Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Satan's Children Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 20, 2022

1974’s “Satan’s Children” is a Floridian production, with director/producer Joe Wiezycki looking to enter the drive-in marketplace, coming up with his own take on the horrors of the Devil and followers who will do anything to gain favor with the Lord of Darkness. As it usually goes with this type of quickie endeavor, there’s no filmmaking finesse present, with the production generating a collection of random moments and loose characterizations, with the glue of the feature homophobia in many forms. The legitimacy of such hostility is up to the viewer to decide, but Wiezycki is not skilled in the art of genre entertainment, creating an exceedingly boring viewing experience that has no suspense or surprises, mostly registering as a curious installment of Z-grade cinema from the murky depths of 1970s.

Bobby (Stephen White) is cursed with a vicious stepfather (Eldon Mecham) who criticizes his every move, and stepsister Janis (Joyce Molloy) is a nightmare, living to torment her sibling with seductive moves and troublemaking. Running away from home, Bobby hits the hard streets of the city, soon picked up by Jake (Bob Barbour), a seemingly kind biker who ends up sexually assaulting the needy teen with his friends. Left for dead, Bobby finds a place to stay with Sherry (Kathleen Marie Archer), who belongs to a satanic cult. Falling in love with the teen, Sherry complicates plans created by Simon (Robert C. Ray II), who isn’t interested in allowing Bobby a chance to stay at the compound.

Bobby doesn’t have it easy, and the first act of “Satan’s Children” defines his torment. He’s endlessly criticized by his stepfather and his relentlessly teased by Janis, who seems to have sexual feelings for her stepbrother, but refuses to indulge such curiosity. The tension pushes Bobby out of the house, putting him on a path to doom, which is detailed in the midsection of the movie, watching as the boy is tied up and nearly destroyed by Jake and his buddies. It’s here where Wiezycki starts to equate homosexuality with pure evil, and a more interesting endeavor would provide a deeper look at such a dramatic take. But “Satan’s Children” is not an interesting endeavor, slogging through lengthy scenes of poorly edited nothingness, providing the vague shape of an arc as Bobby rests his ravaged bottom at a satanic church, where, against all odds, love blossoms between the bedridden teen and Sherry, which upsets Simon’s rule. Lucifer’s top man is also wary of gay people, which seems to go against the dark one’s longstanding philosophy on pleasures of the flesh, adding some confusion to the picture.

Satan's Children Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Satan's Children" deals with plenty of wear and tear, with rough reel changes, skipped frames, some wobble, scratches, and discoloration encountered during the viewing experience. Detail is acceptable, offering a decent look at facial particulars, and period costumes carry some fibrousness. Locations retain adequate depth, and interiors sustain clarity. Colors deal with age, but primaries are decent, including the major presence of red. Greenery are registers as intended. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy but film-like.

Satan's Children Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers a basic listening event. Dialogue exchanges are clear, with intelligibility preserved throughout. Soundtrack selections support as needed, offering clarity and passable instrumentation. Evidence of damage is periodically detected.

Satan's Children Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Elizabeth Purchell and AFGA's Bret Berg.

• Cast and Crew Reunion Q&A (27:34, HD) is footage from a 2014 convention event.

• "The Weird World of Weird" (47:03, SD) is a 1970 television special about the occult.

• Short Films (HD) include "Satan in Church" (8:37) and "Boys Beware" (14:10).

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Satan's Children Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Satan's Children" does provide some torture sequences and stumbles into a revenge story in the final minutes of the movie. The general no-budget- ness of the feature isn't a problem, it's the lack of excitement. Wiezycki shows no passion for weirdness or violence, and he has no sense of editorial pace, dragging nearly every scene out. There's darkness here that might be of some interest to viewers willing to work with the stillness of it all, but with a title like "Satan's Children," expectations for a wild ride into horror happenings are not met by Wiezycki, who's better at putting the audience to sleep.