Evilspeak (1981) User Reviews (77)

Computers and killer pigs

[Red-Barracuda · 5/10 · 1 July 2013]

An army cadet is bullied by four other students and some authority figures. One day he is sent to clean the old church basement as a punishment and, while there, he finds a secret room which contains an ancient Satanic Mass book. He discovers that passages from it can reincarnate a 16th century Satanist called Esteban. Using a computer, he revives Esteban and has bloody revenge on all those from the academy who have wronged him.

Evilspeak was another early 80's horror movie that found itself onto the UK video nasty list. These were the films considered so offensive that they threatened the moral fabric of Britain back in the day. As a result it was banned and, naturally, has benefited ever since from the notoriety. Like most on that list it's difficult to understand what all the fuss was about with this one. If anything it proves that the censors back then were a spectacularly over-sensitive and humourless group of people. Because it's well-nigh impossible to see how they could have thought anyone could have taken this film seriously enough to then go out and commit acts of violence. This is a film about a possessed computer after all. It features a horde of man-eating pigs and has a climax where the hero floats through the air wielding a big sword. To my knowledge, none of these things has ever cropped up in the news in the years since Evilspeak was released.

How is it as a film? It's fun, if nothing too impressive. It takes it's time to get to the horror stuff to be fair, although this does allow for more character development. The main guy Clint Howard (Ron's brother) is pretty decent and is a guy that's easy to root for. The film is essentially a nerd revenge flick and the bullies are an appalling bunch of cretins. So you are willing them to be dispensed with in as nasty a way as possible. And to be fair, the climax is pretty good with all manner of gory mayhem ensuing. Evilspeak is kind of a hybrid of Carrie with early 80's computer technology...with demon pigs thrown in for good measure. It's one of those horror films from the time that is kind of crazed but pretty imaginative, so it's easy to get onside with this one.

Satan Makes A Good Horror Film.

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 7/10 · 8 May 2017]

What surprises me most about this title is that I haven't seen it up until recently, as it's right up my alley... dark, nasty, and messed up.

This is the story of Stanley Coopersmith, a strange gawky kid who finds it hard to make friends and so ends up as a joke and punching bag for the other cadets at military school. However, while he's being punished by having to tidy up the chapel's basement he finds a secret room and a book of Satanic spells and worship. These were hidden away by a rogue priest Father Esteban, who had been banished to the Americas.

Unable to read the scriptures in the book, Coopersmith uses the schools' computer to translate them. and when he finally carries out the Black Mass all hell breaks loose at the school and the chapel.

One of the better aspects of this film is the cast as it stars Clint Howard as Coopersmith and it's really nice to see him in a lead role and not just playing a strange and creepy secondary role. Though he's young here, he does a good job.

Then there's R J Armstrong who plays Sarge, the drunk janitor looking after the school and chapel, who hates kids and has it out for Coopersmith. Armstrong is great in this portrayal, he gives the air of a man you just wouldn't trust.

Charles Tyner does a brilliant representation of a prig of a Colonel who finds it demeaning and below him to run the military school.

Finally, Richard Moll is excellent in the role of the Evil Father Esteban. He adds the right amount of power, menace and violence to the character to make him believable as being the hand of Satan.

For the time, the special effects would have been superb, especially the computer graphics (which today are cringeworthy and laughable) and most are still passable today. The climax of the film in the destruction of the God's house is very well done and created.

All in all, this is a pretty decent horror movie with a lot of the right elements and well directed by Eric Weston. A definite watch for a horror nut and if you're not, it's still worth a look-see on a dark night...

Demonic gender-bending twist on Carrie

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 9 July 2016]

A choice example of the horror film during the early '80s, EVILSPEAK is a wacky and delightful mumbo-jumbo shocker which boasts a sterling performance from weirdo Clint Howard (TICKS) in one of his few leading roles. The clichéd plot instantly rips off CARRIE with a gender-bending variation on the central theme: a boy at military school is tormented and abused by fellow pupils and teachers alike, so takes revenge by summoning down the wrath of Satan upon them. The best method to do this? By using his badly dated '80s computer, of course! One of the few films to contain an evil computer as one of the leading characters, EVILSPEAK makes great and cheesy use of this premise to spread some maximum mayhem come the finale.

