"The Satanist" is an ultra obscure 1968 sexploitation film directed by Zoltan Spencer, that was lost for decades until resurfacing earlier this year, courtesy of Exhumed Films. The rediscovered print was projected at their "Forgotten Film Festival" on July 20th.
I could be wrong, but I think this was the first sexploitation film to include satanism as a subtext. The comprehensive book, "The Satanic Screen", doesn't even mention this film.
Since this was 1968, there is no explicit sex, but abundant nudity, mostly topless.
The film opens with a couple making out in a car; a second woman appears in the darkness, then the woman in the car apparently kills the man (he falls backwards at her touch). She exits the car and walks away with the other woman.
Middle Eastern-type music plays on the soundtrack (played on a viola credited to "Moe"), then the title card "The Satanist" appears, with smoke and burning of the title.
A prologue informs us that "the events of this film are based upon annals of witchcraft as practiced in ancient times....and today".
We then see a bespectacled man in a wheelchair address the audience:
"Perhaps I am mad. Maybe you can help decide whether my story happened or is the product of an incurably sick mind".
The man and his wife are seen driving their car, and hit a woman riding a bike. She isn't injured, invites them to her house, and gives them a book on the occult, and invites them to be 'guests of honor' later that evening.
The events that follow include the wife attempting to return the book and witnessing the "witch" make a magic circle with salt and candles, the husband having an erotic dream involving the witch, and returning to the house at night and watching through the window as a succubus makes love to the witch and changes from female to male.
Finally, the time comes for them to be guests of honor, and they return to the house and find other guests wearing hooded robes and masks. The succubus passes out drinks, and does an erotic nude dance while the husband and wife watch.
The husband is tied up and forced to watch as the leader of the group dons a baphomet mask, and molests his wife. This leads to an orgy among the cult members.
The epilogue shows the husband again:
"The road back to sanity is a rough one. Now with help, I was finally able to see what happened was only a nightmare..."
We then see that the witch was actually his psychiatrist, and the man tells us that his wife and psychiatrist are close friends and are planning a homecoming for him...on the Sabbath.
This an interesting film, made at a time when satanism was becoming chic, and opened the door for other similarly-themed adult films in the 70s like "Suburban Satanist", "Angel Above, Devil Below", and "The Devil Inside Her".
