Satan's Blade

One of the most obscure horror films out there, 'Satan's Blade' offers a very cool premise - whomever wields the Devil's knife becomes possessed and commits murder - and then just shambles along unimaginatively. This is a very lacklustre affair, with somnambulist performances and very little blood.

A violent bank heist opens the film, after which the perpetrators of said robbery flee to a remote mountain resort to kick back and count the loot. But then a double cross has the red, red kroovy flowing once again. Shortly after this, the titular weapon is plunged into flesh, cueing a series of formulaic stalk 'n' slash dispatches. It is kind of a pity to watch this film deteriorate into dull routine after quite a promising start.

One of the best things about 'Satan's Blade' is the poster art - a frightening, not-to-messed-with Lucifer clasping a nasty-looking dagger, holding it up as though about to bring it down and through the heart of a young virgin upon a sacrificial altar. But, as any experienced horror viewer knows, one must never judge a flick by its poster art. This is especially true in the case of 'Satan's Blade' because the artwork promises great things, but the movie itself cheats us out of any real blood and gore. It kind of reminds me of another horror outing entitled 'A Name for Evil', in that both films offer excellent cover art but deliver very little when it comes to the crunch... or should I say the squish?!

Well I saw the film...no wait I was in the film...Well wait again ..I "starred" in the film. Yes 25 years later the severely impaled "Tony" (Tom B) lives to tell about his tale.

First of all. No illusions here then or now. The film is absolutely one of the worst ever made. LOL. From the moment I got on set in Big Bear I knew the film was doomed. The only thing that surprised me is why they shot in 35mm when 16mm would have been much less expensive affording more funding for special efx. I thought if they were going to make an exploitation film there should be blood blood blood, No they did not cut out the blood ...there was none. The rental Police car had a blown transmission (thanks to the guys who picked it up in LA and screamed up BIg Bear Mountain lights a flashing) so that beast had to be pushed scene to scene by the grips some of whom may have given up their younger sisters to be on a 35mm film shoot.

OK There was never any finished script. Nor any appreciable direction for the "back story." The filler between killings. The drunk scene was totally improved as a way to get to the girls cabin. (The Jack was real, the acting not, go figure).

We were handed daily pages of dialog to shoot that day. We never knew what was coming next or what just happened! LOL, But we had the time of our lives up there as it was a 6 week long continuous party. And for that I am glad to have participated.

I myself walked out of the "premiere" showing in San Diego embarrassed to the max . The only saving grace was that if the film was as bad as I thought it was no one would see it.

Yet 25 years later some are still writing about it here LOL. That I would have NEVER predicted. Well there's the phone......MAy be Scott looking to shoot the sequel......oh thats right I died.

I actually sort of enjoyed this one. The acting is terrible and there is little gore, but its pretty good for what the director was given to work with. This movie actually did scare me the first time i saw it but now its just fun to watch at times. I give this movie a 7/10

I was there when this horrible nightmare began. I'd known Scott for years when he was given the opportunity to produce a horror film ala Halloween when someone (I think his name was Pat???) fronted the money. It was too bad Scott's experiences had been in 8 mm home-style and not in reality because he spent more on looking like a producer than being one and putting out a quality film.

But I was a young innocent in my mid-twenties, like most of the people involved. We were all promised a percentage of the film (which we never received even though I have my contract somewhere) and I was promised an assistant and a writing credit which, you can see, doesn't exist. Tom Cue and I sat for many nights trying to put together a script that was constantly being changed. And like the actor Tom Bongiorno said, the film was doomed from the start and is one of the worst ever made.

As bad as the film was I will say it was one of the most fun times I'd ever had. It was the closest I'd ever get to Hollywood and I knew it. It was like an ongoing cast party. The only people that really seemed to know what they were doing was Terry Kempf, the cinematographer, and Paul Batson, the makeup artist.

It was so unorganized everyone did everything. Not only was I the assistant and a scriptwriter, I ran errands, changed lighting, was in charge of props (and so many other things I can't remember). I dropped off the production staff shortly after the film was in the can because I didn't agree with the way the money was being spent - which is probably why I'm not in the credits anywhere (ya think?).

I didn't walk out of the "premier" but I spent the entire time laughing, it was so damn bad. They'd called it Satan's Blade but I wanted to call it Ski Bunny Blood Bath because that's what it was . . .

Wow, this is like a class reunion. Hello! yeah, we know about the film, we were there when it was made. but the previous posters are right about it being a great experience, though I can't imagine it was so great for the producer. did this make a dime? I know I didn't see any money. Did anyone get paid anything? I have to get a copy. Have you (cast members) seen it? I haven't seen it since the night Scott rented out that theater and we saw it at midnight, after Carrie.

I'm tickled to know some of you who were not connected to the production saw it--thank you. Appreciate you letting us have our 15 minutes in your living room, even if it was just YOUR living room.

Hope to hear from you.

Take care, Elisa