Good start, but then it gets ruined

Admirable film.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

THE DEVIL'S RAIN is a fine little devil worship horror yarn from '70s America which would go nicely in a double bill with the equally good RACE WITH THE DEVIL, which came out in the same year. There's plenty of similarities between the two movies, but while the other has the slight edge this is still a very good movie. What I liked most about this one is that it's completely unconventional: most movies of this era take a gradual build-up approach, like that seen in ROSEMARY'S BABY, where the movie begins with a depiction of normal, everyday life before gradually stripping away the layers and descending into hell. Not so here: from the start we're in the thick of black magic chaos, as an innocent man turns into a rumpy, rain-sodden mess for no apparent reason and a house is trashed by evil forces.There's little story to this, other than that seen in a flashback, and the film doesn't need it, either. It's set out in the middle of a bleak desert wasteland, brought to life with excellent landscape photography. A dwindling number of 'good guys' are set against an endless number of evil cult members who have extremely creepy, no-eye makeup. The battle for power ebbs and flows between the two factions until a twist ending which is well remembered as the film's highlight.Another great asset is the cast of B-movie notables. William Shatner's here, doing some of his finest emoting, and he shares heroic duties with Tom Skerritt, who's as well used here as he was in ALIEN. You have Ernest Borgnine overacting as the leader of the devil cult, sometimes turning into a goatish devil incarnate although sadly the cheesy goat makeup isn't up to the job and this is the one failing of the movie. There are lots of old-timers, too: Keenan Wynn in a cameo as the Sheriff; Woodrow Chambliss as the loyal retainer; Ida Lupino; good old Eddie Albert is a good guy as well. An unrecognisable John Travolta appears in his first movie role, a year before CARRIE, and even real-life Satanist Anton Lavey and his missus pop up for cameos. Claudio Brook, who was a staple of Mexican horror cinema, turns up as a preacher.The film has plenty of action and moves at an astounding pace, but there's no lack of atmosphere, either. British director Robert Fuest had a good eye for the bizarre (he did the two DR PHIBES flicks) and he uses it to an advantage here. The film is chiefly remembered for its grisly climax, in which all of the bad guys are subjected to the titular phenomenon and end up melting thanks to some thoroughly effective special effects. No doubt the people who made THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN were inspired to do so after watching this flick, and good on them, I say.

I don't know what the hell this film was all about. It started out pretty good and I though the low score on IMDb was going to turn out to he some kind of error.The first 15 minutes were pretty good, though I noticed the pacing was a bit slow already. Basically Shatner, his mum and some old man who is also in the house (though I couldn't gather why) are waiting for the husband/dad to return. Then someone turns up at the front door with their eyes missing, then they start to melt, oozing out green, blue and pink puss. It was a very unexpected turn of events and I liked the gore.Then the house is broker into and the old man beaten up and the mother kidnapped. Shatner goes looking for a Warlock called Corvus, who is after a sacred book that Shatner's family have hid for years.So then it goes to the desert. The pace becomes unbearably slow, uneventful scenes go on for ages. Shatner gets taken into the cult (BTW, they all have missing eyes bar Corvus). Then Shatner's brother comes along to save the day. But scenes go on for ages with nothing happening. This film was really dull.In the end we get treated to 10 minutes of all the cult members melting. God it just went on forever.Shame that this film was so dull and badly paced because it seemed to have a lot of potential. The make up and gore effects were pretty good and some elements were a bit spooky. The idea was an interesting one but executed poorly.

In this memorably silly and incredibly entertaining rural horror flick, a family named the Prestons must do battle with a Satan-worshipping villain, Jonathan Corbis (Ernest Borgnine). Mark Preston (William Shatner) and his brother Tom (Tom Skerritt) are among those with the balls to face this minion of the Devil. What Corbis really wants is to lay his infernal hands on a very important book.Robert Fuest ("The Abominable Dr. Phibes", "The Final Programme") directs this insane, sometimes uproarious feature. The script, credited to Gabe Essoe, James Ashton, and Gerald Hopman, is pure nonsense. One truly must approach this after checking their brain at the door. The film has a very effective pace, as it hits the ground running and starts unleashing its horrors within the first few minutes.There is some excellent atmosphere to enjoy, and much striking desert imagery photographed in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The overcast skies in early scenes merely add to the mood. Al De Lory composed the suitable music score; Alex Phillips Jr. did the lighting. The action takes place in some very desolate environments.The acting is deliciously hammy from Borgnine and Shatner. Borgnine in particular has rarely been as much fun as he is here...especially when he's covered in goat's head makeup for much of the last half hour. The slumming big name cast also includes a typically amusing Keenan Wynn as a sheriff, Ida Lupino as the Preston matriarch, and Eddie Albert as Dr. Samuel Richards. Joan Prather plays Skerritts' wife, Claudio Brook appears in the stylish flashback sequence as a crusading priest, Lisa Todd is cast as a temptress, and that's none other than John Travolta making his film debut as one of Corbis's many disciples. (His dialogue basically consists of "Blasphemer!").The extremely protracted ending is the unqualified highlight. Most of the cast melts when the title element is unleashed. Apparently in this story selling your soul to the Devil turns your body into wax. Who knew?"The Devil's Rain" is trashy, and stupid, but for certain tastes, a Hell of a lot of fun.Eight out of 10.

Here's another film I remember seeing as a kid, starring pre-sausage looking William Shatner (plimsoles), John Travolta (slippers), Keenan Wynn (moccasins), and Ernest (Doc Martens) Borgnine. Also: Tom Skerrit (thigh high leather boots). I thought it was okay then…but now I think it's…still okay.We get dropped right into the action as Shatner and his mum and their shoes are frantically awaiting the arrival of their dad/husband/shoe protector, but someone with his face (and no eyes, wearing shoes) appears and says 'Give Corbis the book (and the shoes)', and then melts in the rain like a prawn cracker does in chicken noodle soup served in a ladies stilleto. Shortly afterwards, Shatner's mum and her shoes are kidnapped as he is looking at a doll (wearing sandals) tied to a steering wheel and he himself sets off for a seemingly deserted town to battle Corbis (Borgnine) who quite naturally is the head of a devil/shoe worshipping cult who needs a book/shoes which would increase his evil shoes powers or something. Also: Tom Skerrit (thermal socks).Also: Tom Skerrit also turns up as Shatner's brother to look for everyone and their shoes and gets involved in a battle with Borgnine (it is unclear whether or not his shoes are involved at this point – possible shoe spoiler). Also, Skerrit also runs into Travolta who has no eyes but still has a dimple on his chin (used to keep gravy warm) and then Borgnine turns into a goat wearing wellies and everyone has no eyes, but nifty Nike Air Max trainers. Also: Tom Skerrit finds what looks like a TV full of souls wrapped in some stuff (probably shoes).This film has virtually no plot (and very little shoe action). There's a bit of a backstory involving Borgnine and the footwear people used to wear during the Salem Shoe Trials, and you've got to love all the melting action, but it mainly involves people looking for other people and their shoes. Also: Tom Skerrit's always struck me as being a bit bland as an actor, especially up against Borgnine who's anything but bland. Maybe it's his shoes? The Devil's Rain still feels like about half a film. Plenty of goo, little else. It caused me to bend a brogue slightly.Also: Tom Skerrit.