Before the gory conclusion we are treated to a fairly slow-paced film which attempts to be serious – making it all the more amusing to watch. Enjoyment is heightened by the over-the-top efforts of a cast all striving to outdo themselves – from the Nazi history teacher to the cruel P.E. coach and the dumb jocks who make Clint's life a misery. Two genuinely good performances are given by the underused old-timer R.G. Armstrong as the drunken "Sarge" and Howard himself as Coopersmith, the put-upon orphan who finds himself possessed by Satan. Howard's acting is damned good and he holds interest during many of the slow spots. Keep your eyes out for creepy Richard Moll in another effectively evil performance. The music score, kind of an over-the-top variation of the music from THE OMEN, adds to the entertainment value immensely.

EVILSPEAK's off-kilter approach to the material makes it more entertaining than many similarly low-budget slasher films doing the rounds at the time. This is a film where evil is pixelated on a computer screen in many colourful and cool interludes. Where an attractive actress is gored to death by killer hogs in her bathtub after a gratuitous nude scene. Where a man is thrown vertically upwards to be impaled on a chandelier. Where a guy's head twists around back to front in a cheap EXORCIST imitation. On top of this we get some cheesy gore scenes involving people being decapitated by swords, a heart ripped out of a chest and much much more, scenes which have been jarringly cut out of the film in even the US version – the only flaw the film contains. I would pay good money to watch the uncut Canadian release of this cheese classic. EVILSPEAK is an always-involving "possession" style horror film, worth watching alone for the fiery climax in church which has to be seen to be believed.

A guilty pleasure from the '80s

[DVD_Connoisseur · 6/10 · 15 August 2007]

The much maligned "Evilspeak" actually struck me as an excellent horror movie in the early '80s, shortly before it was banned in the UK and listed on the infamous "nasties" list. Watching this again last night in its uncut format, my view of the film has changed significantly over the years! The film still has a few things going for it. The performances aren't bad and Clint Howard is always interesting to watch, there's a touch of nudity to appeal to the "t&a fans", the effects are bloody and the soundtrack by Roger Kellaway is impressive. On the downside, the film's pace is somewhat plodding and the film could have been edited down to a leaner and meaner tale.

Sexy Miss Friedemeyer (Lynn Hancock) remains a most watchable screen siren and her demise at the jaws of hungry pigs is a delightfully gruesome set-piece.

6 out of 10. Not as bad as people make out but still a turkey.

A Huge Cult Hit

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 28 June 2014]

A military cadet who happens to be a social outcast (Clint Howard) taps into a way to summon demons and cast spells on his tormentors through his computer.

What a strange film this is. A military academy, a long-dead occult priest, a computer that taps into Satan's power, flesh-eating pigs... and somehow, though not necessarily well, this all makes some kind of sense.

Although a generally enjoyable movie, it may be a bit too hyped by its fans. There is that 1980s fun to it, and it was exquisite gore that should be experienced at least one (easily rivaling what Tom Savini did for "Maniac"). And Clint Howard is incredible (especially alongside R. G. Armstrong). But the build up is really slow, and it could have been edited down by a good five minutes or more... the payoff is great, but it requires more than a little patience. This is not a "slow burn", but a lukewarm crawl at best.

Maybe using satanism to solve your problems isn't the best idea?

[Wuchakk · 5/10 · 17 April 2022]

An orphaned boy at a military academy in SoCal (Clint Howard) is harassed, so he uses a computer in the dark basement of the citadel to conjure up evil power for succor.

The curious title of "Evilspeak" (1981) was derived from the phrase "computer-speak," obviously because the kid uses an old computer to work his black magic. The flick attempts to be the male version of "Carrie" (1976) just switching from telekinetic powers to devilish witchcraft. Unfortunately, it lacks the coherence, weightiness and power of that 70's horror hit.

There's something about the storytelling that holds it back. The basic plot of a youthful outcast getting even with his/her tormentors is a surefire foundation, but the way it's told is not very compelling, which I suppose isn't helped by the muddled diabolic gobbledygook and the hint of cheesy bemusement.

The stunning Lynn Hancock stands out in the feminine department as a secretary at the school, Miss Friedemeyer. Lynn experimented with acting a handful of times in 1980-1982 before leaving the profession for other pastures. A few other notable lasses appear during a beauty contest for the cadets.

The movie officially runs 1 hour, 37 minutes, but there are several cuts of the film available. It was shot at Saint Anthony Seminary in Santa Barbara, California, as well as Chatworth, which is about 55 miles east in northwestern Los Angeles.

GRADE: C.

