Speak of the Devil

My review was written in June 1991 after watching the film on AIP video cassette.

Part satire of televangelists, part old-fashioned horror movie, "Speak of the Devil" is a hokey mishmash for hard-up video fans.

Filmmaker Raphael Nussbaum did a much better job with a densely plotted B "Private Road", toplining George Kennedy. Here he's helming a no-name cast and filming in a low-budget style reminiscent of '60s softcore exploitation ventures.

Robert Elarton and Jean Miller play the poverty row Jim and Tammy Bakker, Southern evangelists run out of town during a lengthy prolog in which papa George (Buck) Flower interrupts a tv broadcast to present his daughter whom Elarton impregnated.

The duo flee to Hollywood where they rent a haunted house and decide to take up satanism. Their new ministry is particularly lucrative, especially with the devil himself looking out for their interests.

Okay monster effects by James Cummins (who recently directed "The Boneyard") highlight the pic. Weakest element is the recurring character of a rabbi who acts like a Jewish exorcist. When a cop disciple of the rabbi blows a shofar to combat the devil at the film's climax, it's clear Nussbaum has overdone it.

Acting is over the top, closer to farce than necessary. Film keeps intact the poor track record of features pegged to recent scandals involving tv preachers.

"The Ungodly" is one of the worst horror movies I have seen(and I've seen nearly 2000 horror movies so far).This is a slobbering,dire,stupid mess of a film directed by Raphael Nussbaum.I can't believe I wasted my money on such a diabolically bad,excrement laden piece of trash.The acting is awful,the special effects are cheesy beyond belief and there's plenty of silly humour in this one.I found here also the most idiotic depiction of Satanism ever captured on screen.There's no suspense,no gore,just huge pile of idiocy.Avoid this piece of garbage at all costs.2 out of 10(because the final appearance of Satan is hysterically funny and there's also a little bit of sex).

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL is one of the most unusual films ever made. There are so many sub plots going on only the brilliant will get it. It is the only film Robert Elarton (one of the most beautiful men in the world) ever made. Do not be fooled by its simplistic nature on the surface.The concepts of good and evil are fought out in the soul of Johna Johnson(Robert Elarton). When he finally comes to terms with the reality of his humanness, he has paid a heavy price. His temptations were never enough to take him to a place where he can never recover, but they indeed change his life forever. This is a must see for detective film lovers. One of the greatest films ever made.

This film is quite simply excellent. It is not a horror film, it is a slapstick comedy/horror. An interesting and comedic plot that's somewhere in between The Exorcist and The Naked Gun. There are numerous sequences that are just plain hilarious.

For a low-budget film, this was pulled off very well. The acting is mostly very professional and believable, especially the lead roles. The script was fine-tuned and very original. To get an idea of the style of this film, if you've seen Fred Olen Ray's "Witch Academy" , or David DeCoteau's "Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama". Speak Of The Devil is very much in that same cultish B-movie vein.

I thought the way they portrayed "Satan" in this movie was particularly well done. It's not meant to look horrific, it looks like a cartoon with horns really, and that's a good thing!

I thought this film was great I just wish I could find it on DVD somewhere everywhere I go no one has even heard of this film so hopefully ill get it one day.I haven't seen this film in years and I would love to see it again even buy it on DVD...so if anyone knows where I can buy the film please let me know...the story I think was a great idea yes it was a bit tacky but loads of films are and they are great and become so called legend films.. I hear they are making a remake so I hope they do it justice and make it a good film with what they can do with films now days I surely hope so and not make it a Hollywood ending..cause I am sick and tired of having a really great film and just cause they are running out of time rush the ending and make it a stupid ending..not everybody needs to live why not have everyone die.