Norman J Warren's gory shocker is much like his other low-budget epics of the late '70s. These films all had a small cast and plenty of graphic violence. In a way I feel that Warren's name has often been overlooked by horror fans, as he is in fact a British equivalent to his Italian contemporaries like Fulci and Argento, a purveyor of graphic low-budget films. While he lacks the style and artistic flair Argento would bring to his films, Warren wasn't afraid to keep his camera running while terrible acts were perpetrated on screen. He has even been quoted as saying that people just couldn't believe this film was made in Britain, most people think of the Hammer films when you say British horror films which are much, much tamer than this gory affair.
Saying that, it's not just all about gore as the script is focused on the characters involved in the proceedings rather than just sitting and waiting for the next horrible event to occur. There is a bit of atmosphere built up in the lonely, isolated setting, and the brief glimpses we have of Satanic rituals where hooded figures slay naked women are pretty disturbing. However surprisingly enough Satanism isn't really the main theme of this film, it's more about relationships, particularly paternal evil. Both the female lead and her cousin are victims of their fathers by the end of the film, in different respects but victims nonetheless.
Warren has often been accused of misogyny and sensationalism in his films, and this is no different. While I'm not to sure about the misogyny bit (men are killed too) I believe that sensationalism can only be a good thing in a film, it makes things more exciting anyhow. From the opening scenes in this film where a demented pervert runs the point of a pair of scissors over a helpless woman's naked body you know that you're in for something different as Warren really digs into the depths of depravity. What is remarkable is that the perpetrator of these sadistic acts, Martin Potter, actually has a sympathetic character. You see, Potter has been warped by a childhood experience in which he saw his father sacrifice his own mother to try and reincarnate an evil one. Much like the central character in PEEPING TOM, Potter is affected by repressed memories of these events and deals with them in the only way he knows how, i.e. to relive them.
The rest of the cast all do good jobs, especially Michael Gough who begins the film as a seemingly respectable man (with a distinguished moustache, no less) and yet is totally evil and ruthless behind this mask. As for the female lead, well I wasn't too impressed with her character. Mainly because she cheats on her boyfriend with her cousin; Potter wasn't really doing much in the way of seduction. Perhaps she was looking for consolation but it was definitely the wrong move. Her character is already a little bit crazy at the beginning of the film, talking about her "premonitions", and really she should have been able to spot what was going on a long time before she did. Yes, I am saying it's up to her.
Besides the strong characters and dialogue in the film, apart from the gore there are other elements of interest going on. The sight of some robed Satanists, their faces hidden, is pretty spooky, while the twist ending in which the central character's face returns from the dead and it all turns out to have been a dream, is a sheer stroke of genius. However it's the gore that Warren focuses on and it's just as bloody as in his other films. Most scenes involve women being slashed to death with knives although there is a really graphic eyeball piercing in there too. SATAN'S SLAVE is definitely an interesting film and succeeds in what it set out to do, shock the audiences. One to seek out for those with strong stomachs.
Saying that, it's not just all about gore as the script is focused on the characters involved in the proceedings rather than just sitting and waiting for the next horrible event to occur. There is a bit of atmosphere built up in the lonely, isolated setting, and the brief glimpses we have of Satanic rituals where hooded figures slay naked women are pretty disturbing. However surprisingly enough Satanism isn't really the main theme of this film, it's more about relationships, particularly paternal evil. Both the female lead and her cousin are victims of their fathers by the end of the film, in different respects but victims nonetheless.
Warren has often been accused of misogyny and sensationalism in his films, and this is no different. While I'm not to sure about the misogyny bit (men are killed too) I believe that sensationalism can only be a good thing in a film, it makes things more exciting anyhow. From the opening scenes in this film where a demented pervert runs the point of a pair of scissors over a helpless woman's naked body you know that you're in for something different as Warren really digs into the depths of depravity. What is remarkable is that the perpetrator of these sadistic acts, Martin Potter, actually has a sympathetic character. You see, Potter has been warped by a childhood experience in which he saw his father sacrifice his own mother to try and reincarnate an evil one. Much like the central character in PEEPING TOM, Potter is affected by repressed memories of these events and deals with them in the only way he knows how, i.e. to relive them.
The rest of the cast all do good jobs, especially Michael Gough who begins the film as a seemingly respectable man (with a distinguished moustache, no less) and yet is totally evil and ruthless behind this mask. As for the female lead, well I wasn't too impressed with her character. Mainly because she cheats on her boyfriend with her cousin; Potter wasn't really doing much in the way of seduction. Perhaps she was looking for consolation but it was definitely the wrong move. Her character is already a little bit crazy at the beginning of the film, talking about her "premonitions", and really she should have been able to spot what was going on a long time before she did. Yes, I am saying it's up to her.
Besides the strong characters and dialogue in the film, apart from the gore there are other elements of interest going on. The sight of some robed Satanists, their faces hidden, is pretty spooky, while the twist ending in which the central character's face returns from the dead and it all turns out to have been a dream, is a sheer stroke of genius. However it's the gore that Warren focuses on and it's just as bloody as in his other films. Most scenes involve women being slashed to death with knives although there is a really graphic eyeball piercing in there too. SATAN'S SLAVE is definitely an interesting film and succeeds in what it set out to do, shock the audiences. One to seek out for those with strong stomachs.