"VIDEO NASTY"...GUILTY PLEASURE...HAS A FOLLOWING...BUT TEDIOUS TIL CLIMAX

[LeonLouisRicci · 6/10 · 26 August 2021]

A Yawning Bore Until the Final 15 Minutes.

The Third-Act Contains Copious Amounts of Blood and Gore with a Large Crucifix that Bleeds and Pops a Rivet, Ravenous Pigs and a Floating Clint Howard (Brother of Ron).

For Your Consideration there are DOS Computer Images that are Mostly Flashing Text.

A Puppy Dog (the runt of the litter like Howard) is Cute, Cuddly and Killed.

It is Mostly a Lot of 80's Trendy Things that don't Fit Well Together.

Howard's Character Name "Coopersmith" Voiced so Many Times a Drinking Game is Not Recommended.

The Revenge Finale is Well Done Practical Effects and Make-Up.

But the Slog Getting There will Test the Resolve of Most Viewers.

Banned in Many Countries and was a Hard-to-Find Feature for a While.

Overall, it's Unsustainable and Uneven with a Script that Piles on Cliches on Top of Cliches.

Some of the Sets are Creepy but Dull-Toned and Repetitive with Much-to-Much Emphasis on the "Picking on the Nerd" Stuff.

You just Know that these Bullies are Going To Get Some Payback.

Get more than just Some, They Do.

Worth a Watch for Patient Gore-Hounds.

Watched it as a kid, but still remember that Clint Howard floating through the air finale.

[Aaron1375 · 4/10 · 17 May 2009]

Yes, I saw this movie once as a kid and I still remember the ending quite clearly. I also remember that other than the ending and the beginning and a scene involving pigs in the middle the movie really was not much to speak off. I can remember a bit of the plot as it involved a military school of some kind and Clint Howard's character not really fitting in and being constantly harassed by the other cadets. What I am not sure of is how he tapped into the power he used at the end to exact his revenge in the first place. He did dabble a bit here and there in satanic symbols and such, but just not sure how the computer in the end gave him power and possessed him with this ancient guy seen in the first scene of the flick. Still, there is gore in this movie and some good kills in the ending scene from what I remember, though if I watched it now I would probably be flabbergasted by how fake it looked. In the end though I can probably safely say this is one of those horror movies that is kind of a set up movie. A horror movie where the entire picture is mainly setting up for the ending and in the end all hell breaks loose. "Devil's Rain" is another one I know that does that, but this one has a bit better story to get to where it is going than that one. Still, a five minute scene does not make an entire movie, this just needed better filler in the middle.

Truly brutal

[hellholehorror · 7/10 · 25 September 2018]

A slightly slow film with a very strong ending. The ending/revenge is truly brutal. I was amazed with the credibility that this film had after I was expecting tat. Strong acting, good effects, well told story. The only complaints are that the first part is very slow and the death scenes seem a little unoriginal/repetitive and in slow motion. Don't really have that much to say about it. Overall impressive from what I was expecting. A brooding tale of revenge and the dark underworld that is hell!

A good horror film....

[MovieGuy01 · 5/10 · 29 October 2009]

I found Evilspeak to be quite a weird sort of horror film but also a good film. A clumsy military cadet called Stanley Coopersmith who happens to be socially outcast at the West Andover Academy, and is an orphan. He is always abused and humiliated by four despicable friends, and even has bad treatment from his teachers, the coach, the colonel and even the local reverend. When Coopersmith finds a book of black mass that belonged to the evil medieval Father Esteban, he uses a computer to conjure Satan and revenge his harassers. He finds a way to tap into a computer to summon demons and cast spells on his tormentors. that involves man eating pigs and Satanism. this ended up being a very good horror movie towards the end. 5/10

best damn horror movie of the genre

[rcasper69 · 10/10 · 10 November 2004]

First of all, don't believe what other users are out there trying to tell you about this movie being crap.They don't know what REAL horror is all about, they believe that jason and freddy are true horror and gore,not at all.I grew up watching truly good horror like evilspeak,dr. butcher.these movies were some of the greats,where they can actually show gore and all,,not like movies now where you see a knife and the next screen shows them dead,that's not horror and it doesn't even scare kids whatsoever.anyway back to evilspeak,it has its share of gore,don't believe otherwise,the movie is a great revenge plot by a young clint howard and I'm still amazed to this day at the special efx for that period,damn great.I give it a two thumbs up.Definitely a must see for TRUE and REAL gore fans alike,not recommended for people who didn't grow up in that time.Again,still the best damn movie for its time.10 thumbs up

Clint Howard carries this movie on his back but there are some worthwhile horror elements too

[kevin_robbins · 6/10 · 8 June 2022]

Evilspeak (1981) is a movie I recently watched on Shudder. The storyline follows a military academy cadet who is struggling to fit in with the other cadets. He isn't the most physically gifted but he's scientifically far more advanced than them. He takes advantage of his knowledge to leverage military technology to access the depths of hell and gain revenge.

