Review of Evilspeak (1981) by Cory T — 31 Oct 2014

Hell hath no fury like a nerd seeking revenge. This is not a run-of-the-mill geek-empowerment flick as the preface of a cult being excommunicated from Spain indicates. Sadly the various mannequin beheadings look very tawdry which is befitting of the minuscule budget.

Orphaned and marooned at a military school (the regimented setting is a breeding ground for horror-movie mayhem), Coopersmith (Clint Howard) is continuously chastised by his peers for his poor soccer skills and social awkwardness.

'Evilspeak' is a crisp, if belatedly madcap starring vehicle for Howard who is typecast as maladjusted, gap-toothed introverts. Most of the runtime is a tautening groundswell until Coopersmith reaches his boiling point and the film is frontloaded with cruelty from Coopersmith's classmates who physically abuse him and casually insult him.

Normally the on-screen act of someone furiously typing on a keyboard quickly devolves in ennui but translating Latin texts of pentagram Satanism captivates the helter-skelter allure. A black mass is on the cusp and the viewers anxiously anticipate Coopersmith assembling the incomplete ingredient of a consecrated host.

A convulsive head snap and gluttonous pigs are just appetizers to the unspeakable anarchy ahead. 'Evilspeak' delivers the viscera in a church bloodbath and it is a sacrilegious joy to behold.