Messiah of Evil (1973)

A young woman goes searching for her missing artist father. Her journey takes her to a strange Californian seaside town governed by a mysterious undead cult.

Director:

Willard Huyck

Writers:

Willard Huyck (screenplay), Gloria Katz (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Greer, Marianna Hill, Joy Bang

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Greer	...	Thom
Marianna Hill	...	Arletty (as Mariana Hill)
Joy Bang	...	Toni
Anitra Ford	...	Laura
Royal Dano	...	Joseph Long
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Charlie
Charles Dierkop	...	Gas Attendant
Bennie Robinson	...	Albino trucker
Morgan Fisher	...	Unknown
Emma Truckman	...	Unknown
Dyanne Asimow	...	Unknown (as Dyanne Simon)
Herb Margolis	...	Unknown
Alex Michaels	...	Unknown
Walter Hill
Laurie Charlap-Hyman	...	Unknown

Storyline

A young woman goes searching for her missing artist father. Her journey takes her to a strange Californian seaside town governed by a mysterious undead cult.

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Plot Keywords:

undead | supermarket freak out | painting | eating human flesh | daughter searching for missing father | 

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Taglines:

Terror reigns when he returns.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dead People

Filming Locations:

26652 Latigo Shore Drive, Malibu, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

V/M Productions, International Cine Film Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bennie Robinson was unaware that he mispronounced Wagner's name, but director Willard Huyck found it funny so he never corrected Robinson.

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Goofs

The sound towards the end somehow develops a three-second delay from when the characters open their mouths to when we actually hear their voices.

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Quotes

Arletty: [narrating] They're coming here. They're waiting at the edge of the city. They're peering around buildings at night, and they're waiting. They waiting for you! And they'll take you one by one and noone will hear you scream. Noone will hear you SCREAM!

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Connections

Referenced in Annie Hall (1977)

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Soundtracks

"Hold On To Love"
Music and Lyrics by Eliane Tortel
Sung by Raun MacKinnon

User Reviews

Not perfect, but still astounding

Messiah Of Evil is one of those strange films that really does not fit into any genre. Although conceived as a horror film, the look and visual style of the film is more befitting of a Kenneth Anger short. A young woman travels to a secluded California town to search for her missing father and discovers that the town is being run by a group of zombie like creatures who act like regular humans. Although this film isn't the most interesting plot wise, it offers some of the most astounding visuals I have ever seen in a film of this type. The film, while not gripping per-say, is awash with magnificent photography and set design. The house in which the heroine lives is a piece of art unto itself, covered in Warhol like paintings. Other splendid sequences include a truly brilliant scene in which a young woman comes upon a group of zombies feasting on pre-packaged meat in a grocery store, as well as when this same woman is picked up by a strange albino man (who seems to have a higher position than most of the other zombies as he appears in almost every scene) who proceeds to eat a live mouse before her as Wagner's Ring blares out of his car speakers. It is those slight touches of genius that elevate this rather standard horror opus to near masterpiece level. Obviously influenced by a great many giallos, Messiah Of Evil is brimming with a feeling of abandonment and seclusion as exemplified by the fact that the heroine lives in the company of three drifters through out most of the film. No explanation is given as to where these people had come from and why, when it seems they could easily leave, they decide to stay on. Although this may seem like a problem with the continuity of the film, this absurd logic only exemplifies the lost and hopeless plight which faces all of the characters. Half the time the plot makes no sense and the other half is ridiculous. Nevertheless it hold one's attention for its full running time. A rare film which mixes high art and exploitation.