This movie is directed by Eric Weston (Hitters) and stars Clint Howard (The Waterboy), R. G. Armstrong (Predator), Joe Cortese (Green Book) and Katherine Kelly Lang (Stan the Man).

Any movie that has Clint Howard with hair deserves an extra point. 😂 The soundtrack and background music in this is excellent. The horror elements are up and down but there's a shower sequence that's horror genre gold and very well done. The ending is very creative also and makes the film worth your time.

Overall Clint Howard carries this movie on his back but there are some worthwhile horror elements too. I would score this a 5.5-6/10 and recommend seeing it once.

Insignificant but fun

[Coventry · 5/10 · 14 February 2005]

This craptacular piece of 80's horror is especially recommended in case you're interested seeing Clint Howard star in a leading role for a change. You know him, he's the irritating and goofy looking dude who often appears as a meaningless side-character in even more meaningless horror films (The Dentist part two, the Humanoids from the Deep TV-remake etc…) I doubt many people are fascinated by his career but 'Evilspeak' is amusing to watch, nevertheless. The plot is an umpteenth variant on the favorite 80's theme where the nerdish school kid who always gets picked on avenges himself. Clint shines as the loser in this case, an unfortunate military cadet always punished by his teachers and an easy target for the other, more successful cadets. 'Evilspeak' goes beyond the standard horror format when ancient demons are summoned through a computer in the basement (?) and the whole thing becomes completely hilarious when hungry, filthy-looking pigs are used as murder weapons. Although not an intended trump for a horror film, 'Evilspeak' is incredibly funny! Especially the last 10 minutes are a must in case you're in desperate need of a laugh. The climax is exaggeratedly gore, with an outrageous Clint Howard chopping off heads in a church and unleashing pigs upon his hated classmates. Cheesy make-up effects and a deranged protagonist. Sometimes that's all there is needed to brighten up your mood.

A VERY Guilty Pleasure

[G-Man-25 · 14 July 1999]

Just how bad can a film be when the main force of evil is a herd of killer PIGS from Hell???? The story is way too silly to be horrifying, the dialogue is pretty laughable, the acting mostly reeks, and the production values are super-cheap! In other words, it's bad movie heaven....one of those "so bad, it's good!" guilty pleasures that you laugh AT as much as WITH.

And of course, it stars Clint Howard....what more needs to be said?

Crazy movie with an intense final 15 minutes (Spoilers)

[edeighton · 7/10 · 18 October 2018]

Evilspeak (1981) review (SPOILERS)

Evilspeak was video cassette #17 on the infamous "video nasties" list of VHS rentals banned in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. What is the "video nasties" list? Well in the earlier 1980's, right as video rentals started becoming popular, some uptight British mothers, led by Mary Whitehouse, forced local British cities to prosecute certain video releases for obscenity. To assist the local authorities in identifying obscene films, the Director of Public Prosecutions released a list of 72 films the office believed to violate the Obscene Publications Act of 1959. Evilspeak remained banned for a number of years as part of the Video Recordings Act of 1984, thanks to its gory climax and themes of Satanism. In fact, back in the United States, Warner Brothers, insisted that some of the most graphic bits of violence be cut out in order to avoid an X rating.

The overt Satanist themes really smack you across the face with this movie. Anton LaVey, the satanic boogeyman of the early 1980s, really loved Evilspeak and told people that this film did a great job of explaining the Satanic faith, LeVey and fellow Satanist, Magus Peter Gilmore promote this film as an accurate depiction of Satanism "a fellow who is treated unjustly and then gets revenge on his cruel tormentors".

