Rating: 
Summary: Atmospheric cult horror
Review: I actually enjoyed this movie, but I'm a fan of off-beat horror and I liked Fuest's Phibes movies. The character development is slim to none, the plot pretty simple, and the makeup nothing spectacular, but I liked the unusual structure and pacing and thought many of the cult scenes were creepy and atmospheric. The oddball way in which the story was told made what could have been another conventional drive-in movie rather unpredictable and a little unsettling. Not to say that it's a great movie, but I think that creatively it's above-par for the genre and that many reviewers don't give it enough credit.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Film
Review: I like this film. It has a great cast! such as Anton and Diane LaVey. I also like Borgnine's performing the roll of Jonathan Corbis. I also like the satanic ceremonies which are part of this video. I couldn't see or hear John Travolta because he just had a small part. This is a very great film for me because it has some very good scenes, and great cerimonial voices chanting as they worship Satan. The explosive part where Corbis turned into Satan made me jump out of my skin. I highly recommend this film to all horror movie fans. If you buy this film! you won't regret it.
Rating: 
Summary: The devils rain
Review: I recently saw the devils rain on TV and sat through it only to see John Travolta in his first film appearance. If it had not been for cutie pututie JT, I would have gotten one minute into this movie and realized it was ridiculous and turned it off. This is particularily alot to say for me being a movie lover whether it's good or bad. But folks, this movie was bad. The William Shatner and family becomes mixed up with the Devil due to a family history thing, he goes to an abandoned church, (how he knew to go there i'll never know) meets the Corbis guy, (Who is so not evil looking that it's really stupid) John Travolta shouts his first screen line- (Blasphemer something) by the way, the only way to recognize JT is to remember how young he was when he did this movie, and to know that his eyes will be blacked out so you cant be looking for his baby blues. and then everyone except for what is remaining of the "good guy" family is rained on and melts (including JT, but you really have to watch to see which one he is)a completely pointless story, with no moral, and no direction. The only reason someone shuold buy this movie is if they are a William Shatner or John Travolta movie collector.
Rating:
Summary: The Devil's "Lame"
Review: I try to look for the best in all movies I watch. The best thing about this movie was Ernest Borgnine. He seemed to really sink his teeth in this role. William Shatner was quite the ham, which works in the Star Trek genre, but not here. The rest of the cast was so-so. The box states that you can see John Travolta in his debut film. Well, you would have a difficult time recognizing him, as he has no lines, no eyes, and is in the movie for all about twenty seconds. The story revolves around Ernest Borgnine, the leader of a satanic cult, hounding this particular family for about 300 years because some distant ancestor stole his sacred book, which contains the names of the souls he's gathered. I guess without this book, he can't take these souls to hell. Well, he finally gets his book back, but he doesn't seem all that thrilled, because they, the good guys, have now stolen his soul collection device, which is really just a TV housed in a really funky sculpture. All in all, a pretty lame movie, with some unintentional comedy bits. And, as far as "the most memorable ending in motion picture history" as stated on the box, that was obviously a promotional tool unless I missed something. This movie is purely a curiosty....
Rating: 
Summary: 100% pure cheese!
Review: I was more or less suckered into renting this one, but I'm glad I did. This is a lost gem for the fans of "So horribly bad it's good!" genre.The title seemed interesting enough, and there is a little banner that said "Contains the most amazing ending to any motion picture ever!" I knew that was bunk from the second I read it, but something in me told me to rent this. I guess it had something to do with William Shanter, Eddie Albert & Ernest Borgnine being the stars as well. Well, I'll tell you this, the much fabled ending is bad. It's nothing shocking, amazing, it's just bad, thrown at you in the last second. Nothing spellbinding about it, it's just BAD. The effects are so cheesy too. Within the first few seconds we're treated to William Shatner's face melting, but it's obviously just a wax dummy being melted down. Not only that, but Borgnine plays the devil (!) and when he's trying to look evil, he just looks twice and goofy and funny than he normally does. The worst effect is when he changes into the devil, it's him wearing goat horns and a grey goatee! I kid you not. This is the kind of thing you would see parodied on MST3K. That is how bad it is. Even funnier is the description on the back of the box, talking about how great the all star cast is, and how the gruesome ending will have you praising God it's only a movie. I guess the Wayans brothers didn't parody this for Scary Movie 2 because it was way too obvious, and an (unintentional) parody of the genre already. The fact Anton Levy was the technical supervisor (and has a part) proves he would do anything for money and publicity. I have to highly recommend this one, you'll have a ton of fun laughing at the bad acting, script and special effects.
