THE SACRAMENT
US, 2013, 99 minutes, Colour.
Joe Swanberg, A.J. Bowen, Kentucky Audley, Gene Jones, Amy Seimnetz, Kate Forbes.
Directed by Ti West.
The Sacrament is quite a striking film. It was directed by Ti West, more of a specialist at this period of his career in horror films, especially with The Innkeepers. His later work was in television.
This film uses the devices of “found footage�. A young man is interviewed by a New York television station, the story of his sister, former drug addict, moving out of the US to an isolated commune, Eden Parish. The team go to the parish to find a story and for the young man to meet his sister.
Audiences familiar with the story of Jonestown in 1978, the leadership of Jim Jones, a powerful cult leader, brainwashing his followers, leading to their mass suicide, will see the parallels with this story.
The leader of the cult, Father, a powerful performance by Gene Jones, large, dominating, smiling, dark glasses, greeting his followers… offers a disturbing rationale of the cult in an interview with the television crew. At the beginning, he is all sweetness and light, people sacrificing their savings to set up the parish. However, he is against American culture and politics, detached from modern technical culture, then turning the interview against the interviewers and denouncing them.
There are interviews with many of those who have joined the parish – but a caution when a woman asks if they will take her mute daughter away with them. The next morning, there are quite a number of people who want to leave, conflict amongst the followers. It is at this stage that Father gets his followers to prepare the drink, laced with poison, so that all his followers will choose their time of death rather than being attacked and killed by American invaders.
The film is initially intriguing with audiences wondering about the cult. Then it becomes quite challenging with Father and his interview. Then it becomes more disturbing as the journalists become more anxious. Then it becomes horrifying with the mass suicide and its consequences.
It is well worth seeing to experience this kind of cult made plausible, dramatised, then the revelation of the brainwashing and the disastrous consequences.
1. The title? Expectations? Religious dimensions? The revelation of the poisoned drink, as a sacrament for the members of the cult?
2. The tradition of the found footage films, the journey, investigation, the role of the camera operator, the handheld camera work, fixed camera? The overall effect to make the footage seem authentic?
3. The introduction to the theme, the story, Patrick and his coming to the television station, the network and its filming? The interview with Sam? Jake is the photographer? The decision to follow the story, to film it?
4. Patrick, his background, Caroline writing to him, her drug addiction, her reform, going to Eden Parish? Her invitation for him to come? Patrick going with the team? The helicopter ride? Going into the Parish? Beyond the United States? An isolated community?
5. The first impressions, the countryside, the layout, the huts? The assembly point? Caroline and her enthusiasm? The devotion to Father? The men going to their quarters? The questions? The interviews with the various people, the young woman from Australia, the infirmarian, other members, their enthusiasm, the huts, the Centre for medical attention, the children? The caution with the woman and her mute little girl, warning them? And the later message for them to take the little girl?
6. The background of cults, isolation, the range of devotees, no racial discrimination, the members giving up their homes and incomes to fund the parish? Their happiness together? The young black men and their enthusiasm? The buildup to the appearance of Father? The complete devotion to the leader?
7. Audience knowledge of Jim Jones and Jonestown? The community? 1978? The cult? The mass suicide? The parallels with this story?
8. The gathering, Father and his entry, his appearance, big, genial, the dark glasses? Welcoming everyone, embracing? His allowing the interview? Jake filming? Sam and his preparation, the questions?
9. The impact of the interview, the long speeches by Father, the background of the parish, setting it up, the people coming? The scriptural references? The religious dimension? Sam and his being bewildered? Asking the questions about the armed men? Father’s reaction, twisting the question? His denunciation of the media and its spinning stories?
10. The aftermath, the celebration, the singing? Everybody happy? Patrick and his disappearance, Caroline and her story, enthusiasm, providing Patrick with women?
11. The effect on Sam and Jake, disturbed, the mother and her wanting them to take the little girl, her being beaten? The sentries and their prowling? The armed men? The night passing?
12. The next morning, the attention to details of time? Patrick and his rejoining the men? The preparation to leave? The group of people and their wanting to leave? The interactions amongst the group, persuading them not to leave?
13. Father, the preparation for the drink, the poison, the group preparing, his words, apocalyptic, wanting them to go to death under their own terms, creating the fear of an American invasion and deaths? The people drinking? The children? Mothers and children? The foaming at the mouth, the collapse and death? Those reluctant, the young black man, his being persuaded? Eventually everybody dead? The armed patrols?
14. The helicopter arriving, the shooting of the pilot? Sam and Jake, the camera, on the ground, filming? Going back to the compound? Patrick and Caroline, her killing her brother?
15. The final meeting with Father, his explanations, rationalisations? Shooting himself?
16. Sam and Jake, getting to the helicopter, the wounded pilot, taking off, the final views of Eden Parish?
17. A portrait of cult, cult leaders, the response of the followers, the brainwashing, the religious motivation, the dominance of the leader, the leader setting the rules, morality? Incorporating the best of community? But complete domination – even to death?