The other prevalent theme in this movie is the awesome and mysterious power of the then new technologicaly wondrous home computer. The lead character, Stanley Coopersmith (aka "Cooperdick"), uses his computer skills to translate the book from Latin into English. The translation describes Estaban as a Satanist and the book contains rituals for performing the Black Mass along with a promise by Estaban citing "I Will Return". Today this anachronistic portrayal of the power of an Apple IIe is laughable. Viewers in 2018 know that is not how computers worked in the early 1980s. The depiction of computers is hilariously outdated. Now that we know what they are - and, more importantly, are not - capable of, it's somewhat funny to see the paranoid way Evilspeak views computers. Stanley Coopersmith's trusty Apple IIe even answers questions. 'What are the keys to the kingdom of Satan's majesty?' Stanley types, and this possessed Apple comes back with the precise ingredients and rituals. No, there's no internet and no Google, because this is 1981. It just knows... Additionally Coopersmith appears to be taking a Latin class. He must have a Latin-English dictionary, so why would Coopersmith waste the time programming a computer to translate the Latin text? The way computers are portrayed as powerfully evil in this movie reminds me of the same paranoid way Hollywood and T.V. movies portrayed Dungeons and Dragons in the early 1980s.

I could write a book about the minor character, Kowalski, played by young black actor, Haywood Nelson (Dwayne in the TV show "What's Happening"). How did he get a Polish last name? Why isn't Kowalski playing soccer with the rest of his class? In the soccer scen, Kowalski is dressed in jeans so he is obviously not playing. Yet, the coach explains in the very next scene that everyone plays sports and that colonel requires that everybody plays two out of four quarters, but apparently not Kowalski. Better yet, why is Kowalski in the locker room after the game and why he is he showering after not having played? The movie sort of sets up Kowalski and the friendly but monstrously large cook (Luca "sleeps with the fishs" Brasi) as good guys who will possibly save Stanley Coopersmith from his Satanic fate. Well, they fail.

For the most part, the script and the plot are fair, but there is one unforgivable oversight. The Reverend Jameson is established as an expert on the Military Academy's chapel because he made a study of it and started to do a little reading. The Reverend tells the rich mom of Bubba Caldwell, while she is touring the campus, that the founder of the chapel's order was a certain Father Estaban and that the land that the school sits on was given to Estaban's order of monks when they fled the Inquisition. Reverend Jameson, with a straight face, further explains that rumor has it that before he was executed, Estaban vowed to return and extract his revenge...the signal would manifest itself on these very grounds. The rich mom of Bubba simply replies "hmm how interesting". BUT WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT SIGNAL? WHAT SIGNAL WAS MANIFESTING ITSELF ON THESE VERY GROUNDS AND WHEN DID THAT START HAPPENING? This bit of dialogue makes no sense to the viewer and should make no sense to Bubba's rich mom.

Rather than go with trendy synth pop, composer Roger Kellaway, who had been Oscar nominated four years earlier for "A Star is Born", put together a choral soundtrack with dabs of electronica. The soundtrack works real well in this film and helps to set the right tone making scenes that would normally seen absurd have a scary feel to them.

Night Court fans are sure to recognize Richard Mull ("Bull, the bailiff") as playing Father Estaban. But unless you are eagle eyed, you probably did not notice that Richard Mull's co-star in this film, Don Stark (Bubba "the puppy killer" Caldwell) also was an occasional actor on Night Court.

Other notable parts of the movie: *Great naked lady in a shower scene -killed by demonic hogs

*I believe the first use of the pulling a guys beating heart out of his chest scene - earlier use than in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

* Why does a Military Academy High School have a Bikini contest to crown Miss Heavy Artillery?

Clint Howard: Lord of the Pigs!

[The_Void · 7/10 · 10 May 2006]

Evilspeak is a somewhat ludicrous cross between a demonic horror movie and trashy eighties teenager flick. This film is one of the more surprising entries on the Video Nasty list as, while somewhat gory, it's all so silly that I can't believe anyone could take it seriously. The film takes obvious influence from Stephen King's Carrie as it follows the idea of an outsider getting their own back on their enemies. The film features the lead character contacting the Devil for his source of revenge - and the way he does it is the weirdest thing about this film. Yes, he contacts the Lord of the Underworld via computer in what looks like an early version of the message board system. Being a film about computers that wasn't made in the last five years, Evilspeak looks ridiculously dated, but unlike other computer horror movies (e.g. Demon Seed), the effects here suit the jokey tone of the movie. As mentioned, the plot follows put-upon Coopersmith, a young lad at a military academy who finds himself the brunt of every joke going. However, his luck changes when he discovers an old basement with a computer in it...