Rating: 
Summary: Reminds us how hard it was to get work...
Review: In the early Seventies, it was very hard for second-tier actors and directors to get work, especially if they came from television. This film is a good example of what you would sometimes have to do to keep food on the table and the rent paid. THE DEVIL'S RAIN is just one of many quickie exploitation films designed to play off and make its money before the word got out as to whether it was any good. I know, I was there. We played this turkey off in a week at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Denver. The trailers and posters all stressed the only reason to see this film: watch a buncha people melt! Production values? None: they took the company for exteriors to an Old West Ghost Town standing set that I'm sure they rented because it was the cheapest they could get; costuming? whip up a couple dozen dark robes, and the rest of the "costuming" was supplied by the cast. Bryanston (the producing company) did shell out for the Church set and the effects, which was what people would be coming to see, anyway. Oh, yes: a bit for the "empty eyes" makeup (which Robert Fuest should never have used in closeup, because the black cloth is very, very clear) and for poor Ernest Borgnine's horned demon appliances. Yup, this is a cheapie.
Bill Shatner, Ida Lupino, Tom Skerritt, Eddie Albert, Keenan Wynn and Joan Prather all take their checks and try to make as little noise as possible, after all, ya gotta eat. Ernest is the only one in the cast to really give his part some oomph, so he probably figured, "what the heck, it's a job, let's go for it".
The film does deliver, in widescreen color, what the audience came for: when the rain comes down at the end of the film, everyone melts away into a colorful, goopy mess, with lotsa moans and groans and outstretched hands from the goopees. Add the requisite "twist" ending and you've got your two-week wonder.
Robert Fuest did much better work on the two PHIBES films and for several years on the wonderful AVENGERS television series, but, hey, ya work with whatcha got. Everone got paid, the audience got their goop, everyone's happy.
Should you buy this? I doubt if you'll watch it more than once. It's a renter, if anything.
Rating:
Summary: Reminds us how hard it was to get work...
Review: In the early Seventies, it was very hard for second-tier actors and directors to get work, especially if they came from television. This film is a good example of what you would sometimes have to do to keep food on the table and the rent paid. THE DEVIL'S RAIN is just one of many quickie exploitation films designed to play off and make its money before the word got out as to whether it was any good. I know, I was there. We played this turkey off in a week at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Denver. The trailers and posters all stressed the only reason to see this film: watch a buncha people melt! Production values? None: they took the company for exteriors to an Old West Ghost Town standing set that I'm sure they rented because it was the cheapest they could get; costuming? whip up a couple dozen dark robes, and the rest of the "costuming" was supplied by the cast. Bryanston (the producing company) did shell out for the Church set and the effects, which was what people would be coming to see, anyway. Oh, yes: a bit for the "empty eyes" makeup (which Robert Fuest should never have used in closeup, because the black cloth is very, very clear) and for poor Ernest Borgnine's horned demon appliances. Yup, this is a cheapie.
Bill Shatner, Ida Lupino, Tom Skerritt, Eddie Albert, Keenan Wynn and Joan Prather all take their checks and try to make as little noise as possible, after all, ya gotta eat. Ernest is the only one in the cast to really give his part some oomph, so he probably figured, "what the heck, it's a job, let's go for it".
