Episode 242: Messiah of Evil

A terror you wont want to remember!

In a film you wont be able to forget!

From the makers of American Graffiti, we have… Messiah of Evil from 1974 recommended to use by Andy Beglin.

Film Comment called it "one of the top 10 classic, overlooked horror films of all time." LA Times dismissed the film as a "thoroughly dismal horror picture that is sleep-inducing rather than hair-raising" and it gets 6.3/10 on IMDB and 100% on RT.

A young woman goes to look for her missing father. Her trip takes her to a strange California coastal city ruled by a mysterious cult of the walking dead. And it stars Marianna Hill from High Plains drifter as Arletty and Michael Greer as Tom.

Personally I found it to be very dated but interesting. Not in any way as good as Dead and Buried. The supernatural element of the dark messenger seemed added very late. The zombies all dressed up felt like the Transylvanians from rocky horror. But I can see why people like it. I have seen plenty of movies that feel similar, like Zeder, the beyond and Dead and Buried, and Plague of Zombies.

It is a  5/10 for me.