The film is notable for the fact that it sees cult character actor Clint Howard in the lead role. It's obvious that he isn't used to taking the starring role, as his performance is rather messy and most of the time he leaves the audience rooting for his adversaries just because of the fact that he is so annoying. But even so, he adds to the cult value of the movie. The central location; that being the basement, really is a ridiculous place. Quite why a military academy would have a basement that looks like something out of a medieval castle is anyone's guess, and this is made all the more stupid by the inclusion of a computer down there. It has to be said that the film is rather slow, but it does feel like it's building up to something and actually, director Eric Weston does a good job of showing the audience the lead's situation. And the film does indeed build up to something; a great gory climax that sees a sword wielding Clint Howard and a bunch of pigs taking their revenge on the bad guys! The special effects are silly and dated, but not bad at all and it's easy to buy into the gore scenes. The music and atmosphere bode well, as it's demonic but never too serious and while this may be one of the weirdest inclusions on the Video Nasty list; it definitely is worth a watch.

Don't play the Cooper Smith drinking game. You won't last half an hour.

[mark.waltz · 2/10 · 10 March 2020]

That is unless you're getting a quarter each time that someone screeches Clint Howard's character's name. But the drinking game, just don't, although a few glasses of wine (red, of course) might help in getting through this disgusting "Carrie" rip-off.

Strange computer (DOS era) effects and late 60's style music (done to a Gregorian chant) that sounds like the opening credits from the movie version of "Sweet Charity" adds to the repulsive nature of this badly written, unfunny and offensive view of teen revenge, seen coming from the much bullied Howard who doesn't have the charm here to be sweetly nerdy. Certainly, most of the staff and students at this military academy are genuinely repulsive, and there is the urge to see them get what they deserve. But then there's sweet Heywood Nelson of "What's Happening" as Howard's one defender, basically a carbon copy of Amy Irving's "Carrie" character, sadly completely wasted.

There's gratuitous nudity with the presence of the sadistic secretary who gets a quick comeuppance for stealing the satanistic book that Howard found and dropped accidentally, seemingly entranced stupidly by the colorful pentagram on the cover. This is of course followed by nearly 20 minutes of non-stop gore, mostly with hideously laughable special effects. Everytime a head flies off a neck, I surpressed the urge to go "wee!", although I did that in the opening prologue setting up the satanic existence of the book brought over from Spain. It's also appropriate that the sounds right before the credits rolled seemed to be gas being passed. There are so many inconsequential moments in this film that it could have easily been cut by 20 minutes minus the pep rally and the secretary bathing. I'm sure the carnivorous hogs had better taste than what they were forced to eat here, the epitome of a tomaine addled brain able to come up with such muck.

6.66 out of 10

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 19 October 2017]

Post-Carrie, we've seen so many films where people turn to the Devil to help them fit in or fight back against bullies. But let's face it — when you dress up Carrie White or Sissy Spacek or Chloë Grace Moretz, they end up being attractive. But Clint Howard? There's really no dressing up Clint.

Don't get me wrong. I love the man and his many, many contributions to film (Balok from the Star Trek TV series, Carnosaur, Apollo 13, Rock 'n Roll High School and so much more). But you can totally see how he fits his role as Stanley Coopersmith in this movie.

Evilspeak starts in the past, where Satanist Father Esteban (Richard Moll, who ends up in these reviews a lot, thanks to films like The Nightmare Never Ends and The Dungeonmaster) and his followers are exiled from Spain and denied the grace of God, unless they renounce Satan and his evil ways. We wouldn't have a movie if they gave in, right?

Fast forward to the 80's. Stanley Coopersmith is an orphan, a poor kid who has been allowed into a military school alongside the children of some of the nation's richest and most powerful people. Everybody — including the teachers — pretty much use Stanley like a punching bag. While cleaning the church cellar, he finds Father Esteban's room, which is filled with black magic books and a diary. Stanley uses his 1981 computer skills to translate the book and learn more about Esteban. My words will not translate how great Stanley's Apple II's computing power is.

The next morning, Stanley's classmates tie up his clothes and unplug his alarm clock, which leads him to be punished. As he cleans the stables, the school secretary finds Esteban's diary. As she plays with the jewel's on the cover, pigs attack Stanley. He returns to his room to find all of his belongings destroyed and his book gone.

Sick of running out of computer time, Stanley steals a computer and sets it up in the basement. He's only missing a few ingredients — human blood and a consecrated host.

