‘Daughters of Satan’ Pits Tom Selleck Against Satanic Panic [Watch]
Tyler Doupe'
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The Overlooked Motel promises to champion under-seen and unappreciated films. And Daughters of Satan fits squarely under both headings. The film is certainly under-seen by the masses and among viewers that have checked it out, the consensus seems to lean to the negative side. However, I think the flick simply hasn’t found its audience. Sure, it’s not top-tier ‘70s horror and I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that certain elements of the film haven’t aged very gracefully. But anyone that enjoys the exploitation output of the decade should absolutely take note of this unsung effort. It’s a hell of a lot of fun. It’s shamelessly dark, a little campy, and even manages to be quite intense on occasion.
Daughters of Satan marks the mustachioed Tom Selleck’s first leading role in a feature film. Long before he was Magnum, PI, he was Jim Robertson, an art dealer living in Manilla. One day, Jim happens upon a painting of a coven of witches burning at the stake. One of the women bears a striking resemblance to his wife, Chris (Barra Grant). He purchases the piece on a lark and brings it home to show the missus. But rather than serving as a conversation piece and the source of some lighthearted chuckles, the painting begins to exert influence over Jim’s spouse, changing her mannerisms and making her inexplicably violent. Might the woman in the painting be an ancestor of Chris’ seeking to carry out a centuries-old vendetta?
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This satanic slice of cinema is likely to appeal to anyone fond of the exploitation boom that was underway in Manilla in the ‘70s. Like a lot of the exports of that time period, Daughters of Satan was made on a modest budget and features slightly hammy performances. But it’s also atmospheric and unapologetically macabre.
The flick opens with a woman that bears an uncanny likeness to a different witch depicted in the painting (dressed in a leotard, of course) torturing a disrobed, wayward follower of the Dark Lord. The witch whips the lapsed satanist and demands she repeats the nine names of the principal powers of darkness. That opening is a fairly effective representation of what’s to come. The film proves to be a surprisingly dark foray (for the early ‘70s at least) into satanic subject matter.
Don’t look too hard for logic in this grindhouse-era effort. The storyline doesn’t waste a lot of time explaining how the spirits of the long-dead witches in the painting are able to possess their modern-day ancestors and that’s not the only element of the story that eschews common sense. But I’d like to think fans of this particular brand of cinema understand that suspension of disbelief is usually the price of admission. So, if you can just sit back and enjoy, there’s plenty to love about Daughters of Satan.
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The chaos stirred up by the arrival of the painting serves to build tension early in the first act. Hallucinations and a persistent sense of unease initially plague Jim. As Jim tries to piece together what might be causing these disturbances, matters escalate to the point of full-blown mayhem. Chris has a similar experience after the artwork enters their home. She gradually starts to unravel; trying to make sense of dormant memories from a past life that inexplicably begins to penetrate her conscious mind. And from there, she gradually begins to involuntarily fixate on killing Jim by any means necessary.
Tom Selleck turns in a likable showing as Jim. He’s debonair in an ‘aw shucks’ kind of way. Barra Grant’s portrayal of Chris vacillates between sinister and surreal but above all, it’s entertaining. It’s amusing to watch Chris’ gradual transition from a dutiful housewife to a vengeance-seeking murderess. It’s not necessarily subtle or nuanced but she gets the job done, nonetheless.
Equally amusing is the late Paraluman as militant housekeeper Juana Rios. She is a descendant of yet another witch depicted in the painting. She has a certain severity that makes her very existence in the narrative aid in the tension-building process. Her character is off-putting and her presence often proves quite unsettling. Juana shows up at the Robertson residence, in response to an ad they never actually placed and defiantly demands employment as their housekeeper and cook. Even after Chris senses something sinister afoot and tells Juana she doesn’t want a maid, Juana gives her no choice. She proceeds to tell Chris that destiny must be fulfilled. And from there, she lets Chris know she will accept the position that she wasn’t actually offered on a trial basis but that she will not cook fish or lamb. As you wish, Juana.
In addition to the spooky atmosphere and amusing performances, I’m also a big fan of the film’s aesthetic, wardrobe, and styling. Daughters of Satan is an unmistakable product of its time. Groovy hairstyles, duds, accessories, and music appear throughout. And that, combined with the macabre nature of the subject matter, a prevalent sense of tension, and a young Tom Selleck make this a must-see for fans of grindhouse sleaze.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you want to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter @FunWithHorror!
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