Fans of psychedelic trash claim to love this movie, but it is largely unwatchable. Shot in the wake of the success of "Wild in the Streets," which Robert Thom wrote, AIP allowed Thom to write and direct his first film. His freaked out ambition led to something that was barely released. The basic story is like Tennesee Williams' "Orpheus Descending" or Pasolini's "Teorama" -- a hot, vaguely homo erotic stud comes into a wealthy household, sleeps with everybody and DESTROYS them baby!! Destroys them! Tripped out with psychedelic fashions and bad rock tunes, this sounds like fun; but Thom has absolutely no sense of pace and the movie just bumps from one poorly directed scene to the next.
The cast is at sea through out the film and no wonder: Holly Near, now a famous lesbian singer and activist, plays a fat girl who gets raped by the rock star. She must hide her head in a pillow when this comes on TV. Jordan Christopher comes on like Jim Morrison lite and Roddy McDowall and Lou Rawls are cringe worthy as "groovy" sidekicks. Camp lovers may relish Jennifer Jones' degradation as a wealthy nympho/porn star who lusts for the stud, but her dialogue ("You bloody sadistic dyke!") resists rational delivery.
The most interesting thing about the film is the homoeroticism; quite explicit for its day. But that would hardly sell it in 1969. In fact, after previewing the film as "Angel, Angel Down We Go," AIP realized what a dog it had and shelved it. A year later they rushed it out on a cheap double bill, changing the title to "Cult of the Damned," and giving it an ad campaign that implied it had something to do with the Manson murders. Even that did not do the trick. AIP's cutting may account for the film's bumpy narrative, but what is left on screen is truly unsalvagable.
The "high" point of all this madness comes when the fat heroine gets "high" and sees the other cast members SITTING ON THE CEILING!! The scene continues as if nothing odd has happened. Utterly bizarre! It's too bad after the pop-comic book psychedelia of "Wild in the Streets," that Thom fumbled this film so badly. The rock star lead was obviously created as a follow-up role for Christopher Jones, but he escaped to A films like "Ryan's Daughter" for a few years before surrendering to drugs. No one escaped this mess unscathed. Only for the morbidly curious. You have been warned.
The cast is at sea through out the film and no wonder: Holly Near, now a famous lesbian singer and activist, plays a fat girl who gets raped by the rock star. She must hide her head in a pillow when this comes on TV. Jordan Christopher comes on like Jim Morrison lite and Roddy McDowall and Lou Rawls are cringe worthy as "groovy" sidekicks. Camp lovers may relish Jennifer Jones' degradation as a wealthy nympho/porn star who lusts for the stud, but her dialogue ("You bloody sadistic dyke!") resists rational delivery.
The most interesting thing about the film is the homoeroticism; quite explicit for its day. But that would hardly sell it in 1969. In fact, after previewing the film as "Angel, Angel Down We Go," AIP realized what a dog it had and shelved it. A year later they rushed it out on a cheap double bill, changing the title to "Cult of the Damned," and giving it an ad campaign that implied it had something to do with the Manson murders. Even that did not do the trick. AIP's cutting may account for the film's bumpy narrative, but what is left on screen is truly unsalvagable.
The "high" point of all this madness comes when the fat heroine gets "high" and sees the other cast members SITTING ON THE CEILING!! The scene continues as if nothing odd has happened. Utterly bizarre! It's too bad after the pop-comic book psychedelia of "Wild in the Streets," that Thom fumbled this film so badly. The rock star lead was obviously created as a follow-up role for Christopher Jones, but he escaped to A films like "Ryan's Daughter" for a few years before surrendering to drugs. No one escaped this mess unscathed. Only for the morbidly curious. You have been warned.