That evening, the cook takes pity on Stanley and gives him Fred, a

Read more at bandsaboutmovies.com/2017/10/19/evilspeak-1981/

A Terrible Screenplay Associated to Despicable Characters and Bad Acting

[claudio_carvalho · 4/10 · 18 June 2007]

The clumsy military cadet Stanley Coopersmith (Clint Howard) is orphan and completely outcast in the West Andover Academy. He is frequently abused and humiliated by four despicable mates, and has a bad treatment from his teachers, the coach, the colonel and even from the local reverend. When Coopersmith finds a book of black mass that belonged to the evil medieval Father Esteban, he uses a computer to conjure Satan and revenge his harassers.

The first point that calls the attention in "Evilspeak" is the terrible and messy screenplay, with a Spanish priest from the Middle Ages banished from the church in the beginning of the story, and an American Academy located where this priest used to celebrate his black masses. The second negative point to highlight is the despicable characters: with the exception of the cooker Jake and the black friend of Coopersmith, every character is nasty. Sarge, Reverend Jameson, the Coach, Colonel Kincaid, Miss Friedemeyer and of course the annoying quartet, they are "prepared" to die in the blood shed in the end of the story. Last but not the least, and as mentioned in the title of another review, the lead role for Clint Howard defines the quality and level of this forgettable flick. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Mensageiro de Satanás" ("Messenger of Satan")

Note: On 01 July 2022, I saw this film again.

Clint Howard loves puppies

[Vomitron_G · 6/10 · 13 February 2006]

I had to wait 18(!) years before I finally had the opportunity to see EVILSPEAK. And I must say it was worth the wait. It might even deserve a sort of cult-status, 'cause it's definitely one of those lost little 80's horror-gems. Now the story is one that's been done many times. A nerdy (military)student gets picked on all the time. Until he finds the means to take his bloody revenge. You can easily think of De Palma's CARRIE or Fulci's AENIGMA, but the one movie that kept coming to my mind while watching EVILSPEAK was Robert Englund's 976-EVIL (which, in my opinion, was a bit better). However, none of these movies go that far over-the-top as EVILSPEAK does.

The acting's rather bad, but Howard is very enjoyable as nerd Coopersmith. The movie does have some dull parts, but just when you might start thinking it's boring there's an amusing death scene. But the real price of this film are the scenes during the climax in the chapel. I won't give it away, but it's certainly worth sitting through the rest of the movie for. Outrageous demonic gory fun it is. And the special effects are pretty good for 81's standards.

In order to convince as many horror-fans possible to see EVILSPEAK, I'll list some things that this flick has going for it: Clint Howard, female nudity, filthy murderous pigs, blood & guts, a satanic computer, a zombie-janitor, an adorable puppy, a LOT of decapitations,... and more. Sure it's cheesy. Sure it's 80's. But it delivers the goods. And with the afore-mentioned ingredients, tell me, how can one not love it?

Banned in Britain

[lastliberal · 5/10 · 6 June 2010]

This is one of the infamous video nasties, banned in the UK. It remained banned for a number of years as part of the Video Recordings Act 1984, thanks to its gory climax and themes of satanism. It is still banned in Iceland.

The opening was very clever. They chopped off a bare chested females head with a sword during a ceremony and, as the head flew into the sea, it lands as a soccer ball at a boys military school. Clever.

Clint Howard (Halloween 2007, Frost/Nixon) is the picked upon student that seeks revenge on his classmates and teachers with Satan's Book.

The blood and gore is normal for a film of this type. The shower scene was totally unsatisfying as Lynn Hancock was decidedly asymmetrical and it caused a loss of focus.

The graphics were phenomenal.

Guilty pleasure for sure!

[the_headless_cross · 8/10 · 27 June 2008]

OK, is Evilspeak on par with Halloween or the Exorcist? You know better than that! But you cannot deny how fun of a movie it is! Seriously I think this is the best 80s B-horror movie I've seen in a long time, and heck I didn't even hear of it until just a few days ago!

What's so good about it, you may ask? Well, the fact of how bad it is! The obvious fake dummies during the kill scenes, the unintentional funny lines of dialogue (is it just me or does the way the Sarge says "My crooooowbaaaaaar" sound hilarious?), and I admit, Clint Howard is a good actor, but man the scenes he tried to act serious and shocked came out funny (that one lazy eye doesn't help, dude). And seriously?! Bob Pinciotti from That 70s Show is the lead bully? Wow, what happened, Don? (I mean, besides the obvious aging of course). What else is good? Obviously some great nude scenes, and some good gore scenes as well. Oh and the ending? I actually liked it! I mean, how could you top that awesome climax at the end? You couldn't! They just tell what happened after the events and some nice closing words. No twist ending needed here, just plain and simple!

