The Brotherhood of Satan

The Brotherhood of Satan

Year: 1971

Runtime: 92 mins

Language: English

Director: Bernard McEveety

HorrorHorror

In a remote California desert town, a malevolent demon spirit of madness and murder spreads terror, gripping the community. A family becomes trapped as a secretive cult of senior citizens recruits the town’s children to worship Satan, forcing them to confront the occult horror threatening their lives.

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Timeline & Setting – The Brotherhood of Satan (1971)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Brotherhood of Satan (1971). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Hillsboro, California, California desert

Set in a remote California desert town, Hillsboro sits on the edge of civilization where everyday life masks a darkness beneath. The Barry House atop the hill overlooks the town and becomes the ritual chamber of the coven. The harsh desert environment amplifies isolation and fear as the community confronts a spate of missing children.

🏜️ Desert 👪 Small town 🕵️ Hidden secrets

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:38

Main Characters – The Brotherhood of Satan (1971)

Meet the key characters of The Brotherhood of Satan (1971), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Ben Holden

A widowed father whose protective instinct kicks in as he travels with Nicky and K. T. He demonstrates resourcefulness and determination, pushing through fear to keep his family safe and to uncover the town's dark secret. His courage drives the rescue effort and bonds with allies he can trust.

👪 Family 🛡️ Courage 🧭 Determination

Nicky (Debi Storm)

Ben's girlfriend who proves to be a steady ally in the face of danger. She stays composed under pressure, supports Ben, and helps navigate the frightening events surrounding the coven. Her resolve contributes to the group's efforts to escape and protect K. T.

👫 Partner 🛡️ Courage 🧭 Resourcefulness

Pete (L.Q. Jones)

The town sheriff who initially reacts with aggression toward Ben but becomes a protective figure when the danger becomes undeniable. He embodies the tension between outsider suspicion and communal duty, ultimately aiding the effort to confront the coven.

👮 Authority 🛡️ Protector 🕵️ Suspicion

Tobey (Alvy Moore)

The town deputy who stands with the community during the growing crisis. He participates in investigations and assists in coordinating responses to the supernatural threat. His loyalty to the town strengthens the united front against the witches.

👮 Law 🛡️ Loyalty 🧭 Inquisitive

Father Jack (Charles Robinson)

The town priest who senses evil at work and seeks understanding through study. He acts as a moral voice, researching devil worship and warning others about the danger posed to the children. His vigilance highlights faith and reason in confronting the occult threat.

🙏 Faith 🕯️ Vigilance 🧭 Insight

Dr. Duncan (Doc Duncan) (Strother Martin)

The physician who leads the coven and orchestrates the ritual to transfer souls into the children. He is calculating, manipulative, and driven by power, using medicine and ritual to tighten the coven's control over Hillsboro.

🧪 Occult 🗝️ Manipulative 💼 Power

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:38

Major Themes – The Brotherhood of Satan (1971)

Explore the central themes of The Brotherhood of Satan (1971), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Witchcraft

A coven of witches uses occult rituals to siphon the souls of children, transferring them into the young. The dark rites reveal how power can corrupt and how innocence becomes a target. The film emphasizes the tangible danger of hidden, ancient forces manipulating ordinary lives. Rituals, talismans, and a sinister coven drive the plot and its sense of dread.

🕵️ Paranoia

The town's secrets foster a climate of suspicion, with residents watching each other and authorities concealing deadly truths. Sheriff, deputy, and priest become first lines of defense while the coven operates in the shadows. Trust frays as strange occurrences mount and the line between friend and foe blurs. The community's paranoia intensifies the horror and isolation.

🧸 Innocence

Children lie at the center of the crisis, their lives used as vessels in a malevolent ritual. Toys and children's rooms morph into instruments of harm, highlighting the fragility of childhood. The contrast between innocence and corruption sharpens the film's critique of power wielded over the powerless. The threat to the young propels the protagonists to act despite personal danger.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:38

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Small towns terrorized by cults like in The Brotherhood of Satan

Stories where an isolated community is infiltrated and terrorized by a secretive, malevolent cult.If you liked the premise of The Brotherhood of Satan, you'll find more terrifying stories here. This section features movies where a small, isolated community becomes the hunting ground for a secretive satanic or occult cult, creating an atmosphere of paranoia and inescapable horror. Explore more films about towns with dark secrets and hidden covens.

sinisterclaustrophobicparanoiddreadfulgothiceerieunsettlingoppressive

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically involve outsiders or residents discovering the dark truth about their community too late. The structure follows a steady uncovering of clues and horrific rituals, often culminating in a direct confrontation where the scale of the cult's power is fully revealed, frequently with a bleak outcome for the protagonists.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared setting and antagonist. They create a specific kind of horror rooted in the violation of safe spaces and the fear of organized, fanatical evil operating just beneath the surface of normal life. The mood is consistently one of paranoia, dread, and claustrophobia.

Bleak folk horror movies like The Brotherhood of Satan

Desolate tales where rural landscapes harbor ancient, malevolent forces that claim victory.Fans of The Brotherhood of Satan's desolate setting and hopeless ending will appreciate this selection. Discover movies similar in vibe, where ancient supernatural evils rooted in the land overwhelm isolated characters. These films share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a feeling of inevitable doom against unstoppable forces.

bleakdesolatedreadfuloppressivesinisterunsettlingeerieanxious

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern is one of inevitable descent. Characters, often outsiders, enter a landscape charged with ancient power and slowly realize they are pawns in a ritual or cycle they cannot stop. The conflict is not about winning, but about survival, and even that is often denied in a finale that reinforces the power and permanence of the evil.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a cohesive mix of setting, tone, and outcome. The combination of a rural/desolate atmosphere, a focus on ancient or folkloric evil, and a definitively bleak ending creates a uniquely oppressive and heavy viewing experience that distinguishes it from more hopeful supernatural tales.

Unlock the Full Story of The Brotherhood of Satan

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The Brotherhood of Satan Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Brotherhood of Satan, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Brotherhood of Satan Summary

The Brotherhood of Satan Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Brotherhood of Satan with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Brotherhood of Satan Timeline

The Brotherhood of Satan Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Brotherhood of Satan Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Brotherhood of Satan

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