The Redeemer: Son of Satan!

I for one enjoyed this little known film, first having seen it at a friend's house way back when VCRs were for people who had a bit of extra money to burn and were the darlings of the neighborhood. We were really blown away by The Redeemer since there just weren't that many great horror films showing at theatres or on home video at the time. Just notice how those of us who appreciate The Redeemer were young at that time and those who don't like it are young NOW and weaned on flashier "horror" fare that are really Tommy Hilfiger ads in disguise.

Sure the lack of budget shows sometimes, but The Redeemer (later retitled Class Reunion Massacre for those who need a lot of help in knowing what a film is about in the title, what a joke) has many little things in it that really shine. For me, the one scene where the victims are in the school's gym for the "reunion" and are sitting at the table, notice how it's a re-creation of The Last Supper? There are several tense scenes of chases that really offer some sense of dread and the killings are rather creative and effective for a film from 1978 (that blade going into the guy's head and the marionette are a wow). There's some brilliance at work here in this little gem of a film. Note also that this film was shot in 1976, so it pre-dated films like Halloween and others that were considered forerunners of the genre.

There is much that leaves us befuddled: What's with the two thumbs, the kid possibly changing into the man and then back, why the lake.....but I enjoyed the film for trying and succeeding if you can just put aside the questions of logic and lack of budget. I actually like when a film uses unknown actors, it helps you get into the characters and the story easier that way (and not being distracted by a very recognizable actor), and the fact that the actors aren't all young and pretty people posing as teens was a major plus. It's why I enjoy horror films like The Bone Yard and more recent efforts like Session 9 where the film's creators aren't scared to give us mature characters. Also noteworthy is that it is full of atmosphere, not needing to distract audiences with nudity nor heavy gore to distract them from lack of substance. The Redeemer holds its own quite well.

Some may be put off by the film's "moral" theme, claiming it's not fair that these killings are justified because each person killed represents a sin. I think of it like the story presented in the frightening 1991 film The Rapture, what IF the universe really is controlled by a vengeful god that punishes us at every little turn? I just see it in The Redeemer that religion really can be a bit hypocritical in how it seems to justify killing in the name of God. That said, then I must be missing something else though because one of the titles for this film is The Redeemer: Son Of Satan! Does that mean that it's really Satan having some fun killing in the guise of Christianity? Hmmmm. Or just that like the awful retitling Class Reunion Massacre, by putting the words "son of Satan" in the title it grabs the attention of more gullible minds? (Just like ruining a good drama called Celia by retitling it Celia: Child Of Terror) Geez, I'm getting a headache.

This is a film to just enjoy it as it is, and giving it credit for really trying. There are way too many big budget Hollywood films that can easily be forgotten, but little films like The Redeemer manage to stay in people's minds and over the years always manage to be brought up in conversation about memorable obscure films. This one is a gem I'm glad people love and has been kept alive all these years.

Update October 2010: Now available on DVD from Code Red as The Redemeemer: Son Of Satan. Hooray!

I am amazed how many people seem to remember this movie, and actually hunted it up on video. Me, too. I saw it when I was 17 and was so scared I actually slept with my bedroom light on. OK, it didn't have that effect today, 24 years later, and most of it is just terrible, but: I can't believe how well I remembered it over the years. Parts of it definitely stayed with me, and that is pretty impressive for a no-budget little nothing movie. I think most of the religious symbolism is underdeveloped (I really can't tell if the movie is endorsing religion or appalled by it), and the mysterious second thumb that travels from character to character is a bit much. The acting sucks (only Jeannetta Arnette seems to have any talent, and even then it's hard to be sure because of the poor sound quality--though she has proven it over the years, most spectacularly in Boys Don't Cry), the special effects are limited by budget, and the film is a technical shambles. But it is really scary in places, and it does indeed stay with one. Most memorable moment: the creepy marionette who releases the dagger. Creepiest moment: the extremely sudden, yet strangely calm moment when the Redeemer just shows up in the bathroom, though the women have only just turned their backs and have only separated for a second or two. Its quickness, unaccompanied by a jolt of "Boo!" music makes it quite frightening; he is just there all of a sudden, and ready for business. I guess I recommend this movie with big reservations. I don't quite buy all the pseudo-deep religioso explanations I see posted here, and I think the film-makers' intentions were way above their abilities, but, still, The Redeemer (and I do recall the "Son of Satan" tag as part of the title clear back in 1978)is worth seeing. Hack through the cheese and there is something there. It fairly cries out to be remade, this time with just a bit more polish.

