SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

US, 1973, 78 minutes, Colour.
Pamela Franklin, Kate Jackson, Lloyd Bochner, Cheryl Ladd, Jo Van Fleet.
Directed by David Lowell Rich.

A mild occult melodrama. Set in Salem, with its background of witches and witchcraft in the 17th century, the film shows a Girls' School which is in the power of the Devil. However, it is adapted very much to the living room audience and has very few scares or even much atmosphere.

The main advantage of the film is in using Pamela Franklin as a sturdy heroine. Kate Jackson in an early role and Jo van Fleet, the Oscar-winning actress for East of Eden, in a role in which actually she has very little to do. Direction id by David Lowell Rich who has made many popular films and telemovies.

1. How entertaining and interesting a telemovie? Atmosphere, plot, horror, the occult, audience involvement?

2. The popularity of occult films in the seventies? The idea or having a modern Devil and witchcraft story in Salem with its background of 17th century witchcraft? The headmistress's continual references to Abigail, one of the main witches of that period? The use of the boarding school atmosphere and the menacing of young woman? Ordinary material, how we11 presented?

3. The initial California atmosphere, the atmosphere of New England? Colour, locations, the school, the atmosphere?

4. How plausible was the plot? Sufficient for this occult story? The reincarnation of the Devil and his power in Salem? The nature of the school and the way it was presented? The girls in the power of the Devil? Death for those who refused to succumb to his wishes? The presentation of the Doctor as the Devil and the presentation of his power over the girls?

5. The film's focus on Elizabeth? The initial atmosphere with Martha and her terror finally to her death? Elizabeth's decision to go to the school, the encounter with Lucy, Roberta and the other girls? Her gradual investigations while anonymous? The revelation of the truth to the authorities? Her experiencing the menace? The betrayal by her friend? The happy ending? A vigorous heroine for this kind of film?

6. The presentation of the other girls, ordinary American girls, the special friend and her sharing the danger with Elizabeth and suddenly turning into one of the Devil's women? The presentation of them at the end with their killing of Delacroix with the Devil and their being burnt? The contrast with the personality of the headmistress? was she a Dragon Lady as described, her going mad under the power of the Devil? Delacroix and his class with the rats and their terror? The presence of the Doctor?

7. The crises with the various deaths and their mystery? The build-up to the discovery of the body in the cellar? The eerie atmosphere at the end with the girls leaving the school, leaving Elizabeth to confront the Devil?

8. Plausible theme of the occult? The atmosphere of the mysterious in ordinary life? How well done - for entertainment, for reflection?