Any problems with this film? Well, I would've liked to see what happened to his friend and the cook who was one the few people who treated him nice. And uh... I got nothing else.

If you love 80s horror movies, especially the bad ones, give this one a look! Oh and what also helps you enjoy this movie is pulling a Mystery Science Theater 3000 while watching it. Good times, good times

Evilspeak

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 2 September 2007]

Poor Stanley Coopersmith(Clint Howard)just wishes to complete his studies and play soccer as hard as he can. He's nonathletic, ugly & clumsy, but he's a very smart kid who doesn't ask for the wrongful mistreatment laid upon him by four loathsome jerks(I'm talking real pricks..the kind you'll be yearning to see suffer horrifically)led by star soccer jock Bubba(Don Stark, a real nasty scumbag)whose mama has ways of seeking further financial backing for the military school. Stanley discovers a Satanic Mass book, written in Latin, featuring a passage that conjure a powerful Satan worshiper named Esteban(portrayed by a pre-Night Court Richard Moll)while cleaning up the bowels of the old church..this one specific room he finds by an accident will represent a place of refuge from others. When Bubba sickeningly kills Stanley's pet pooch, the geek has had enough and, following the rules of conjuring using a computer as his guide(losing the book, when being punished by Colonel Kincaid for things he didn't do, to the secretary), will bring forth evil so that he can get revenge.

I was mixed about the flick as a whole, but the undeniable strength of it is Clint Howard's sympathetic portrayal of the constantly harassed cadet trying hard to forge his way through his activities despite those who torment him. I thought some of the gore effects were poor, while others were pretty good. I rather snickered at the killer pigs who eat several victims. Seeing a demoniacally possessed Clint, suspended in the air, hacking off..and chopping down on..heads using Esteban's sword, is quite a hoot.

RG Armstrong has a minor, but memorable role as "Sarge", a lousy alcoholic janitor who constantly mistreats Stanley. Reverend Jameson(Joseph Cortese)is an object of ridicule when his back is turned and uses the word of God to describe how the team should win the "game of Soccer against Satan." Claude Earl Jones is a real slime-ball as the soccer Coach who nudges Bubba to find a way to get Stanley kicked off the team so that they can win against their next rival. Last but not least, Charles Tyner as Colonel Kincaid..a man of stature at the academy who allows the harassment towards Stanley to continue while seeming as if he's adrift to why the young man keeps "messing up his chances at the school".

An aspect we see throughout is how Bubba and his cronies cause mischief that effects Stanley's life in schooling. They cause Stanley to be late for class by unplugging his alarm clock and tie up his clothes. They ruin his catapult project. They ruin his conversation with a pretty lady by holding him down and removing his pants. But, killing Stanley's pet dog was the final straw. Stanley, though, will not snitch on Bubba and receives a whipping from the Colonel and embarrassing duties such as slopping the pigs and clean-ups.

I thought the computer effects were pretty cool, although I found the overall premise concerning Satanism and how it effects others rather hokey.

Satanas! Vivimus! Satanas! Vivimus!

[Bevan - #4 · 4/10 · 3 January 2008]

It says something about the power of this hilariously bad movie to imbed itself in one's consciousness that 25 years since I've seen this movie, I can still recall the mangled Latin chanting of the putatively-scary soundtrack.

A no-doubt long forgotten blot on Clint Howard's long but not terribly notable career, the scanty plot revolves around the bullied and harassed hero summoning Satan on his trusty IBM PC. Exhibiting translation programs many years before their time, the movie feeds upon (or attempts to do so, anyway) the 1981 audience's preconceptions of computers as Mysterious, Dangerous Things. Few opportunities to wring pathos are forgotten, such as the band of crazed teens who go out of their way to kill the protagonist's kitten.

Just about everyone else in the movie is a has-been or never-were, and the degree to which people flail to find something memorable about the flick can be seen in the number of comments discussing unknown Lynn Hancock's twenty seconds worth of full frontal nudity before she is torn to pieces by pigs. Damn near everyone in the movie is killed, which audiences probably appreciate.

4/10, which may be a bit generous, and only that much through the humor value.