As a life long horror fan I had heard of The Redeemer but it wasn't until I recently read an article about it that it stirred my interest. Coincidently a VHS copy came up for sale. Intrigued, I simply could not resist! Six former students are invited to a school reunion 10 years on but one by one they are killed by a mysterious man who takes several guises. He is The Redeemer. This is an early slasher movie, made 2 years before Halloween, but it also contains religious/supernatural elements. It was made on an obviously very low budget with a cast of unknowns, the plot is also pretty confusing and at times illogical. So I appreciate people's negative reviews. However, I found it strangely enthralling and creepy. The synth score adds to the atmosphere. I think the acting is good enough considering. It's one of those films that some viewers will just write off as rubbish, whilst others - such as myself - will want to know more about it. Watching it on grainy VHS was a treat. And I will certainly be popping the tape back into the VCR again!

I noticed here on IMDb.com, that nearly every low budget horror film that I have merely enjoyed or even thought to be spectacular has been given a bad review. To me, The Redeemer:Son Of Satan is an incredible film. It has gaillo qualities... very atmospheric, creepy, yet it doesn't need a whole lot of blood and guts to keep you interested. A stereotypical slasher film this is not. On VHS, the title of Class Reunion Massacre was most likely used to cash in on the whole slasher trend of the 80s. I found the cinematography to be incredible. The acting wasn't bad either. This isn't your regular 'piece of cheese' horror film. It was shot well, and overall, had good production values. It does have its 'cheese' moments, as most films of the genre do, but I can look beyond them. Also, I'm sure this film had a political subtext AGAINST Christianity. Showing how a crazed religious fanatic (the priest) committed murder under the justification that he was eliminating those who sinned. I also believe that the character of the little boy from the lake was the apprentice of the priest. Thats how his character comes into play. I really wish the director kept making horror films, he could've done something incredible. Love it or hate it, this film is MEMORABLE. It is Not some shoddy piece of garbage that you want to forget. All in all, The Redeemer:Son Of Satan isn't just another over-the-top slasher gore-fest. Its something more. So what if The Redeemer isn't as polished up as a squeaky clean "Scream" or "I Know What You Did Last Summer"? Cant find redeeming values in a low budget film? Stick to your million dollar Blockbuster horror.

This offbeat little curiosity happens to be one of my absolute favorite slasher films. In fact, only 1974's "Black Christmas" (which is also my pick for best of the horror genre in general) beats it. Released mere months before Carpenter's "Halloween" would kick start the core slasher movement, it's an extremely eerie picture. There's a sense of the foreboding here that is more prevalent than you'd expect. It focuses on a mysterious morality killer who tricks a group of "undesirables" into attending a fake high school reunion, only to begin picking them off once they arrive. If you think this sounds a bit like "Slaughter High", you'd be right. This came first and is the infinitely better of the two. It's religious subtext alone makes it far more intriguing than that popular, but ultimately quite bland effort.

The six so-called degenerates include a lawyer, a gay actor, a lesbian, a cute girl who takes pride in her appearance, a rich snob and a cocky former football jock with gluttonous tendencies. Despite negative comments about the acting on this site and in a horror reference guide of mine, the six main characters are perfectly believable people. In fact, all but the glutton wind up being rather likable, particularly Cindy, played with a free-spirited innocence by the lovely Jeannetta Arnette. The Redeemer himself comes off as over the top at times, which actually works in the character's favor, really making him seem like an absolute lunatic. His Shakespearean rant in the auditorium is a highlight. Props to T.G. Finkbinder for going all in with the role and, in turn, bringing to life one of the most memorable psychos on film.

Indeed, the Redeemer is a very creepy individual. Throughout, he dons many different costumes (as "Terror Train"'s killer did a few years later), each one representing an aspect specific to his victims' lives. It's an unsettling touch that really adds to the overall tone. Perhaps the creepiest scene in the entire movie is when one of the girls is yelling for someone in the distance to let her out of the locked down school. Said individual turns out to be the Redeemer, dressed as the Grim Reaper, who proceeds to pound on the barred window with his scythe.

This film is an exercise in the surreal, the above mentioned sequence being positively nightmarish in execution. The film's ambiguous opening and closing segments revolving around a sinister child reinforce this feeling tenfold. The school itself is an atmospheric setting, imprisoning our characters like a tomb. The rural area surrounding it certainly lends to the feeling of hopeless isolation.

Having originally seen this via the big box "Class Reunion Massacre" VHS at my local video store, I was instantly taken with it. Not easy to forget, it's a bleak, dread-inducing slasher with a unique utilization of religious themes and well worth rediscovering. It should be regarded much more highly. It truly is one of a kind.