Evil Heritage (1976) Satan's Slave (original title)

Director:

Norman J. Warren

Writer:

David McGillivray (screenplay)

Release Date:

August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

It's Catherine's birthday. You're invited to her torture party.

Plot:

A young girl is caught up in a devil cult run by her evil uncle and cousin. She can trust no one and...

Plot Keywords:

Devil | Cult | Whipping | Reference To Satan | Satanic Ritual

Cast

Michael Gough	...	Uncle Alexander Yorke
Martin Potter	...	Stephen Yorke
Candace Glendenning	...	Catherine Yorke
Barbara Kellerman	...	Frances
Michael Craze	...	John
Gloria Maley	...	Janice (as Gloria Walker)
James Bree	...	Malcolm Yorke
Celia Hewitt	...	Elizabeth Yorke
David McGillivray	...	Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Conway	...	Puritan with whip (uncredited)
Richard Crafter	...	Mad Monk 2 (uncredited)
Nick Maley	...	Mad Monk 1 (uncredited)
Paula Patterson	...	Woman disemboweled by Stephen (uncredited)
Monika Ringwald	...	Camilla York (uncredited)
Moira Young	...	Alexander's wife in prologue (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman J. Warren

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David McGillivray		screenplay

Produced by
Richard Crafter	....	producer
Les Young	....	producer
Moira Young	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Scott

Cinematography by
Denis Balkin
Steve Haskett
John Metcalfe
John Simmons
Les Young

Art Direction by
Hayden Pearce

Makeup Department
Robin Grantham	....	makeup supervisor
Nick Maley	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Elliott	....	second assistant director
Bryan Hirst	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jane Saker	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Adam Alexander	....	boom operator
Richard Laughton	....	sound recordist
Ken Scrivener	....	dubbing mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Barber	....	electrician
John Moore	....	chief electrician

Music Department
Greg Cutler	....	music recordist
Gerry Kitchingham	....	music recordist
John Scott	....	conductor

Other crew
Tony Lewis	....	contact: Technicolor
Moira Young	....	continuity (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Monumental Pictures

Distributors

• Brent Walker Film Distributing (1976) (UK) (theatrical) (as Brent Walker Film Distributors Limited)
• Astral Films (1977) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Crown International Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• BCI Eclipse (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• CIC Video (19??) (Canada) (VHS)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Rhino Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Scorpion Releasing (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Sovereign Marketing Ltd. (1997) (UK) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates (as Effects Associates)

Other Companies

• Anvil Recording Studios  recorded at
• Cine-Europe  camera equipment
• Crystal Film Productions  
• Hotline  titles
• Interlighting Ltd.  lighting equipment
• National Screen Service  rostrum (as National Screen Services Ltd.)
• Technicolor  processed by

Also Known As:

"Satan's Slave" - UK (original title)

Runtime:

UK:86 min (cut version) | USA:86 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-12 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R | UK:18 (video re-rating) (2004) (uncut) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Pirbright, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Monumental Pictures

Trivia:

The shooting script was titled Evil Heritage. It was changed to Satan's Slave prior to release and then changed back at a later date.

Quotes:

Uncle Alexander Yorke:The thing I admire most about you, Francis, is your ability to suffer in silence. Don't ever change.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Evil Heritage: Independent Film-Making & the Films of Norman J. Warren (1999) (V)

Good but if you're like me you'll only remember Michael Grough's mustache

Enjoyable British horror garbage about a girl who is to be use as a vessel for the return of an evil witch by a band of satanists that are lead by her uncle and cousin.

Violent in a very graphic way (one character has a nasty thing happen to his eye) this is the sort of British horror film that seemed to be popping up on double feature bills in the late 70's before turning around and having a occasional screenings on late night TV. They were violent and uncomfortable affairs that made you squirm at the unpleasant things going on (the cousin is a sadist who abuses women). They were a bit more intelligent than many American horror films and got you in the head as well as in the viscera. Here the film is constantly disorienting you since we are like our heroine not sure of what is and what isn't real, though to be honest we do have a good sense that all is not well.

I've seen this film a couple of times over the years and I've enjoyed it for the most part though its not something I've ever really sought to see the second third or fourth time, it was just something that happened. To be honest one one memory of the film is Michael Grough's mustache which is this big fluff affair and every time I see the film again I remember I saw it because of facial hair. Not a ringing endorsement I know but I should add that I do end up watching the film to the end.

Worth a look