A documentary that takes a look inside the "Church of Satan", founded in California in the 1960s by Anton Szandor LaVey, a former circus lion tamer.A documentary that takes a look inside the "Church of Satan", founded in California in the 1960s by Anton Szandor LaVey, a former circus lion tamer.A documentary that takes a look inside the "Church of Satan", founded in California in the 1960s by Anton Szandor LaVey, a former circus lion tamer.
- Self
- (uncredited)
- Self
- (uncredited)
- Self
- (uncredited)
- Cult member
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Anton LaVey: We feel that the, ah, the so-called carnal side of man, or the carnal nature of man, is the most important. We feel the soul is just a pitance, it's something that's sort of rung out, like if you squeeze an orange, you get a few drops of juice out of it, and certainly this can be the essence. But this doesn't mean that the orange is any less important, simply because the juice comes out of it. We feel that the body of man, the carnal symbolism of man, is by far the most important.
- ConnectionsEdited into Revival of Evil (1980)
It's not overwhelmingly cinematic, but there are some decent camera angles and movements throughout; the lighting is also noteworthy. The main reason to watch is to see this vintage footage of Mr. LaVey, who comes across as a fairly charismatic, fairly easygoing individual. He based his "religion", if one can call it that, on the idea that humans are basically flawed anyway, and that these flaws could be celebrated and even encouraged. He felt that most organized religion spent too much time condemning people and insisting that they do / not do certain things.
If nothing else, "Satanis: The Devil's Mass" is an amusing enough look at an alternative lifestyle, no matter what one may think of Mr. Lavey's personal beliefs. We are witness to some entertaining decadence: nude women on altars, ass whippings, the expected incantations and rituals, etc. Among the major topics covered are public reactions to the goings-on at LaVey's "Black House" in San Francisco in the 60s, the hassles with the law due to Mr. LaVey having a pet lion at his residence, and his response when confronted with the notion that he may be nothing more than a big phony.
This is worth a look for curiosity seekers, provided they don't get their hopes up too high about it.
Six out of 10.
- Hey_Sweden
- Jul 14, 2016