Watching Satan's Children is the kind of experience that leaves you shuddering
to imagine what issues and personal demons its makers were wrestling with at
the time. Mean spirited, a l'ttle bit too preoccupied with incest, intense in
its homophobia yet drawn towards homoerotic imagery, opening up the idea that
there was an element of strong, self-hatred going on here. Try to second guess
which direction this film is going in, and I guarantee that Satan's Children
will run rings around you.
The film initially has
the feel of a public information film warning teenagers about the dangers of
running away from home, as teenage hero Bobby Douglas flees his bullying
stepfather and flirty, troublemaking step sister, both of whom regard him as
little more than a glorified houseboy. This mask of social concern soon begins
to slip away though and a more sadistic agenda comes into play when Bobby gets
picked up by a middle aged biker dude, only to then be hog tied and gang raped
by the biker and his buddies. Satan's Children then turns queer hating once
Bobby falls in with a satanic group, who regard Bobby with some suspicion and
hostility due to him having been raped by men. At which point your mind begins
to wander towards this film being the work of some anti-gay religious group,
however any allegiance there is shattered by the film's own combative
relationship with Christianity as well. Satan's Children's point of view seems
to be that Christianity is weak and has become too forgiving and tolerant
towards homosexuality, driving young people like Bobby in the direction of Satanism
instead. A point made by having Simon, the head Satanist, taunt poor Bobby by
bitching “your ass is sore. Poor little boy got raped by some queers. And he's
perfectly willing to forget all about it. You must believe in Jesus”. Bobby's
presence leads to power struggles within the group. Cult member Sherry falls in
love with Bobby, but loses face within the group when his sexuality comes under
question. Sherry is also falsely accused of betraying the group by Monica, a
closet lesbian who wants revenge after Sherry had rejected her advances. Can
Bobby Douglas ever forget his sore ass and find true happiness?
The all-consuming hang up of Satan's Children is homosexual rape, and being
tainted by the suspicion of homosexuality because of it. Mental baggage so
specific that you can't help but suspect that you are seeing someone's own
private hell being brought to the screen. Surely if a person in 1970s Florida
just wanted to make a few bucks from the drive-ins they'd have thrown money at
a HG Lewis type gorefest or a monster movie throwback like Zaat...Satan's
Children feels a far more bitter and personal endeavour. Hateful at it is
towards homosexuality it is impossible not to pick up on just how homoerotic
Satan's Children gets at times. The male rape scene is graphic and its mere
depiction atypical for something aimed at the drive-ins, another scene where
Bobby runs from the cult in just his underwear is hilariously prolonged and eroticized.
Paradoxically, when it comes to what this film regards as sexually normal,
Satan's Children gets all conservative on us. Woman are allowed to keep their
bras on while being sacrificed to Satan and Bobby's victorious assertion of his
heterosexuality, by bedding Sherry, coyly takes place under the sheets. A
troubling, ugly yet unforgettable sexual nightmare caught on film...if I were
to be told tomorrow that someone involved in Satan's Children later went on to
join the Westboro Baptist Church I wouldn't be at all surprised... this film
might have been more aptly titled 'Don't Look in the Closet'.
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