Good Against Evil (1977)

Good movie but grossly overrated

Expected more

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

"A young couple is forced to confront the ultimate horror when Satan decides to claim the young woman as his own. The boyfriend consults with two priests in the hopes of getting guidance on his spiritual dilemma. The two priests in turn decide to perform an exorcism in order to rid the woman of her possession. The boyfriend and the exorcists are pitted in a battle for the woman's soul with Satan and his clan of worshipers," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.This television movie has its strengths; however, the story is very weak, and the production values do not entirely satisfy the need for horrific moments. For example, the cats perform well -- but, they are not very scary. Still, writer Jimmy Sangster and director Paul Wendkos handle the assignment well. The reason the Satanists could not simply kill the hero was one of the nicer touches (though, arguably, it's inconsistent). The unsatisfying ending suggests a sequel or series was planned. There are several fine performances.Dack Rambo (as Andy Stuart) is quite likable in the lead role; he is very appealing as the persistent, romantic magazine writer who meets fashion designer Elyssa Davalos in San Francisco, after denting her car. Due to an opening prologue, we know Ms. Davalos is likely the woman chosen to birth the "Anti-Christ". Davalos provides the "Rosemary's Baby" recall, and Kim Cattrall (as Linda) helps add "The Exorcist" to the proceedings. Thankfully, Mr. Rambo and his co-stars stay focused on their characterizations, and don't venture "over the top".Priestly John Harkins (as Father Wheatley) is always a welcome supporting player; he was unforgettable on "Dark Shadows", blackmailing Chris Pennock and frightening Joan Bennett; and, of course, Mr. Harkins delivered the eulogy for the dearly departed "Chuckles the Clown", causing Mary Tyler Moore's laughing fit. Priestly Dan O'Herlihy (as Father Kemschler) was a part of the "Shadows"-swipe "Dark Mansions" and essayed many memorable characters; his supporting roles in "RoboCop" and "Twin Peaks" are memorable. Devilish Richard Lynch (as Rimmin), meddling Erica Yohn (as Agnes), and resolute Peggy McCay (as Irene) are also appealing. If only the story were better… ***** Good Against Evil (5/22/77) Paul Wendkos ~ Dack Rambo, Elyssa Davalos, Richard Lynch

****SPOILERS**** Off the wall but still very watchable, because of the films unintentional humor, horror movie that has to do with a future virgin bride of Satan, or Asterof as he's called here, Jennifer Gordon( Elyssa Davelous) who's in danger of losing her way by falling in love, and thus losing her virginity, with a mare mortal the handsome and not taking no for an answer Andy Stuart, Dack Rambo.Were given a prologue in the film with a scene that takes place in New York City back in 1955 with this what seems like a very disturbed woman, Jenny O'Hara, going through labor and giving birth to what turned out to be Jennifer Gordon. Within minutes of giving birth the woman is killed as she falls down a flight of stairs when she's attacked by a black cat! This mysterious feline shows up in the movie, being responsible for at least two more deaths, a number of times including the films surprise ending.It's now 22 years later and in the city of San Francisco that we see Jennifer working at a boutique and then running into Andy Stuart who ran his van into Jennifer's parked car. Romance blossoms between the two star-struck lovers until Andy takes Jennifer out for a ride, on horses, and is attacked by the same black cat that attacked and killed her mother at the start of the film. This time around the black Cat killed, by causing him to be trampled to death, one of the Satanists a Mr. Brown, Richard Stahl, who's assigned to look after Jeniffer's safety.Having absolutely no clue in what he got himself into Andy goes to a local church and asks the preacher Father Wheatley, John Harkins, to marry him and Jennifer as soon as possible. It turns out that Father Weathley is on to who Jennifer really is, The Bride of Satan! Father Weathley not only refuses to marry Jennifer and Andy but if fact tells Andy to get help by having Jennifer exorcised by his fellow Catholic Priest and exorcist expert Father Kemschler, Dan O'Herlihy.Things really start to get wild when Jennifer realized that she's been groomed to be Satan's Bride and breaks up with the by now totally confused Andy. Andy himself soon sees how wrong he was in not taking Father Wheatley advice when he goes to his church finding the place ransacked with Father Weatley both dead and hanging from the church's bell tower! The movie then takes a totally different turn, with an entirely new storyline, in what the Devil and his secretive followers are really up to.Andy now knowing what he has to do after he read a story about a child being possessed by the Devil in the local newspaper and rushes down to New Orleans. It's there where not only the child Cindy Isley, Natasha Ryan, is hospitalized after she was attacked by our old friend the black cat but her divorced mother Linday Isley, Kim Cattrall, just happened to be an old friend, or lover, of Andy! What a small world!The ending is about as good if not even better then you would have expected it to be with Father Kemschler coming out of his corner swinging punches at the Devil in an effort to save Cindy's soul as well as her life. With Cindy's bedroom in total chaos with books chairs tables and toys flying in all directions, as well as what seems like elephants trumpeting in the background, Father Kemscher has a life and death struggle with the Devil himself who's disguised as a pillow! It's then that what seems like the head honcho of the Sanatic cult Rimmin, Richard Lynch, involved with Jennifer, who by then completely disappeared from the movie,calls it quits and goes off looking for another candidate, a new bride, for his master Satan. That's if his master decides to give Rimmin another chance to redeem himself! ****SPOILER****The film ends with the threat of a sequel in that the very annoying and deadly black cat pops up again but now after thirty years that threat can finally be discounted.

Thanks to the Dollar Tree's DVD double features, I only had to pay $.50 for this '70's made-for-TV experience. With stuff like this and "The Star Wars Holiday Special", I'm surprised TVs even sold in the '70s. If nothing else, this movie serves as a representation - a time capsule, if you will - of what the decade was all about: groovy guys living in vans, Mary Tyler Moore-esquire women, and Satan. I'm not going to bother describing the movie's plot and just mention my favorite scene. It's when the hippie hanging out in the fortune telling booth gives the heroine, Jessica, her fortune and she glibly reads some pseudo-apocalyptic mumbo-jumbo about the coming of the Antichrist and the destruction of the world! Huh?! Neither she nor her mellow boyfriend find that unusual? Imagine sitting around with friends in a Chinese restaurant. You've finished dinner and everyone is opening their cookies and reading their vague but positive fortunes and you get one that prophesies the End Times. Wouldn't that raise some eyebrows? But Jessica and Andy are too much in love to be bothered by such things. This movie also stars Kim Cattrall. I didn't realize how old she is. Has she been making awful movies since the silent era?Anyway, if you're looking for some cheesy fun for not a lot of money, I recommend digging through your local dollar store's movie bin for this and other forgotten films! I don't know if you'll be glad you did, but it's better than being ripped-off seeing a new bad movie in the theater!

"Good Against Evil" is a boring little stinker that time forgot...until it was resurrected on DVD (as part of the "Fright Night" 10-movie pak). Clearly a made-for-TV production, it is so lacking in action of any sort that the best reason for viewing it is to induce sleep. Dan O'Herlihy enters far too late to redeem this dull-as-a-doornail production, doing his best Max von Sydow impression as the priest who attempts to perform an exorcism. How "Good Against Evil" flew by the radar of The Satellite of Love is beyond me.zero/10