Pact With The Devil
The presentation begins with a stern warning, that some viewers may find content disturbing, as it deals with controversial images and subject matter - so right away, one's curiosity and expectation is piqued. - it should at least be quite dramatic - and it is. Rendered in a style reminiscent of Geraldo's "Exposing Satan's Underground", which was basically a sensationalistic nerve-tapper focusing more on urban legends than actual Satanism, although the few minutes of Our actual philosophy demonstrated tends to be more than enough to get the message across, and really stands upon its own merit - ironically, it may prove to be far more intellectually disturbing to the viewer, and the journalism source than the lurid accounts of blood and gore fabricated to gain attention. The dichotemy of displaying those alleged criminal acts perpetrated by stoned metal heads garnering their foolosophical misinformation from albums and horror films, versus that of actual representatives of The Church of Satan can be quite engaging, and in My opinion, further goes to exemplify the difference between devil-worship and true Satanism; plus, it seems to add more of a mysterious and dangerous connotation, which adds an extra exciting element overall. As a matter of fact, it is rather "fun" to view these types of "shockumentaries" wherein we know where the truth lies, like a black diamond in the rough.
Despite a promise made by the producer to COS Administration to NOT contact the following individual {which was a decision as to whether or not Our participation would be granted}, included herein is ex-FBI agent and hack Ted Gunderson, who still clings to the SRA fables, despite being debunked in an exhaustive investigation by that very agency. It seems that he is desperately grasping onto any faint strings of notoriety he can, evident in the quack video "evidence" he dramatically produces from a safe, which upon observation by a professional forensic analyst, is clearly an awful hoax inconsistent with forensic characteristics, perhaps even initiated by Gunderson himself to preserve his media presence at all costs.
By far, the high points consist of Magistra Barton countering some of the common claims made by the ignorant, as well as offering enlightening and educated commentary about the Satanic religion, with scenes of an impressive ritual sequence conducted by this very writer.
Apparently, the producers slummed and also filmed with some pseudo-satanists who add to the urban mythology about cult sacrifice by claiming knowledge of such, plus they look like hippie-Goth clowns to boot. For the record, whoever they are, they are in no way connected to The Church of Satan, and are definitely out of their league. They embarrass themselves well.
The rest of the show involved a news story so named "The Nightmare on Elm Street", obviously after the film series, which involved four or five losers who huddled around a nut to form a cult of drinking buddies called "Order of The Lion" who, probably after a bout of narcotic abuse, decided to murder a couple of other wastrels on an actual street named "Elm" - upon observation, there seemed no direct connection with a so-called "satanic crime", and I have a feeling the motive probably had more to do with a failed drug transaction or simple robbery. And finally, more lowlife criminal activity with a relation about some whack-job who ungratefully murdered his parents for the sacrificial purpose of using a decapitated head for a "Black Mass" {there is no such pre-requisite for Le Messe Noir, by the way - all one has to do is read The Satanic Rituals by Dr. Anton LaVey to realize this}.
Overall, with the exception of the brilliant Church of Satan sequences, the program seemed a product from the paranoid mid-80's to early 90's; and as such, is about 80% fiction, 20% factual. It is surely worth the acquisition for those choice segments alone, as well as for the evocative thrill.
