few atmospheric shots, particularly in the final climax, as well as an ambiguous end that make this a decent watch overall.

Rating: 6/10.
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