Grindhouse Fest: Legacy of Satan (1974)

-Grindhouse Fest is the special section in Celluloid Dimension where you can discover all the goodies from the golden age of exploitation cinema. Have fun!

Legacy of Satan (1974) Directed by Gerard Damiano

Initially conceived as hardcore porn and subsequently rewritten as a horror film, Legacy of Satan is ultimately schlocky horror with porn aesthetics. But its campy acting and parsimonious cinematography are bolstered by bizarre occult imagery harmonized with a low-key lit surrealism that constantly persuades you to believe in its illusory professionalism. Porno chic virtuoso Gerard Damiano writes and directs a corny tale of Satanism, about a cult of devil worshippers who feed on human blood and aim to kidnap Maya (Lisa Christian), the girl chosen to become the queen of this evil cult. One of these deranged bloodsuckers is played by Christa Helm – an aspiring actress who was savagely murdered in the City of Angels – one more mystery that is part of Hollywood’s sleaziest unsolved cases. The film is mercifully short, and although its illogical narrative does not allow for an even enjoyment of the story, the atmosphere redeems many of its crude proclivities. Having been scripted originally for a porn flick, it’s very easy to guess as you watch the film where the hardcore footage was supposed to pop up. The latter becomes maddeningly blatant as you perceive a discordance between its tawdry setting and its creepy atmospherics. But it’s still fascinating to see Damiano point his camera at the metaphysical rather than the physicality of male and female genitalia from time to time. Watching him work outside his comfort zone is striking, if unsuccessful. A stolid and awkwardly languid film handsomely shot by underrated genre cinema cinematographer João Fernandes.