FilmSnobReviews

Title: Realm of Satan
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Scott Cummings 
Starring: The Church of Satan
Runtime: 1 hr 20 mins

What It Is: An experimental documentary with little to no dialogue that is all about satanists. Specifically, it showcases the Church of Satan and shows the interesting ins and outs of their lives.

What We Think: Imagine if you will, a goat being born. The viscera, the uncomfortable sounds of a goat bleating, the grotesque visuals. That is how this movie starts. Now where the hell do you go from there? Scott Cummings remarked in the Q &A that he sought to make a spell-like movie, and I think he did the trick. This movie is dark, shocking, and not the least what you would expect. At times it shows satanists doing ordinary, day to day tasks like washing clothes. Other moments show satanic rituals and explicit black latex orgies. Then the next you see members of the church of Satan very clearly doing things that have special effects added. To say this movie is bizarre is an understatement. What you get is almost a strange blanket of images and music that accumulates in somehow a very honest yet very theatrical depiction of the Church of Satan. It’s not for everyone. This film had so many walkouts in the theater, at various points. At times, it was like the film was an endurance test for how dark and strange of imagery you were willing to subject yourself to.

I think Scott Cummings did something interesting, though. I found it rather thought provoking and intimate despite the strange ethereal mood the movie created. It was truly unique and was definitely a sort of bizarre artistic expression. It didn’t try to comfort the audience. Hell, it didn’t try to even appeal to an audience, but I think that that is a bold artistic choice and one I admire. Too often with even independent films I see the same plots and movies that do the same thing over and over again. This one went out of its way to try to be unique. For better or worse, it did accomplish just that.

That being said, some of the theatrical CGI bits added were indeed quite cheesy, and there’s a goat breast-feeding scene that the director put early on in the beginning that even the Church of Satan found deeply uncomfortable. This movie is not for everyone. There’s graphic nudity, sex acts, a goat being born, black metal, and other things that will definitely discomfort your average moviegoer. In a way it is a very sick movie. But I have peculiar tastes, so I dug it.

Our Grade: B+, It may not have always worked (and quite frankly the uh, goat breastfeeding scene is probably one of the weirdest things I’ve ever had to describe to friends) but damn it, I loved the balls this thing had. It had sheer audacity and it took risks. This movie not only knows its not for everybody, it wears that on its sleeve, intentionally antagonizing you and making you have to come face to face with the forbidden. I think this movie rocks. Do I think it’s the best thing ever? No. Do I think it’s a subversive piece of cinema that holds artistic merit? Indubitably.