A genuinely surprising `Adults Only' horror movie, The Devil Inside Her is more likely to give potential late night viewers nightmares rather than a cheap thrill. In 1826 New England, the two daughters of a repressed farmer (played by director Colt) secretly fawn over a blonde farmhand. The farmer finds out about the farmhand's relationship with the younger daughter and fires him, then punishes the younger daughter. Meanwhile the older daughter, secretly in love with the farmhand hopes to win him back by invoking the Devil with the help of a forest witch. As befits a film of the genre the Devil magically has his wicked way with most of the cast, disguising himself as various family members (both male and female) with only Devil eye make-up to give away his identity. No wonder that `Zebedy Colt' was the well guarded pseudonym of a on/ off Broadway actor. Most of Colt's directing work sets about documenting the psychosis of the seedier side of life in the 1970's- female vigilantes in Terry's Sweet Revenge (1975) urban stalkers in Sex Wish (1975), The Devil Inside Her would appear to be his only movie with either fantasy elements or a period setting. Although it will never be mistaken for anything other than a rough around the edges exploitation movie The Devil Inside Her is well shot and the budget high enough to capture the feel of 18th century New England. All the more surprising when you realise that producer Leon De Leon is aka Leonard Kirtman, director of Carnival of Blood, surely one of the most cash strapped horror movies ever released to theatres. It's not all great though, the Devil scenes, the backbone of the film are hit and miss. The Devil's attack on the farmer's wife climaxing with him bellowing smoke, and a vision of hell that other movies daren't even think about are terrifying and hard to forget. Unfortunately for all the nice period settings Colt's monster is a creature of 1976 rather than 1826. Dressed in a dog collar, a cape and overdone face paint, for all the build up he's less the Prince of Darkness than a drunk Kiss groupie whose friends have stolen his clothes and left him in a new England field. Likewise some may gasp at the primitive special effects of people disappearing into puffs of smoke that resemble a crude magic show, but personally I think this only adds to the film's low budget charm. As wild and shocking as open minded 70's `sinema' demanded. Lovers of the most outrageous exploitation films and cult film fare should seek The Devil Inside Her out as for students of the cinema of the sensational this is great stuff, the mere curious however should run from this faster than you can say `Filth Hounds of Hades'.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074403/
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