Apprentice to Murder (1988)

Fire-and-brimstone preacher sees Satan everywhere, trains gullible young boy to "detect" evil, and the two of them commit several murders in the name of Jesus. Based on a true story.

Director:

Ralph L. Thomas

Writers:

Wesley Moore, Allan Scott

Stars:

Donald Sutherland, Chad Lowe, Mia Sara

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald Sutherland	...	John Reese
Chad Lowe	...	Billy Kelly
Mia Sara	...	Alice Spangler
Knut Husebø	...	Lars Hoeglin
Rutanya Alda	...	Elma Kelly
Eddie Jones	...	Tom Kelly
Mark Burton	...	Clay Myers
Adrian Sparks	...	Irwin Myers
Tiger Haynes	...	Rufus
Minnie Gentry	...	Mam Isobel
Blain Fairman	...	Foreman
Mert Hatfield	...	Sheriff
Keith Edwards	...	Cop 1
Chris Langman	...	Patterson
Lars Hiller	...	Prouty

Storyline

Fire-and-brimstone preacher sees Satan everywhere, trains gullible young boy to "detect" evil, and the two of them commit several murders in the name of Jesus. Based on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

hexagram | satan | murder | sex scene | death | 

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Taglines:

Was it Magic, Murder, or Madness?

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Original Sin: Religion in Horror Cinema (2018)

User Reviews

Almost a Folk Magic Docu-Drama

I love this movie and have recommended it to my students in folk-magic because it is closely based on a true story of murder, mysticism, and (possible) madness concerning a Pennsylvania Dutch Pow Wow doctor in the mid-1920s. Donald Sutherland is superb as John Reese, the highly eccentric conjure and herbalist. Chad Lowe is quite good as his young apprentice. The location shots, filmed in Norway, are spectacular -- not Pennsylvania Dutch country, exactly, but a wonderful rural landscape, with great old 19th century buildings. There is also a very good look at contemporaneous hoodoo practices, as the Pow Wow doctor seeks an outside consultation to cure his ills. If you're a prop and set decoration fan and knowledgeable about magic, look for the couple of Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs (inexplicably called "hexagrams" -- the movie's one false step) that contain Norse bind-runes thrown in on them -- obviously that was the Norwegian prop-maker's little in-joke. This is a great little underrated classic, and the perfect vehicle for Donald Sutherland.

Details

Country:

Canada USA Norway

Language:

English

Release Date:

1989 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Long Lost Friend

Filming Locations:

Bergen, Hordaland, Norway

Box Office

Gross USA:

$466,369

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hot International A/S, K/S LLF Productions, New World Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1