the devils rain

Part of a wave of satanic-inspired films that began with Rosemary's Baby and continued to possess cinema screens throughout the rest of the '70s, The Devil's Rain (1975) is the most narratively-challenged film of the bunch. But viewed from a distance of several decades, director Robert Fuest's cast of old Hollywood pros (Ernest Borgnine, Ida Lupino, Eddie Albert, William Shatner), new faces (Tom Skerritt, John Travolta) and a highlight reel of hallucinogenic special effects makes for a bizarrely effective collage of stream-of-consciousness horror.

Investigating the disappearance of his family, Tom Preston (Skerritt) and his ESP-enhanced wife (Joan Prather) wind up cornered by a cult of Satan worshippers who've taken over a desert ghost town. Led by Corbis (Borgnine), the reincarnation of a Salem-era warlock, his eyeless hordes are intent on recovering a sacred book that the Preston family has kept hidden for hundreds of years, thereby preventing him from sacrificing the souls listed inside.

Most of the Prestons have already fallen victim to his power, including big brother Mark (Shatner), whose body has become a vessel for his own long-dead ancestor. As the living embodiment of Satan, Corbis lures the remaining family members for a final ritual that will grant him power over the living and the dead...and grant the Devil dominion over the Earth!

As a traditional horror film, The Devil's Rain is almost incoherent. After opening with a ridiculously padded title sequence set against the disturbing artwork of Hieronymus Bosch, things kick off in nonsensical fashion as the elder Preston arrives home and promptly melts into a puddle of multi-colored goo. Shatner, however, seems to know what's up and drives out to the desert to confront the evil hidden with a ramshackle church. There's no character development, no introductions, no connective tissue; just a straight-line nightmare that plays out with no intermission.

Fuest, the director behind Vincent Price's late career resurgence as The Abominable Dr. Phibes, either doesn't care or consciously avoids the trappings of a conventional plot. The Devil's Rain is just a much of a head-trip as 2001: A Space Odyssey...it just feels completely accidental. The big finale - advertised on theatrical posters as "Absolutely the most incredible ending of any motion picture ever!" - features a mass melting with Corbis and company dissolving into a bubbling pool of bodily fluids. The low-tech organic effects are still a treat to watch, as is Borgnine's prosthetic goat mask (if there was ever a face made for latex enhancement, it's Borgnine's!). Campy, clumsy and creepy with built in cult appeal (Anton LaVey, High Priest of the Church of Satan was an on-set creative consultant), The Devil's Rain is a collector's item of the highest order!

And Severin Films' treats it as such on their new Blu-ray release, starting with a colorful transfer that beautifully retains all the grain and texture you'd expect of a mid-'70s low-budget release. The extras are plump and plentiful, starting with a director's commentary, interviews with Tom Skerritt, SFX artist Tom Burman, script supervisor Ana Maria Quintana, several members of the Church of Satan and a quick vintage interview with Shatner that touches on then-upcoming Trek projects. Quintana, who has the best stories, also provides an array of behind-the-scene pics from her time on set. Trailers, TV spots, radio spots and another still gallery complete the package.