Welcome to one of the main features of 'Castle Dracula,' the movie reviews section.
The reviews placed here are from all around the world, from the USA to the UK Japan
and everything inbetween. The formats reviewed are video and DVD. I have included the
origin of the film reviewed so you can check your player for compatibility. You may
also notice that there are some DVD-R reviews. These are not 'bootlegs' or 'copies'
but official screeners that I have been sent containing an as yet unreleased film to 
review. All the reviews here have been reviewed either by myself or my current movie 
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New reviews are normally placed here once a week, check my front page for under 'Castle
Dracula Updates' to see what latest movie reviews have been placed.

- Brotherhood of Satan - US DVD - 

A family mistakenly takes a wrong turn down a lonely road and ends up in the small town of
'Hillsboro' where they are promptly attacked by a swarm of nervous locals carrying axes.  
The man, his daughter and his girlfriend flee to the next town but are derailed when they 
almost hit a small child. The car veers and hits a pole leaving them no choice but to reluctantly
return to a town where everyone has gone mad. Why? These unlucky folks are about to find out…
It’s difficult to say too much more because half the fun of this quietly unsettling thriller 
is NOT knowing what lies ahead. Don’t let the title fool you, “Brotherhood of Satan” is a well 
thought out and suspenseful chiller that unfortunately rode on the heels of “Rosemary’s Baby” 
and may be mistakenly thought of to be a "rip-off." “Brotherhood…” owes much more to Mario Bava
than to Roman Polanski. Director Bernard McEveety seems to be painting rather than filming as 
every frame is perfectly manipulated and structured to create a portrait of evil underneath the 
idyllic backdrop. 
Streets swim in fog and red dominates each scene building up a subtle tension as the local children
begin to disappear. 
The score is sparse, never overwhelming the many shocking scenes that seem to sneak up on you 
like a tormented ghost. 
“Brotherhood” is put together like a puzzle where the last piece has gone missing forever driving 
you mad with wonder. 
The writers L.Q. Jones (who also stars) and William Welch have a strong sense of the genre and 
they bring some beautiful touches to the disturbing story. L.Q. Jones also wrote the novelization,
which I’ve picked up but have not been able to read as of this writing.
It’s also interesting to note that Alvy Moore who played Hank Kimball on “Green Acres” also 
co-starred and produced this film!
The cast is fine bringing some nice touches to the sparse dialog. 
“Brotherhood…” is so visual an actor could easily have found himself lost in the ambiance but 
everyone manages to bring some identity to the thinly drawn characters. Alvy Moore and Charles Robinson
are standouts while L.Q. Jones brings in a strong, honorable presence as the Sheriff.  
It seems this was a family project. I noticed a few McEveetys rolling across the credits list. 
Oh, don’t you long for the day when a man would put his children in a movie about Satan-worshipping?
Brings a tear to my eye!  
The DVD is another bare bones package but the beautiful print is worth the price alone. 
If you’re looking for a thoughtful, atmospheric and bone chilling addition to your collection, or 
if you’re a fan of the more experimental horror art films of the 70s, this is a must on your 
blood-splattered list.

Reviewed By Amanda By Night

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