The film does deliver, in widescreen color, what the audience came for: when the rain comes down at the end of the film, everyone melts away into a colorful, goopy mess, with lotsa moans and groans and outstretched hands from the goopees. Add the requisite "twist" ending and you've got your two-week wonder.
Robert Fuest did much better work on the two PHIBES films and for several years on the wonderful AVENGERS television series, but, hey, ya work with whatcha got. Everone got paid, the audience got their goop, everyone's happy.
Should you buy this? I doubt if you'll watch it more than once. It's a renter, if anything.
Rating:
Summary: Satanic Fun
Review: Lots of fun, although sometimes confusing. The book explains it better. Notable for having both the High Priest and High Priestess of the Church of Satan - Anton and Diane LaVey, in bit parts. Their inclusion gives a true Satanic presence to this movie - they wrote that humor is important to Satanists. Anton was technical advisor, and you can see many of his influences, such as the trapezoid designs and the Satanic chants. Some of the Satanic designs used are beautiful and interesting. It was filmed in Durango, Mexico. The filming has interesting stories to it, such as Anton LaVey trying to teach chants to extras who did not speak English. As was his custom, Shatner did nothing to make friends with the cast, and one suspects they symbolically enjoyed his character's treatment in the film. Anyone who likes good old sci fi and horror or camp, should love this film.
Rating:
Summary: Satanic Ernest Borgnine
Review: Some people call this a schlock movie. Well, I guess it is, but tell the truth... Can there be anything more terifying than a satanic Ernest Borgnine sweating in the desert southwest?
Rating:
Summary: A Black Diamond
Review: Technical consultant & actor, Anton LaVey graces the film with his presence, & arcane knowledge of the occult, & the visage of his wife Diane at the time, dwells herein also. John Travolta, Eddie Albert, & Tom Skerritt also star, in this Satanic thriller about a cult of devil-worshippers haunting a ghost town. Since the Dr. is the technical consultant, all magical text herein is from THE SATANIC BIBLE. Ernest Borgnine plays a most convincing Satan, with LaVey as, most appropriately, the High Priest. William Shatner {yes, Capt. Kirk himself!} went where no man had gone before, plays the protagonist Mark Preston, whose bloodline is under the curse of Corbis {Ernest Borgnine}, because of his ancestors' betrayal of the group centuries before, & the subsequent loss of the Book of Souls, chronicling those who have sold their souls to Satan, which Corbis had been obsessively searching for ever since. The group was murdered by the pyre, much like the Knights Templar, but Corbis swore to rise again, his "shadow covering the land again, & again....." Until the book is recovered, Corbis cannot manipulate & control the souls, or, free them to do his bidding, as they remain imprisoned in a beautifully ornate container, bearing the form of the Baphomet goat. Then, Mark Preston's brother {Skerritt} teams up with a Parapsychologist {Eddie Albert} to retrieve his brother, & mother, from the clutches of the "evil" Corbis {"...Evil? There is no evil here. Only purity..."} One of the more typically moronic actions done by the normals, was when Preston was talking with Corbis in one of the scenes, & reveals his insecurity & false heroism, as he proclaims that he'll "face whatever lies behind those doors" of that old church {wait until you see that altar!}, while parting open his jacket, & displaying a gun. Where's the "faith"? Well, that made no difference, as you will see, neither did his pathetic, snivling prayers, or his god of weakness. The Devil's Rain has quite a line-up, & quite a plot. It is thuroughly entertaining, & many of the effects, make-up, & prosthetics were advanced for that time, & continue to be fascinating today. Notice the undertone of black noise in some of the scenes. This rare film remains as one of the more Satanically-inspirational, & influencial pieces of underground art. It has been featured a few times on Elvira's "Movie Macabre" show, but she unfortunately lacked perception on this one. It IS so unique, because it features actual Satanic rituals & ceremonies that have been unearthed by Dr. LaVey. Every Satanist worth their sulphur will want to have this in their collection.
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